Good morning, 

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens

Monday, June 21, 2021
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• While the 87th regular legislative session ended on May 31, yesterday marked the last day that Gov. Greg Abbott could either sign or veto legislation, meaning the session is now officially in the rear-view mirror (for now, at least...)
   
• Since the legislature left Austin, the team at Texas Scorecard has been hard at work taking a look back at what did (and didn't) get accomplished this year.
   
• Below are several of our 87th Legislature Autopsy Reports, in which we explain exactly how some of the conservative priorities lawmakers were tasked with fared during the session. 

• Texas Lawmakers Chose to Not Protect Free Speech: Social media giants are discriminating and censoring non-Democrat voices, and the Texas Legislature is letting them.
   
• The Legislative Saga Surrounding Gender Modification Bills: The Legislature ultimately failed to address the issue.
   
• Monument Protection Efforts Lack Tangible Results: Only one bill made it through the entire legislative process, and even then, it left vulnerabilities for monuments all over the state.
   
• Election Integrity Advocates Let Down by Lawmakers: A handful of reforms passed, but Texas conservatives’ top-priority election integrity bill was bungled by Republican legislators.
   
• Texas Lawmakers Didn’t Protect Women’s Sports: If Gov. Greg Abbott doesn’t act, young women remain at risk of losing their athletic opportunities.
   
• Lack of Emergency Powers Reform Despite Outcry From Texans: The Legislature adjourned approving a mere patchwork of bills, with only a few addressing the concerns that were raised in the wake of the pandemic.
   
• Texas Lawmakers Enact New Pro-Life laws, But Fail to Abolish Abortion: Texas still lags behind other states in protecting children from being aborted.
   
• Taxpayers to Reluctantly Continue to Fund Lobbyists: Even with overwhelming bi-partisan support of ending the practice, lawmakers chose petty politics over good policy.
   
• Constitutional Carry Finally Passes Finish Line: Pressure from citizen activists has made the longtime priority a reality.

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