(Left to right) Texas state Reps. Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio), Donna Howard (D-Austin), Lina Ortega (D-El Paso) and Chris Turner (D-Arlington) talk in the House chamber before the start of the 87th Legislature’s third special session at the State Capitol in September 2021. Credit: Tamir Kalifa / Getty Images
AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 20: (Left to right) Texas state Reps. Ray Lopez, D-San Antonio, Donna Howard, D-Austin, Lina Ortega, D-El Paso, and Chris Turner, D-Arlington, talk in the House chamber before the start of the 87th Legislature’s third special session at the State Capitol on September 20, 2021 in Austin, Texas. Following a second special session that saw the passage of controversial voting and abortion laws, Texas lawmakers have convened at the Capitol for a third special session to address more of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s conservative priorities which include redistricting, the distribution of federal COVID-19 relief funds, vaccine mandates and restrictions on how transgender student athletes can compete in sports.
