Session Talk

The Legislative cocktail hour: A look at this week's happenings inside the Capitol

If you’re like us, you know that the Legislature is in session. You may even know that there are Representatives and Senators and they meet in the Capitol. They drink at the Cloak Room, wear suits and probably bang gavels and stuff. And maybe that is about where your knowledge of the Legislature ends.

CultureMap is here to give you a bit more insight into what is happening on Congress Avenue. In this new weekly series, we'll give you the highlights, the fun facts and the juicy tidbits you can break out and use to impress all your friends.

First bill of the session

The big news this week was the passage of a $4.8 billion bill that funded Medicaid through the rest of the year. Due to some budget tricks in the 2011 session that you really don’t want me to explain here, the program was set to run out of money in mid-March and 3 million people would lose coverage.

Before you panic or offer up some other completely unlikely reaction, realize that the lawmakers knew what they were doing and fully expected this — for the most part. The House passed it unanimously, as much a testament to the popularity of House Appropriations Committee.

A win for Powers

Monday was undoubtedly a win for UT President Bill Powers. His relationship with both Governor Rick Perry and the University’s Board of Regents has been scrutinized lately, with some even whispering his job may be in jeopardy. Monday, however, saw lawmakers in both the House and the Senate passing resolutions supporting Powers as UT’s fearless leader. Lt. Governor David Dewhurst went even further, addressing the Senate in defense of the Board of Regents’ “character assassination” of Powers.

Freedom for students

Over in the Senate, a bill was filed that would allow high school students a bit more freedom in choosing what to study. In addition to the state mandated curriculum, students can enhance their diplomas with “endorsements” in things like technology or the arts. As someone who chose the arts, I urge all high schoolers to consider that technology track. You’ll make a lot more money and you may even have health insurance.

One more day of P.E.

Children all over Texas may be rejoicing if the Senate passes SB 504, which would eliminate the spinal curvature exam in schools. On the downside, this means they can’t get out of gym class that day.

They giveth, they taketh away

If Monday saw high school students potentially getting a bit more freedom, Tuesday saw some of it being taken away. A bill in the House would require all students to obtain parental consent for sexuality and family planning classes. The words “family planning” obviously mean contraception, but are also a dog whistle for that most horrible of horrible words in the Texas Legislature: “abortion.” Because that’s what they teach in high school, you know. All About Abortion 101.

Stop the noise

Another bill would make it a criminal offense to be too loud. If you exceed a certain decibel level (85 during the day, 70 at night) and a justice of the peace verifies it, you may be charged with disorderly conduct. Old men on porches everywhere are rejoicing. And, on a personal note, this means I finally get to stop my neighbor from blasting Pearl Jam at 7 a.m. Pass it quickly, Eddie Vedder is killing me!

Brews on tap in Lege

Wednesday was Craft Brewery Day at the Capitol, also known as the Best Day Ever. The Senate referred four bills that would attempt to loosen regulations on craft breweries in Texas. Among other things, this would allow craft breweries to double the amount of beer they make every year and sell it on the wholesale level, which means you’ll get your Hops & Grains fix a lot easier.

Pass the hypodermic needle

Over in the House of Representatives, an interesting bill was deferred to committee that would, in essence, create a DNA super base. If passed, this bill would require anyone arrested for a felony to be forced to give a DNA sample. Just a note, it doesn’t mean you actually have to be convicted, just arrested.

Cultural diversity in the doctor’s office

On a different note, a House bill that would create a “Cultural Competence Requirement” for certain university-level health education programs. This aims to educate health care providers on different cultures and how to treat patients while respecting these differences.

As the session ambles on towards summer, we expect things will be getting pretty interesting. In addition to the hot topics of gun licenses and abortion, we’ll also be covering the legislation about Texas culture and music, tourism and, of course, the bill that would make it illegal for UT and Texas A&M to not play a Thanksgiving Day football game.

Join CultureMap each week for a look back at Capitol happenings.

Governor.state.tx.us

Join CultureMap each week for a look back at Capitol happenings.

unspecified

Red Light

San Antonio leads Texas on ending horse-drawn carriage rides by 2030

Getty Images

Horses will no longer pull carriages on the streets of downtown San Antonio.

San Antonio has pulled off something that the rest of Texas has yet to do, but it didn't come without some contentious conversations. City Council has unanimously voted (with one abstention) to phase out the use of horse-drawn carriages over the next five years. That means by January 1, 2030, there will be none on the streets at all; instead, there will be electric carriages.

These plans have been in the making since 2022 — if not always at the same level of intensity — when District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran wrote up some concerns about the horses' wellbeing. A special session at the end of October 2024 hinted to San Antonians that the end for this practice was neigh — sorry, nigh — and the final vote was made on December 12. In addition to accepting the plan, it extended its timeframe by two years.

The initial proposal included worries about the horses' exposure to traffic and pollution, as well how their presence might exacerbate those issues for the environment at large by slowing traffic. It also raised concerns about the effects of standing or walking on hard surfaces for too long, or spending time in extreme weather.

At the December 12 meeting, San Antonians gave impassioned speeches about animal welfare — both to call attention to the need for better conditions and to defend the reputations and jobs of current horse drivers — but it wasn't the first time the council heard from the public about the issue.

In a prior city survey, 50,476 respondents weighed in. Of those respondents, 51.98 percent said they liked the idea to "Transition horse-drawn carriages to electric carriages and pedicabs and ban horse drawn carriages completely." There were alternative solutions listed, but respondents were less drawn to them.

A cultural divide emerged in the data and continued in the December meeting: some people avoided the carriages because they worried about the treatment of the horses, while others enjoyed them because of their historical echoes and living legacy. Many speakers in favor of the plan used this to form their argument, raising questions about history versus progress.

More tangible objections to the plan hinged on the businesses — specifically five companies — and jobs that would be lost, which was the main factor behind extending the adjustment period.

Discussions about the particulars of the electric vehicles are still to come, as confirmed in the discussion near the end of the meeting. Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez addressed concerns about what would happen to the horses, mentioning the Brady Hunter Foundation as a future partner in finding them rescue homes.

Some council members also brought up rhetorical questions about animal exploitation by groups like Sea World, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, military and police forces, and even various groups in the Fiesta parade, although these did not come with a formal motion to pick the issues up.

This decision could have a ripple effect on other Texas cities. Dallas has recently considered a similar ban, but it appears to have stalled; Austin's attempts at a ban have been unsuccessful, but according to the Austin-American Statesman, only one operator is permitted to bring horses downtown. She declines to do so because the long hours are unfair to her and the horses. Houston does have horse-drawn carriages, and there seems to be little conversation about banning them.

Cities like Chicago and Salt Lake City have led the charge in the United States with some of the most prominent successful bans. Other cities around the world with bans include Brussels and Guadalajara, which both switched to electric models. Bans that have been around for years, like Guadalajara's and Prague's, still aren't out of the woods — people are still pushing back on the decision, so it sounds like San Antonio still has much work cut out for it.

animals downtown civic issues