The 87th Texas legislative session kicked off on Tuesday, January 12 this year and will last for 140 days until Monday, May 31, 2021.

Air Alliance Houston is calling state lawmakers to invest in clean air, chemical safety and environmental justice during this session. Take a look at the bills we support and oppose here. We will continue to update the list as more information becomes available until the bill filing deadline of Friday, March 12.

We are especially encouraged by SB 87 (Senator Borris Miles. Dist. 13) and HB714 (Rep. Ron Reynolds, Dist. 37) focused on explicitly considering the disproportionate burden of environmental hazards on communities of color and working class neighborhoods.

We encourage you to contact your elected officials to express your support for the bills we’ve listed. Be sure to also subscribe to our mailing list to receive alerts about opportunities to take action as the session progresses. You may also want to follow the committees handling the bills, such as the House Environmental Regulation, Public Health and Transportation Committees, for legislative updates via the Texas Legislature Online website. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions about the air quality-related bills or need guidance with navigating the site.

Public participation in the legislative process looks different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of now, it has been established that anyone entering the capitol has to take a rapid COVID-19 test and that public testimony on bills can be given virtually only on invitation by the Committee Chair. We are concerned about the inequity of this arrangement and continue working with legislators to make virtual public testimony accessible to all.