The first bills for the 2025 legislative session – Part II: Texas lawmakers target border and immigration, elections, LGBTQ+ rights and marriage

(The Texas Tribune) – Lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate filed more than a thousand pieces of legislation Nov. 19, offering an early look at the issues they hope to prioritize when they gavel in for the 89th legislative session in January.Some of the topics covered in the first day of filing for 2025 session:Related Stories Border and immigration Elections LGBTQ+ rights Marriage Criminal justice Energy Health Guns Workers’ wages Property taxes Abortion Public education Higher educationBorder and immigrationAlmost two dozen border and immigration-related bills filed Nov. 19 suggest some Republican lawmakers will remain bullish on those issues.House Bill 354, filed by Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, would create a Texas Border Protection Unit whose officers would have the authority to arrest people who cross the Texas-Mexico border illegally – mirroring U.S. Border Patrol’s job. The unit would also oversee construction and maintenance of physical barriers, including the state’s border wall.A similar measure failed last year but has vocal support from immigration hardliners like Texans for Strong Borders.Senate Bill 81, filed by Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, would give the Department of Public Safety “during a state of invasion or imminent danger on the Texas-Mexico border” the authority to return...