TEXAS — A public health crisis, the redrawing of the state’s electoral maps, and grappling with a struggling economy are just a few of the major issues facing the state legislature as the 2021 session draws near.

What You Need To Know

  • The Texas Tribune, in partnership with Spectrum News, is pulling back the curtain on what’s ahead for Texas with a free-to-attend virtual symposium dedicated to previewing the 2021 legislative session taking place Dec. 7-11

  • During the event, elected officials from across the state will come together to talk through today’s biggest challenges and potential policy solutions, how they foresee the legislature addressing the public health and economic crises, Texas’ political future, and so much more

  • You’ll get an exclusive look at what's on the house agenda, the legislative priorities of the Texas Black Caucus and the Women’s Equity Bloc, and meet the newest members of the Texas Legislature

  • Over the five days, you’ll get full access to conversations made public over the lunch hour — noon-1 p.m. CT each day — geared at getting you ready for what’s ahead.

With the recent election cycle (mostly) behind us, Texas’ 87th legislative session is set to convene at noon on Jan. 12. The Texas Tribune and Spectrum News have teamed up to present a free week-long event — from Dec. 7 to 11 — previewing the 2021 proceedings. The virtual symposium will bring together lawmakers, state officials, and members of the Texas media to discuss legislative priorities, how the economic and public health crises will impact the session, and other looming issues.

All of the back-to-back half-hour panel discussions will take place during the lunch hour — from noon to 1 p.m., and each conversation will touch on a wide range of hot-button topics and will include clear-headed explanations of how the state legislature operates.

The Tribune has hosted this preview every even-numbered year since 2014. Past iterations of the event took place over the course of a day, with several discussions all taking place in a single location. Last year’s symposium saw roughly 1,000 people pack The University of Texas’ Alumni Center in Austin. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, this version of the preview will be all virtual, and would-be viewers must register to attend.

Evan Smith, The Trib’s co-founder and CEO, said, based on the number of people already registered, this will be the event’s biggest-ever audience. Already, he added, more than 2,000 people have signed up to watch the moderated discussions — double the amount of the preview's largest-ever attendance number. 

“One of the many things we've learned over the course of doing virtual events since the middle of March is that if you don't require people to come to your thing, but all they have to do is get on their device, you have the universe of people out there as potential attendees,” he said.

Having gained the experience of producing events during a quarantine, Smith said he and his team have learned how to navigate the various quirks and vicissitudes of an online event. One of the biggest differences of this year’s virtual symposium is that there won’t be a live Q&A session after the discussions. Audience members are encouraged to submit their questions in advance, and the moderator will try and work them in.

The panels will also be smaller and shorter. At past legislative previews, five scheduled panel discussions lasted an hour each. This year, the length of the panel discussions will be cut in half, but Smith said that will allow him to cover twice as many topics.

“By having 10 panels, you have the opportunity to do some more interesting things — some more niche-y things,” Smith said.

Some of this year’s featured speakers include state Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth; state Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood; state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston; and state Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio.

The scheduled events start with The Legislature Explained, with Smith and The Texas Tribune’s executive editor Ross Ramsey, and ends with a Reporters’ Roundtable, featuring The Texas Tribune’s Patrick Svitek, senior political reporter; Cassi Pollock, politics reporter; Alex Samuels, political reporter; and Alexa Ura, demographics reporter.

As always, the symposium will present a discussion on the budget. There will also be sessions built around the women’s voting bloc, what the Black caucus wants, an introduction to new members of the state legislature, a discussion about new House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, and more.

“Some of the panels are built around personalities and some are built around topics,” Smith said. “In a session like the one coming up, you know, for instance, that you're going to have a conversation around the budget. This year, it's a particularly good conversation because the economy turned down, and the economy is going to be difficult next year.

“Because this happens to be one of the decennial cycles when we redraw the maps around legislative and congressional districts, we're going to have a conversation around that,” he continued.

Attendees will be able to catch a glimpse of some of the more impactful potential legislation on the house agenda this year. As seems to be the case every session in Texas, the lawmaking process promises to be as kaleidoscopic as it will be contentious.

“I live in Texas, the state that I adore and a state that has the most peculiar political climate of any state, always, and under any circumstances,” he said. “There's always something — or more than one thing — that is upturning the applecart politically here.

“Elections have consequences,” he said. “It's the oldest chestnut the world. It's also the truest.”