2021 was the second year of the pandemic. The Texas Legislature met in regular session, as usual, but then followed that session with three special sessions on issues that had to be done (redistricting) and on issues lawmakers didn’t address during that 140-day regular session. The issue of drawing new political maps came late, because the pandemic delayed the 2020 census.
Others — new voting and election laws, and restrictions on what can be taught in public schools, for instance — were priority issues for Republicans at the legislative and at the statewide level, and could be the subject of debate in 2022’s election cycle.
Read more from Ross Ramsey with the Texas Tribune here.