The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agency order that halts certain types of residential evictions [PDF] is set to expire on Saturday, July 31st, 2021. The Order has been extended several times since it went into effect in September 2020, but the CDC has indicated that they will not extend it again.

Tenants who have been protected from eviction by the CDC Order should be aware that their landlord may file for eviction against them after this protection expires at the end of the month. Read on for more information on the CDC Order's expiration, the eviction process, and where to find help.

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The State Law Library's temporary remote access to the Lexis Advance program will end on July 30th! If you haven't already signed up for access, be sure to do so soon. Read on for details about accessing an account remotely, so please review and let us know if you have questions.

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June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month! Pride is celebrated in June each year to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Inn uprising on June 28th, 1969. The State Law Library has several different resources that can help you research LGBTQ issues and the law - check out our LGBT Law research guide and find titles in our Digital Collection that focus specifically on LGBTQ issues.

As always, feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have! Happy Pride!

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) agency order that halts certain types of residential evictions was recently extended through July 31st, 2021. The order was originally set to expire at the end of March of 2021. Read the updated order on the CDC's website [PDF].

You can find an overview of the CDC order on the Eviction page of our COVID-19 and Texas Law guide. This page also includes links to sample forms, information on who this order protects, and other resources that help explain how the CDC order protects tenants from evictions.

Celebrated on June 19th, Juneteenth (sometimes called Emancipation Day) marks the end of slavery in Texas and the rest of the United States. June 19th is now a federally recognized holiday after President Biden signed Senate Bill 475 into law on June 17th, 2021. You can view the text of S.475 on Congress.gov.

Last year we wrote about the Texas Supreme Court cases that establish Juneteenth as the legal end of slavery. Find our post about Juneteenth here, and have a happy Juneteenth!

 

We've heard from a lot of travelers who want to know what COVID-19 requirements they'll face once they arrive in Texas. Currently, there are no quarantine requirements in place for interstate and international travelers once they arrive in Texas, although the CDC recommends a 7-10 day quarantine period for those who have not received a COVID-19 vaccination.

International travelers to the U.S must also show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of recovery. See our new FAQ on this subject for more info.

Today is the State Law Library's 50th birthday! Formerly the library of the Texas Supreme Court, on June 8th, 1971, the State Law Library became an independent state agency. We have a long and storied history, and we're happy to share our past, present, and future with you! Here's to another 50 years!

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We're happy to announce that we've added additional volumes to our online collection of historical Texas statutes. The unofficial compilations of Texas statutes between 1914–1922 are now available. Read on for a bit of background information on these new volumes. 

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We've had a lot of questions from people wondering why some businesses are still requiring masks if the statewide mask mandate is over, and we've created a Legal FAQ on the subject to help address this question. Private businesses still have the right to require masks for customers and employees, but most state and local government entities can no longer do so. 

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We are happy to announce that the State Law Library will reopen its physical location to the public beginning on June 1st, 2021! After months of closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic and damage from the February storm, we're excited to assist your legal research needs in person again. Please read through our library's reopening policies for information on how we can best assist you during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Our chat pilot program comes to a close this month. After Friday, May 28th, our chat reference service will no longer be available, although you can still reach us via phone or by email as always. We'd like to thank our friends at the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library for their dedication and teamwork while assisting with our chat program, and we look forward to debuting a new system answering questions via text messages in the near future. Keep an eye out for that announcement soon!

Law Day is celebrated each year on May 1st and honors the rule of law and the American legal system. This year's theme is "Advancing the Rule of Law, Now!" Read on to see how we're celebrating Law Day.

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The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has made some changes to the Texas Rent Relief Program in order to make the application and payout process easier. These changes go into effect on April 21st, 2021. Read on for a look at these new changes, and visit our Rent and Legal Assistance page on the COVID-19 & Texas Law guide for more information. 

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Today, March 16th, is Freedom of Information Day! Do you know how to make a public records request? Read on for more information on Texas and federal laws that help protect the public's access to government information. 

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It's the 60th day of the 87th Texas legislative session, which means that with the exception of local bills, emergency appropriations, and emergency matters submitted by the governor, today, March 12th, 2021, is the final day for bills to be filed.

Find a list of bills filed today on Texas Legislature Online, or browse bills filed in both the Texas House and Senate. 

Since early July of 2020, Texans have been required to wear a face mask in most public places due to an executive order issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott [PDF]. That order has been rescinded, and a new executive order that ends the mask requirement in Texas (with some exceptions, of course) goes into effect today, March 10th, 2021. Here are a few takeaways from the new order.

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Texans faced power and water outages, soaring utility bills, and damages to homes and businesses as a result of February's winter storm. We've compiled a list of resources from the state, local and federal response along with information about utility bills, property damage, and insurance claims.

See the Winter Storm 2021 page on the Weather Emergencies guide for more info.

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The Texas Legislature's 87th Regular Session is underway! The session began on January 12th, 2021, and will run through May 31st, 2021. Read on for information on keeping up with the latest from the 87th session.

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Update: This order has recently been extended to July 31st, 2021.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agency order[PDF] that halts residential evictions for tenants in certain situations has been extended through March 31st, 2021.

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It's doubtful that anyone will remember 2020 fondly. The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions across all spheres of life, and we're still grappling with the effects as we head into 2021. At the State Law Library, we spent the better part of a year focusing our efforts on connecting Texans with legal information and resources to help navigate the pandemic's impact, and we pledge to do the same in 2021. Here is a rundown of the SLL's projects and efforts in 2020. 

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Today, December 15th is Bill of Rights Day! The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution comprise the Bill of Rights, which set out the foundational civil rights and liberties guaranteed to all Americans. President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared December 15th to be Bill of Rights Day in 1941 in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Bill of Rights' ratification.

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This week marks 38 years since the first use of lethal injection in the United States. On December 7th, 1982, the State of Texas executed Charlie Brooks by lethal injection, becoming the first U.S. state to execute an offender with this method. Read on for a brief overview of the history of lethal injection in Texas.

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We've had a lot of questions about where to report a business or organization for violating mask/face covering orders recently. The best way to report these violations would be to contact your local law enforcement agency (typically a county sheriff's office, city police department, or similar local agency). For more details, please see our legal FAQ on this subject as well as the Mask Laws page of our COVID-19 and Texas Law research guide.