Lawmakers in the Texas House ran out the clock to kill two measures that would have provided substantial protection against the abuses experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.. Among the dozens of measures that the Texas House killed by running down the legislative clock are two that would have protected Texans against abusive interventions to address a declared disaster like the COVID-19 pandemic. Senate Bill 1104 by State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R–Granbury) would have given the Legislature sole authority to suspend laws and regulations after 30 days of a declared disaster, at which time the governor would have been required to...