Tuesday was opening day of the 87th Texas Legislature (also known as "nerd prom," according to state Capitol insiders). We revisit a conversation from our third episode ever (!) about the bills and the bees (aka how laws are made here in Texas) with friend and shero Stephanie Chiarello, founder of the Over the Lege comedy series. We also reflect on how much is different from the last Texas legislative session 2 years ago.FOLLOW THE RABBLE PODCAST:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRabbleTX/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therabbletxTwitter: https://twitter.com/TheRabbleTXSubscribe to our newsletter, T-GIF: https://www.rousertx.com/tgif/LINKS WE MENTIONED:Links about the Texas Legislature ("TX lege" for short):ttps://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/11/texas-legislature-2021/https://www.kut.org/politics/2019-01-08/a-beginners-guide-to-the-texas-legislaturehttps://www.kut.org/politics/2017-04-03/five-ways-you-can-influence-texas-lawmakershttps://www.kut.org/texas/2017-03-27/if-the-texas-legislature-were-a-symphony-this-is-what-it-would-sound-likeTexas legislature online (My TLO): https://capitol.texas.gov/MnuMyTLO.aspxHow to track bills using the TLO site: http://txlege.indivisible.blue/2017/03/16/how-to-track-bills-in-the-texas-legislature/ Austin Woman Magazine article about us: https://atxwoman.com/rouser-politics-texas-women/ Stephanie Chiarello and Over the Lege (their live podcast season 2 debut is happening this Friday at 7:30pm CT on the Over The Lege Facebook page!):https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxs6T8bQR4D7uB7BwgqGkwhttps://www.facebook.com/overthelege  Also if you are new to Rouser and The Rabble podcast, here is Stephanie explaining why she nominated us to win the Women Communicators of Austin “Creative Initiative Award”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EevWimF8CoA&list=PL3JK8kbyG_bVsR_9g5FFSIRI2t71kYCXD&index=6 Stop the tampon tax!https://actionnetwork.org/letters/email-your-legislators-to-co-sponsor-and-support-hb-321-to-end-the-texas-tampon-tax/ A great tool to see how a bill becomes a law; make sure to allow adobe flash to work (you click on each square and it gives more information):https://tlc.texas.gov/BillToLaw  Dawnna Dukes advocating for smoking:http://tlchouse.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=38&clip_id=9606.  (It's at 3hrs 32 minutes in; amendment 27 is the amendment prohibiting smoking, her amendment is 28 saying no alcohol, etc.) Rep. James Talarico’s 2019 Jesus Vibes Sermonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLoC90kbLlg Use the Texas Freedom Network’s tool to tell your state rep to allow virtual testimony from the public this session:http://bit.ly/lege-action Emgage’s Running for Office 101Sunday, January 31st at 4:30 PM bit.ly/rfo101 Do our survey! Pretty please! Cuz if we’re not giving you what you want we’re just wasting our time!https://bit.ly/38NJVXB Come to our virtual pizza party! Friday, January 22 at 12pm CT:https://bit.ly/2JuTphQ