How much did state-level candidates raise, spend and owe in the closing days of 2010 — and how much do they still have for future campaigns? Our interactive table lets you sort the totals by dollar amounts, election type, political party and candidate status.

Our latest data app aims to help Texans make sense of the legislative process, tracking bills as they move through the Legislature. 

With the 82nd Legislative Session in only its second week, Texas lawmakers have already filed more than 900 bills, potential laws addressing hundreds of subjects ranging from abortion and immigration to health care and wrongful imprisonment. This application aims to help Texans make sense of the legislative process, tracking proposed pieces of legislation as they move through the Texas House and Senate.

The 82nd Texas Legislature convenes in Austin this week, and while it’s not as much fun as the circus — usually — it’s more important and does have its share of comedy and drama. 

The Texas Ethics Commission levied more than $140,000 in fines in 2010 following complaints that candidates, officeholders and others violated laws governing elections, lobbying or holding political office. Since 2004, $650,000 in fines have been issued. Use our database to search the records.

Lobbyists are required by law to notify their clients if they represent two or more groups with clashing agendas. They are also required to notify the Texas Ethics Commission. Scores of lobbyists have done so in recent legislative sessions. What is not required is for the public or elected representatives to be informed.

For the seventh consecutive decade, Texas will gain seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the decennial apportionment process, which means extra clout after the 2012 elections. With Republicans in control of redrawing the state's congressional districts — and adding the four new seats — they stand to benefit the most. 

Texas may be reddening, but Dallas County’s turning a darker shade of blue. While the GOP picked up hotly contested Dallas-area state House seats in November, the county voted for challenger Bill White over incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry by a margin of 12 percentage points. Straight-ticket voters also helped Democratic District Attorney Craig Watkins cling to his office in a squeaker and gave the County Commissioners Court its first Democratic majority in nearly 30 years.

Retiring state Rep. Joe Crabb, R-Atascocita, led all Texas House members in government-funded travel expenses in the last fiscal year, according to a Texas Tribune review of expense reports obtained from the state comptroller. Crabb spent $48,400, versus a per-member average of about $11,000. In all, 14 members spent more than $30,000. View a sortable table of travel totals by member.