Despite Ken Paxton's request, judge to stay on in his case
Judge George Gallagher will remain on the securities fraud case against Attorney General Ken Paxton, according to a spokeswoman for the judge. Full Story
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![AG Ken Paxton at a press conference to recognize January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month on January 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: The House and Senate clash over cash
The House and Senate budgets have both allocated about $218 billion for the state. But crucial differences remain on how much each proposal funds important resources. Full Story
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![House Appropriations Committee chairman John Zerwas lays out the budget with an abacus as a prop. The plaque reads, "Sometimes All You Need Is A Billion Dollars."]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texplainer: How do you navigate the Senate intent calendar?
At this point in the session, there are a lot of bills on the Senate’s “intent calendar.” How can you tell which bills will be considered on a given day? Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Tim Park for The Texas Tribune -
In Dallas and Houston, pension fights escalating, sparking unexpected debates
Houston and Dallas leaders were supposed to each be united on how they wanted state lawmakers to address their respective pension shortfalls before the legislative session even began. (Spoiler alert: They're still not.) Full Story
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![Mayors Sylvester Turner of Houston (l.) and Mike Rawlings of Dallas.]()
Credit: Turner: Bob Daemmrich/Rawlings: Eric Schlagel -
Outlook uncertain for bill to raise age of criminal responsibility
Democratic state Sen. John Whitmire of Houston says a bill that would raise the age of adult criminal responsibility in Texas from 17 to 18 years old fails to address his chief concerns: cost and safety. Full Story
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![State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Analysis: Six weeks left for the Texas Legislature, with lots to fight over
The Texas Legislature's Easter break ends with a sprint. Only six weeks remain between now and the end of this regular legislative session — and most of the 6,000+ bills under consideration are going to die. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Tim Park for The Texas Tribune -
How do the Texas House and Senate budgets compare?
Both chambers have passed state budgets that spend around $218 billion but significant differences remain. With just a few weeks to go before the end of the session, here's a look at the key sticking points. Full Story
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![House Appropriations Chairman John Zerwas, R-Richmond, and Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound.]()
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White House greenlights a new immigration-detention center in Texas
A private-prison company announced Thursday that it will build a $110 million detention complex in the city of Conroe near Houston as part of a 10-year, renewable contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Full Story
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The Brief: TABC's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad hearing
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's spending controversies landed them in the hot seat with Texas lawmakers on Thursday. The House Committee on General Investigating and Ethics grilled top officials from TABC for more than three hours. Full Story
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![State Rep. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, chairwoman of the Committee on General Investigating and Ethics, holds up a TABC flyer at a hearing on April 13, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas' voter ID law again takes a hit in the courts (video)
Asked to re-evaluate the state’s voter ID law, a federal judge rules for the second time that state lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Latino and black voters in passing the strict law. Full Story
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Analysis: The taxes Texas school districts are afraid to cut
A state law that's supposed to keep a leash on school tax increases might be preventing temporary tax breaks in the Texas districts with the highest tax rates. But reversing it could make it easier to raise taxes. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Will Abbott wield sharper veto pen in budget talks?
With some of his priorities on the chopping block this session, Gov. Greg Abbott may be eyeing his recently expanded veto authority in order to get his way. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks on the first day of the 85th Legislature on Jan. 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
TABC on hot seat over trips and spending controversies
For more than three hours, top TABC officials were grilled by House members for misusing state resources, taking trips to Hawaii on the taxpayers’ dime, mixing vacation with state duties, misreporting who has been assigned which state-owned vehicles, and cozying up to the very industry they’re supposed to be regulating. Full Story
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![Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Executive Director Sherry Cook appears before the House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics on April 13, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
House committee considers convention of states measures
The House Select Committee on State and Federal Power and Responsibility considered measures that aim to pull powers from the federal government and hand it to the states. Full Story
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![State Rep. Rick Miller, R-Sugar Land, listens to testimony in the State & Federal Power & Responsibility Select Committee on April 13, 2017. Miller's House Joint Resolution 39 calls for a convention of states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
UT-Dallas police investigating Qurans found in toilet in March
Police are investigating an incident in which they found two copies of the Muslim holy book in a men's bathroom at the University of Texas at Dallas. Full Story
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![The Quran.]()
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Women's health providers say Trump-backed measure won't affect Texas — yet
Women's health organizations in Texas say a President Trump-signed measure targeting abortion providers will not have an affect here — yet. But it could in the coming years. Full Story
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Texas Insurance Commissioner David Mattax dies after fight with cancer
Texas Insurance Commissioner David Mattax died Thursday morning following a battle with cancer. Full Story
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![Texas Insurance Commissioner David Mattax held a public meeting to consider changing the insurance department’s long-standing practice of prohibiting insurance companies from including pre-dispute binding arbitration in home insurance policies on July 6, 2016.]()
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During Texas visit, Rick Perry touts Houston-area carbon capture system
In his first public appearance in Texas since being sworn in as U.S. energy secretary, former Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday heaped praise on a new and first-of-its-kind energy project that captures climate-altering emissions from the state’s largest coal plant. Full Story
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![Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, left, and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry join the Petra Nova carbon capture and enhanced oil recovery system partners — NRG Energy, JX Nippon Oil and Gas and Hilcorp Energy — for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the NRG/ Petra Nova Power Plant in Thompsons on April 13, 2017.]()
Credit: Spike Johnson for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Public Utility Commission Chairman Nelson to retire
Chairman Donna Nelson announced Thursday that she will retire from the Public Utility Commission of Texas, ending a nine-year tenure. Full Story
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![Chairman of Texas Public Utility Commission, Donna Nelson, during a hearing on Jan. 11, 2016.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
The Brief: House panel takes up Convention of States
Lawmakers on a Texas House select committee are expected to consider today a resolution calling for a convention of states to amend the U.S. Constitution. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott prepares to deliver his State of the State address, flanked by (l.-r.) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, state Sens. Donna Campbell, R-San Antonio, and Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, and House Speaker Joe Straus.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune