A bill aims to lengthen the amount of time people can sue someone who sexually abused them when they were children. But the House stripped language extending the limit for certain entities that may be culpable. Full Story
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Bell is a former gubernatorial candidate, congressman and member of the Houston City Council. Full Story
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It's the second policy rollout from the Democratic presidential candidate. Full Story
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Some of the central issues are momentous, but the 86th Texas Legislature has managed — so far — not to lose its temper. That's out of the ordinary, but for a group of politicians who don't want to be compared to their federal counterparts, it counts as a kind of success. Full Story
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Once knocked as detached, the governor has become more involved in a legislative session hinging on two big-ticket items he's prioritized: school finance and property tax reform. Full Story
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A measure to limit arrests for misdemeanors that only result in fines initially got House approval. Then it failed on a subsequent vote amid what some say was confusion over what the bill would do. Lawmakers tried to revive it Friday evening — after several lawmakers had left the chamber — but that attempt also failed. Full Story
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“This is the worst I have ever seen it, by far,” said one veteran Border Patrol agent in South Texas. Full Story
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The bill was one of several bail reform measures filed after federal court rulings, jail deaths and a state trooper's murder drew attention to Texas' pretrial jailing practices. A late addition to limit who could be released from jail at no cost was removed by lawmakers Friday. Full Story
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Democratic state lawmakers filed multiple bills this year to require the state to prepare for a warming planet. None of them have been scheduled for public hearings. Full Story
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The bill addresses many of the conditions of the state's incarcerated women. It would also require the department to offer up to 10 free feminine hygiene products to women each day. Full Story
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The prison system's existing doses were all set to expire before the state's five currently scheduled executions. See our updated lethal drug tracker for the latest movement in the state's supply. Full Story
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Legislation swapping higher sales taxes for lower property taxes flopped this week, and for lawmakers, it flopped in the best way possible: They never had to cast a vote. Full Story
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States across the country are advancing "heartbeat bills" that aim to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision, but major Texas anti-abortion groups are worried that such an approach could backfire. Full Story
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The LGBTQ Caucus, formed this year, notched a major victory Thursday evening, defeating a controversial measure as the Texas House raced toward a midnight deadline. Full Story
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The measure aims to prohibit caller ID spoofing — when callers tamper with information transmitted to people’s phones to disguise their identities. Full Story
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In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Rep. Celia Israel, a founding member of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, about sexual orientation, nondiscrimination and public policy — how far we’ve come and how far we have to go. Full Story
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill weeks after a federal judge blocked the existing state law in response to a lawsuit. Full Story
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For the past year, an influential conservative think tank has lobbied to make wind and solar projects ineligible for a popular local property tax abatement program. A measure to do that has stalled, but renewable advocates are watching for last-minute changes to other legislation. Full Story
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We're livestreaming our conversation in Austin on demography, inclusion, innovation and social entrepreneurship, moderated by the Tribune's Evan Smith. Full Story
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Under the measure, defendants who have active psychotic symptoms of certain mental illnesses at the time of the crime would be ineligible for capital punishment. The bill now heads to the more conservative Senate. Full Story
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