Rising share of coronavirus tests coming back positive in Texas fuels fears of another wave
State officials and virologists say the highly contagious delta variant is causing the rise — and is particularly impacting unvaccinated people. Full Story
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![A sign in South Austin asks customers to wear a mask inside ta business on March 3, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Extra money for retired teachers in a “13th check” at center of Republican-Democrat shouting match
On Tuesday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 7, which would provide retired teachers, counselors and school staff a one-time payment of up to $2,400 through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Full Story
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![Jessica Lemmer went over a fraction problem with her third grade math class on Jan. 14, 2018 at Edward Titche Elementary School in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
Texas judge orders federal government to stop granting new DACA applications
Judge Andrew Hanen's ruling doesn't affect the status of more than 600,000 current DACA recipients. Full Story
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![A DACA recipient spoke during a sit-in for immigration reform in the middle of Washington, D.C.'s Constitution Avenue on April 28, 2021. United We Dream, the nation's largest immigrant youth advocacy group, demanded President Joe Biden halt all deportations, end border detentions and deliver a broad pathway to citizenship on the eve of his hundredth day in office.]()
Credit: Alejandro Alvarez/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
Texas Senate advances bills limiting education about race, access to abortion-inducing medications. The House is still sidelined.
It's largely symbolic, but the Texas Senate is nearing the end of its work on Republican priorities for the special legislative session after passing bills limiting "critical race theory" and abortion access Friday. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick presides over the Senate on July 14, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
U.S.-Mexico border apprehensions for the fiscal year surpassed 1 million in June
Apprehensions last reached the 1-million milestone in 2006. But far fewer attempted to cross that year during the searing-hot summer months, when the journey across the Rio Grande or vast ranches is especially dangerous. Full Story
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![Asylum-seeking migrant families rest at the riverbank as they wait to be escorted by the U.S. Border Patrol after crossing the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico in Roma, July 9, 2021.]()
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Sen. Joe Manchin, key Democratic holdout on federal voting protections, coming to Texas for fundraiser hosted by several GOP donors
The fundraiser comes just a day after Manchin met with Texas House Democrats on Capitol Hill who are desperate for his support of the congressional efforts which could preempt the statewide GOP’s push to pass bills that would restrict voting access for Texans. Full Story
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![U.S. Senator Joe Manchin III, D-West Virginia, spoke with reporters at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2021.]()
Credit: Rod Lamkey/CNP/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
Can Greg Abbott actually build Trump's border wall?
The governor wants to finish the wall that Donald Trump began on the Texas-Mexico border, but he'll have to overcome the same hurdles that impeded the ex-president's efforts. Full Story
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![Segments of the first border wall construction in Texas since President Trump took office near Donna in 2019.]()
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Texas House Speaker offers Democrats free plane ride home to return to state
The plane will be on standby at Dulles International Airport, and Dade Phelan’s team said his political campaign, not taxpayers, will pay for the flight. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan behind the dias on July 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Austin announces stricter coronavirus protocols for unvaccinated residents as cases increase. But it can’t legally enforce them.
The city’s return to Stage 3 risk-based guidelines marks the first time a major Texas city has reversed direction in the trend toward normalcy. But others are also reporting surges in cases. Full Story
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![A COVID-19 safety sign in Austin on June 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
El Paso Democrat Joe Moody stripped of leadership position in Texas House after leaving state with Democrats
Moody, one of House Speaker Dade Phelan's closest Democratic allies, is the first Democrat to suffer political backlash after the quorum break. Full Story
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![State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, speaks with colleagues on the House floor during session at the state capitol on May 25, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texans, where’s your Democratic lawmaker?
Here’s a list of the Texas Democrats who left the state in an effort to block GOP voting legislation. Full Story
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![An empty House floor the day after Texas Democrats left the state to break quorum over a Republican-led voting restrictions bill. July 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats’ decampment over voting legislation has echoes of 2003 redistricting fight
Now, as in 2003, Democrats say their main motivator is protecting the voices of Texas voters. Can they stop legislation that would restrict voting in Texas? Full Story
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![A state representative reads the local paper on the House floor during the Texas House Democratic walkout from May 12-13, 2003, at the 78th session of the Texas Legislature.]()
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Who is footing the bill for Texas Democrats’ weekslong exodus to block the voting bill?
With over 50 House Democrats in Washington — along with 12 paid staff — the costs are quickly mounting and the party's funds are not unlimited. Full Story
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![Private charter planes at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on July 12, 2021. Democratic lawmakers booked charter flights to leave the state in protest of Republican-led voting restriction legislation.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Texas Democrats blow up the special legislative session
On this week's episode, Matthew speaks with Alexa, Cassi and James about Democrats fleeing the state to fight new voting restrictions. Full Story
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![Texas House Democrats hold a press conference at Dulles airport in Virginia after breaking quorum and leaving Texas on July 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate approves limits on transgender athletes, but bills are still in limbo
Transgender students would be prevented from joining public school and university sports teams that correspond to their gender. Full Story
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![Transgender rights activists gather outside the entrance to the House floor on May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Land Commissioner George P. Bush sues Biden administration over halt to Texas-Mexico border wall construction
The lawsuit says the president had no legal right to put a stop to wall construction on the Texas-Mexico border because Congress had already appropriated the funds. Full Story
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![Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced his candidacy for Texas Attorney General at an event inside Buford's Bar in Austin on June 2, 2021.]()
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Behind the partisan drama lies a profoundly serious struggle over who gets shut out under Texas voting laws
Whose voices will be heard in Texas halls of power? That question beats at the heart of the Democratic quorum break that has brought the Legislature to a halt and focused national attention on GOP efforts to make voting in Texas harder. Full Story
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![Tevin English holds signs in front of the Texas Capitol at a Voting Rights Advocacy Day rally held by various voting rights advocacy groups on July 13, 2021.]()
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What it means to break quorum and what you need to know about the Texas House Democrats’ dramatic departure
Democrats are preventing the Texas House from having enough members to pass legislation. We explain what that means, what options Republicans have and what’s in the voting bills Democrats oppose. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with legislators on the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Live updates: Vice President Kamala Harris meets with Democratic Texas lawmakers opposing voting restrictions legislation
Here are the latest updates on the Texas Democrats leaving Texas to block the special legislative session and a GOP voting restrictions bill. Full Story
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![Vice President Kamala Harris met in Washington D.C. with Democratic members of the Texas state legislature who left the state in an effort to slow changes to election laws and voter access, on July 13, 2021.]()
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Senate presses forward passing GOP voting and bail bills, as Texas House in chaos over Democrats’ decampment
If the House Democrats who skipped town to block voting legislation don’t return before the special session ends, the Senate bills will languish without becoming law. Full Story
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![A poll worker feeds a voting machine and power cord through a voter’s car window in the drive-through line at NRG Stadium in Houston during the first day of early voting on Oct. 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune