With the beginning of the special legislative session, opponents of construction permitting rules in Austin that require more worker protections in exchange for a faster process have the chance to overturn local regulations like Austin's.

As state lawmakers and city officials gear up to battle over land-use legislation, a liberal watchdog group says $34 million in campaign donations from real estate and construction industries "paved the way" for this month's special session agenda. 

In this week's Q&A, we interview Aaron Wolf, a professor of geography in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University.

Between 2006 and 2015, the last year for which data is available, residential electric prices for Texans who live in a competitive market decreased by 17.4 percent, while prices increased by 5.5 percent in other areas.

Within hours of Gov. Greg Abbott issuing his proclamation announcing next week's special session, lawmakers had filed dozens of bills including two so-called bathroom bills from state Rep. Ron Simmons, a Carrollton Republican.

In this week’s Q&A, we interview Katie Krummeck and Rob Rouse, who are both educators at Southern Methodist University.

Organizations representing hundreds of Texas cities and school boards unsuccessfully urged Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a bill aimed at restricting drone use around the state.

Cheap, imported solar panels have fueled growth in the solar industry in Texas, and reinvigorated the careers of laid-off oilfield workers. Some industry leaders fear a trade case will increase prices and end that growth. 

In this week’s Q&A, we interview Carrie Kasnicka, the executive director of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust.

The two U.S. Senators from Texas took opposing positions on the Senate GOP's long-awaited plan to overhaul the American health care system Thursday.

Texas rules barring sex offenders from using certain websites were thrown into jeopardy Monday morning after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar statute in North Carolina violates the First Amendment.

One of the most surprisingly contentious measures of the legislative session — ending "lunch shaming" for Texas public school students — was signed into law Thursday.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Wednesday that his office had picked an Austin-based company to build and operate the first state-administered gold depository in the country and that it could open as early as January.

Dozens of cities and towns in Texas have ordinances aimed at protecting trees. During the special legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott wants to change that. 

Before he became governor, Greg Abbott was asked to replant trees on his Austin property — a regulation he has set out to axe during the upcoming special session of the Texas Legislature.