Texas House approves bill that would limit water exports from East Texas — for now
A Dallas businessman has proposed studying the aquifer to see if he can pump millions of gallons out of East Texas, a plan that residents distrust. Full Story
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![The Houston County Lake in Houston County, Texas on on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. (Emil Lippe for The Texas Tribune)]()
Credit: Emil Lippe for The Texas Tribune -
The Texas redistricting fight has been the backdrop for the Trump administration to test a new legal strategy
The administration has been testing a strategy of using the courts as leverage to force political outcomes. In Texas, the state’s leaders and conservative activists have been willing, if not eager, collaborators. Full Story
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![A photo collage showing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and President Donald Trump in red and black alongside bits of a letter mentioning “unconstitutional racial gerrymanders” and threatening to “seek legal action against the State.”]()
Credit: Photo illustration by Cengiz Yar/ProPublica. Source images: Reuters. -
Cruz, Paxton issue dueling endorsements in Texas attorney general GOP primary
Aaron Reitz and Chip Roy, positioning themselves as Paxton’s ideological heirs, have served as top aides for both the attorney general and Cruz. Full Story
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![Aaron Reitz, left, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, right, are both running for Texas attorney general after previously serving as top aides to the outgoing incumbent, Ken Paxton.]()
Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect and Julia Nikhinson for The Texas Tribune -
Doggett won’t seek reelection to Congress if new district is upheld by courts, paving way for Casar
Casar moved quickly to coalesce Austin Democrats, launching his campaign for the 37th Congressional District Monday with endorsements from 42 current and former Texas elected officials. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin speaks during a press conference with Texas Democratic leaders at the Texas Capitol on July 31, 2025. Democrats are fighting mid-decade Republican redistricting efforts influenced by President Donald Trump. Left to right are U.S. Representatives Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Greg Casar of Austin, Lizzie Fletcher of Houston, Al Green of Houston and Sylvia Garcia of Houston.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Champions of truth and democracy, the Tribune’s fall fellows are eager to represent and serve Texas
Student fellows support vital initiatives like the Texas Tribune Festival and provide in-depth coverage of key issues. Full Story
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Credit: The Texas Tribune -
For their walkout, Texas Democrats get national attention — and partisan retribution at home
Democrats said the walkout inspired a national protest against GOP redistricting. But it also greased the path for other bills they oppose and unified Texas Republicans. Full Story
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![State Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Plano, rips up her "permission slip" in front of the Texas House vowing she will stay the night in the House Chamber in support of fellow Democrat Nicole Collier on August 19, 2025. At left is Rep. Rhetta Bowers, D-Garland, at right is Rep. Cassandra Hernandez, D-Farmer's Branch.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
State Ag employees told police they were wary of Sid Miller’s political consultant. Now he’s the agency’s chief of staff.
Todd Smith was Miller’s longtime political consultant when he admitted to soliciting bribes for licenses the agency typically issues for $100. Miller then put him on the payroll at $218,000 per year. Full Story
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![Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller speaks during a Make America Great Rally at the Burleson County Expo Center in Caldwell on Aug. 1, 2024.]()
Credit: Olivia Anderson/The Texas Tribune -
Only one restaurant in Texas sells lab-grown meat. Lawmakers banned it anyway.
Starting Sept. 1, cultured meat sales will be banned for the next two years even though the product isn’t ready to be sold at a large scale. Full Story
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![Cows feed on grass and food pellets at Powell's ranch in Cedar Creek, on March 28, 2021.]()
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Texas redistricting map: How the GOP could increase its stronghold
Texas lawmakers redrew congressional districts in a partisan bid to give Republicans five additional U.S. House seats. The move set off a bipartisan war across the U.S. Full Story
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![Three rectangles made up of smaller red and blue rectangles that show how cracking and packing in gerrymandering works.]()
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Texas Senate approves GOP congressional map, sending plan to Abbott’s desk
Republican lawmakers pushed the map through over fierce Democratic opposition, positioning the GOP to net up to five additional seats in Texas. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gathers the senators at his desk before the final vote on the mid-decade redistricting bill in the Texas Senate on Aug. 22, 2025.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republicans revive effort to further restrict abortion pills
The legislative proposals would allow people to sue manufacturers and distributors of abortion pills. Full Story
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![A bottle and pills of Misoprostol, made by Lupin Pharmaceuticals, sit in a counting tray at a pharmacy on June 19, 2019, in Provo, Utah.]()
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East Texas lawmaker, with governor’s blessing, wants to stop proposed water deal
Dallas businessman Kyle Bass has proposed exporting millions of gallons of water from East Texas to other parts of the state. Full Story
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![House Natural Resources Chairman Cody Harris, R-Palestine, speaks during Texas Water Day at the Texas Capitol on March 3, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Here are the Republicans who might run for Texas’ newly drawn congressional seats
State Rep. Briscoe Cain kicked off what operatives expect to be a flurry of campaign announcements with a bid for Houston’s 9th Congressional District. Full Story
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![Pedestrians walk along the East Front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 4, 2020.]()
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Former Speaker Dade Phelan won’t seek reelection to Texas House
As speaker, Phelan oversaw passage of numerous conservative priorities, but he gave up the gavel under pressure from the far right over the House’s impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, speaks with other representatives on the House floor on May 19, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Hill Country nonprofit pledges $40 million to help rebuild flood victims’ homes
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has a four-pronged recovery plan: rebuilding homes, supporting mental health, economic recovery, and reviving the area’s quality of life. Full Story
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![A fallen roof and debris is seen on the banks of the Guadalupe River after intense flooding Tuesday July 8, 2025 in Ingram, Texas.]()
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UT System nixes faculty senates, approves restrictions on campus protests
The changes are in response to new state laws seeking to limit faculty’s influence and put guardrails on campus demonstrations. Full Story
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![A view of the UT Tower from the business building on the UT Austin campus during finals week on April 28, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Hurricane Harvey destroyed this Texas county’s courthouse. Eight years later, it’s still not finished.
The Aransas County courthouse was supposed to open in 2023. But officials have faced voter backlash and a constant stream of design and construction problems that have delayed the opening. Full Story
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![The Rockport City Hall Building (left) and the newly-built Aransas County Courthouse (right) can be seen over the boats docked in the Rockport Harbor.]()
Credit: Pete Garcia for The Texas Tribune -
GOP state Rep. Briscoe Cain files for redrawn 9th Congressional District
The Houston-area district, currently occupied by Democratic Rep. Al Green, is being redrawn by GOP lawmakers to favor Republicans and cover almost entirely new territory. Full Story
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![State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, speaks with press outside the Texas House on Aug. 18, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House approves GOP congressional map after two-week delay from Democrats’ walkout
Republican lawmakers are pursuing the unusual mid-decade redistricting plan amid pressure from President Donald Trump to protect the GOP’s slim majority in the U.S. House. Full Story
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![Democratic State Representatives line up to question State Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, during the second reading of HB4 in the house chamber in Austin on August 20, 2025.]()
Credit: Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribune -
Republican Stan Lambert of Abilene won’t seek reelection to Texas House
Lambert overcame a brutal primary last year after drawing the wrath of two of the state’s most powerful GOP leaders. Full Story
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![Texas House District 71 Rep. Stan Lambert gestures during an interview at Monk’s Coffee shop in Abilene Thursday Feb. 8, 2024.]()
Credit: Ronald W. Erdrich for The Texas Tribune