TribCast: Democrats defeat the Texas voting bill — for now
On this week's episode, Matthew speaks with James, Patrick and Alexa about the wild end to the legislative session and the future of proposed voting restrictions in Texas. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jessica González, D-Dallas, speaks at a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near the state Capitol in Austin after Democrats broke quorum in opposition to Senate Bill 7, a sweeping GOP voting bill. May 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton asks appeals court to toss whistleblower case brought by former top aides
In an 85-page brief filed Tuesday, the attorney general’s lawyers argue that under state law, a whistleblower must believe someone has broken the law, but the aides only reported that “they expected laws might be violated.” Full Story
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![Then-state Sen. Ken Paxton, who is now attorney general, during The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 28, 2013.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Texas families with students receiving free or reduced-price lunches could be eligible for up to $1,200 in food aid
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will allocate around $2.5 billion in food benefits to all eligible families. School districts will notify families about eligibility by June 2. Full Story
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![Students sit at socially-distanced intervals in the lunch room at Jacob’s Well Elementary School in Wimberley on Sept. 4, 2020.]()
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Lawsuit to block Lubbock's abortion ban is dismissed in court as the ordinance takes effect
Planned Parenthood sued to block the "sanctuary city for the unborn" ordinance, passed by voters in May, but a federal judge said he didn't have jurisdiction to hear the case. The ordinance went into effect Tuesday. Full Story
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Analysis: Regulating dangerous practices in the Texas Legislature
Lawmakers consider some things so safe that regulations can be loosened, while other matters get a tighter regulatory scheme. Consider guns and voting. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks with lawmakers on the house floor during the legislative session on Sunday, May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
The Texas Legislature’s sole Black freshman had big plans for her first session. She ended up mostly playing defense.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett pushed bills to reform policing, expand voting options and loosen drug laws in the state. But she made waves for her passionate dissent. Full Story
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas officials speak at QAnon-affiliated event where Trump adviser Michael Flynn encouraged military coup on U.S. government
Texas GOP Chairman Allen West, Republican U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller each delivered remarks at the event. Marketing for the event included a logo featuring a cowboy hat with the letters “WWG1WGA” around its band, a QAnon motto. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, and Chairman of the Texas Republican Party, Allen West.]()
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Donald Trump endorses Gov. Greg Abbott for reelection
The endorsement comes as Abbott faces a primary challenge from former state Sen. Don Huffines of Dallas and as other fellow Republicans eye the race. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott greeted then-President Donald Trump upon arrival at the Orange County Airport Landing Zone to visit areas damaged by Hurricane Laura in Orange on Aug. 29, 2020.]()
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For Democrats of color, walkout on Texas voting bill was rooted in the long fight for equal voting rights
All they could get was a temporary win. But the lawmakers said taking the extraordinary measure of breaking quorum in the Texas House was justified by the harm they felt their mostly Black and Hispanic constituents would face under the GOP’s voting bill. Full Story
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![State Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer addresses the media during a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The group of Democratic lawmakers walked off the House floor and broke quorum over Senate Bill 7.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
House Speaker Dade Phelan says Gov. Greg Abbott could hurt staffers and legislative agencies if he tries to block lawmaker salaries
Abbott’s vow came after a Democratic walkout in the House late Sunday night blocked passage of Senate Bill 7, his priority elections bill that would overhaul voting rights in Texas. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with legislators on the House floor on May 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Republicans say they’ll tweak part of Texas elections bill criticized for impact on Black churchgoers
The provision deals with the window for early voting on Sundays, and the current version of the bill raised concerns that it would hinder get-out-the-vote efforts by Black churches. Full Story
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![State Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, on the House floor on May 7, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott signs slate of legislation to increase criminal penalties for protesters, punish cities that reduce police budgets
The bills are in response to widespread protests and calls to “defund the police” last year. Full Story
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![The Austin Police Department building with the Austin skyline in the background on March 22, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
COVID-19 ravaged the state’s border counties. Now they’re leading Texas in vaccinations.
From El Paso to Brownsville, every county along the border is outpacing the state average for the percentage of residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Full Story
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![Blanca Alvarado administers the COVID-19 vaccine to a patient in Laredo. Feb. 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Jessica Nicole Rodriguez for The Texas Tribune -
The 2021 Texas Legislature: 140 days in photos
Every other year, Texas legislators gather in Austin to enact new laws, but 2021 was like no other session. Here’s what it looked like through the lenses of Texas Tribune photographers. Full Story
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![A visitor of the House gallery listens to legislators speak during a debate on an abortion bill being considered on the House floor on May 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
With feelings raw over voting bill's demise, Texas Legislature wraps up — for now
Members celebrated the end of the session, but also acknowledged that they’ll be back sometime soon for at least one special session. Full Story
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![House members praised House Speaker Dade Phelan on Sine Die. May 31, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vows to defund state Legislature after voting restrictions bill fails, threatening salaries
“No pay for those who abandon their responsibilities,” Abbott tweeted Monday. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks with lawmakers on the House floor during the legislative session on Sunday, May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Democrats’ defeat of Texas voting bill adds an asterisk to Republicans’ “most conservative” legislative session
Republicans were assigning blame after the measure’s dramatic failure Sunday night, but were also already looking ahead to a special session. Full Story
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![The House Floor on May 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Overhaul to Texas state government employees’ retirement accounts advanced out of Legislature
Senate Bill 321 would enroll new state workers in a cash-balance plan — similar to a common 401(k) retirement account — rather than the defined-benefit pension plan that current employees have. Full Story
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![The dome of the Texas Capitol on April 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: An end to a weird legislative session, and the beginning of an uncertain political cycle
A session transformed by COVID-19 protocols is giving way to a political cycle already disrupted by the pandemic’s effects on state government. Full Story
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![State Rep. Keith Bell, R-Forney, on the house floor on March 2, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats abandon House floor, blocking passage of voting bill before final deadline
Midnight was the deadline for the House to approve the legislation that would alter nearly the entire voting process, create new limitations to early voting hours, ratchet up voting-by-mail restrictions and curb local voting options. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jessica González, D-Dallas, speaks at a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near the state Capitol in Austin after Democrats broke quorum in opposition to Senate Bill 7, a sweeping GOP voting bill. May 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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