U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia of Houston one of seven named to prosecution team in Senate impeachment trial
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated that she leaned on Garcia for her judicial background. Full Story
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![U.S Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 28, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa for The Texas Tribune -
Advocates have long tried to change judicial selection in Texas. Is Dan Patrick their newest obstacle?
A new commission had barely begun to study Texas' partisan judicial election system when the leader of the Texas Senate signaled skepticism of reform. Full Story
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![The Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Federal judge blocks policy that allowed Gov. Greg Abbott to ban refugees in Texas
The decision comes just days after the Texas governor became the first state leader to opt out of the program. The move drew a harsh rebuke from Texas' Catholic bishops. Full Story
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![A Syrian refugee boy sits on a bike at a camp in Bar Elias, in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon on Jan. 13, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir -
Three Texas towns vote in favor of "sanctuary cities for the unborn," hoping to ban abortion
Big Spring, Colorado City and Rusk are the three latest towns to vote in favor of such ordinances, which are of contested legality and enforceability. Full Story
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![A billboard on Interstate 20 outside of Waskom displays an anti-abortion message.]()
Credit: Ben Fenton for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas Catholic bishops are critical, but in the pews, immigration views are split
Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to opt out of the federal refugee program is unpopular with Catholic bishops, but might find more favor among Republicans in Catholic congregations. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott briefs reporters during a press conference on a Domestic Terrorism Task Force roundtable held at the capitol on Jan. 7, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Conservatism, without George W. Bush’s modifier
The governor's decision to opt out of the federal refugee resettlement program marks a shift in the state's Republican establishment over the last two decades. Full Story
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![Crystal Brimm is experiencing homeless and is currently living under Ben White Boulevard and Lamar Avenue. She discusses with her partner the possibility of moving to a 5 acre homeless camp recently created by Gov. Greg Abbott. Nov. 7, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Program offering legal help to asylum seekers stuck in Mexico launches in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez
Only about 2% of people seeking asylum have access to attorneys, but those with legal representation are much more likely to obtain protections. Full Story
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![Migrants make camp at a makeshift migrant camp at the base of Paso del Norte International Bridge in Ciudad Juárez on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. Migrants wait close to the port of entry so they won't lose their spot in line to legally cross into the U.S. and seek asylum.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Round two of fight over online voter registration for Texas drivers reaches federal court
The state won the first round on a technicality. Now disenfranchised voters are again asking that they be allowed to complete their voter registrations through the online driver's license portal. Full Story
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![Voting signs at the Travis County Granger Building election site on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Michael Bloomberg announces plans to hire more than 100 Texas organizers by end of the month
The numbers give Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, by far the biggest formal operation in Texas ahead of the state’s March 3 primary. Full Story
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![Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg speaks about his gun policy agenda in Aurora, Colorado on Dec. 5, 2019.]()
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Texas oil and gas industry could see a major slowdown in 2020
The Texas Oil and Gas Association reported that companies paid a record level of taxes and state royalties last year amid a historic oil boom. But association President Todd Staples said that continued growth is not guaranteed. Full Story
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![Pumpjacks at sunrise in the Permian Basin in West Texas.]()
Credit: Jerod Foster for The Texas Tribune -
Texas education officials weigh new rules to fast-track charter school expansion
Teachers groups and some education advocates are criticizing the proposed changes, saying more charter schools will siphon money and students away from traditional public schools. Full Story
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![Charter school supporters attend a rally for the Texas Charter School Association at the Capitol on April 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
As drought persists, Texas ranchers take stock
In parts of Texas experiencing severe droughts, some ranchers are finding there is practically no grass left for cattle to graze on. Full Story
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![The U.S. Department of Agriculture is abandoning the use of hot-iron branding and moving towards the use of ear tags for the identification of cattle.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott, a Catholic, draws criticism over new refugee ban from Texas' Catholic bishops
It’s not the first time Abbott has disagreed with the religious groups over state policy. He was also criticized after he made 2017's Senate Bill 4, an omnibus, state-based immigration enforcement bill, a legislative priority. Full Story
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![Protestors in Austin gather in opposition to Gov. Greg Abbott's decision not to accept any refugees from Syria.]()
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Texas Southern University's president placed on administrative leave without explanation
Texas Southern University President Austin Lane told a local news station he did nothing wrong and expects to be fully reinstated or else paid out for the remainder of his contract. Full Story
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![Texas Southern University, Feb. 22nd, 2012.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A bad day for Planned Parenthood, a good one for Ken Paxton
The Texas attorney general got a political gift in the form of a friendly request for his opinion: a chance to take a swipe at a political nemesis. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton walked across the Supreme Court plaza to hold a press conference in 2016.]()
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With its 228 delegates and Super Tuesday slot, Texas looms in the presidential primary
The focus is on the early states, but candidates are also paying attention to Texas. Early voting starts here before the Nevada and South Carolina primaries wrap up. Full Story
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![View from the Capitol Rotunda in Austin.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott tells Trump administration Texas won't participate in refugee resettlement
The decision comes after more than 40 other governors said they would opt in to the federal program. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott briefs reporters during a press conference on a Domestic Terrorism Task Force roundtable held at the Capitol on Jan. 7, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Under new Texas law, Planned Parenthood likely to be excluded from state employees' annual charity drive
A legal opinion from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that facilitating state employees' donations to Planned Parenthood falls under a 2019 state law prohibiting government entities from entering into "taxpayer resource transactions" with abortion providers or their affiliates. Full Story
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![The waiting room at Planned Parenthood of Gulf Coast's ambulatory surgical center in Houston.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Austin to consider stopping arrests, tickets in low-level marijuana cases after hemp law
Four progressive members of the City Council are pushing the proposal, which needs two more votes to pass. Full Story
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Warren unveils list of new Texas endorsements as presidential race heats up
The senator's backers now include three state representatives, several Texas city council members and local political organizers. Full Story
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![Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, speaks at a town hall held in Austin on Sept. 10, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune