An amendment about waste facility fees was added to a widely supported domestic violence bill. Will it stick?
Sen. Lois Kolkhorst's office said Saturday that she "is still evaluating all options available to save SB 1804." Full Story
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![Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, at a state Senate Committee on Nominations hearing for Texas Secretary of State David Whitley on Feb. 7, 2019. Whitley was appointed to the job by Gov. Greg Abbott, but Whitley must first clear the committee, then win a two-thirds vote in the full Texas Senate.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Federal judge temporarily blocks part of Trump’s plan to build border wall
The judge said opponents had a good chance in prevailing on their claims that the administration is acting illegally in shifting money to pay for the wall. Full Story
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![The border fence and levee passes through the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Hidalgo, Texas on Feb. 7, 2017.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas legislators had a successful session, but not a historic one
Lawmakers delivered on their promises of school finance and property tax reforms, agreeing to spend $11.6 billion on a combination of education changes and tax cuts. It's big, but is it really "transformative"? Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen are joined by state legislators at a press conference at the Governorâs Mansion on May 23, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Teacher raises and all-day pre-K: Here's what's in the Texas Legislature's landmark school finance bill
The $11.6 billion legislation is on a path to the governor's desk and includes property tax cuts, a hike in per-student funding and money to ease the state's reliance on the "Robin Hood" program. Full Story
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![Corina Pannabecker teaches first grade at Ogden Elementary in San Antonio on April 30, 2018.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Bill lengthening amount of time child sex abuse victims can sue heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk
The House initially exempted churches and nonprofits from the extended statute of limitations, but the chamber agreed to include them Friday after sex assault victims pushed back. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, speaks at a presser following the testimony of Tasha Schwikert, Alyssa Baumann and Jordan Schwikert, three gymnasts who say they were abused by USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar. The three women testified on House Bill 3809 during a Senate State Affairs Committee hearing on May 13, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Texas passes bill banning cities from partnering with Planned Parenthood on any services
The bill would prohibit such partnerships, even for services not related to abortions. Abortion rights advocates worry that the bill's broad language could even halt privately funded programs held on government property. Full Story
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![Planned Parenthood advocates rally outside of the Capitol on April 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
With Secretary of State David Whitley close to losing his job, anxious Democrats take attendance
The Texas Senate needs two-thirds approval to confirm Whitley, but Democrats have stood in the way after his office's botched voter roll review. Full Story
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![Texas Secretary of State David Whitley at a state Senate Committee on Nominations hearing on Feb. 7, 2019. Whitley was appointed to the job by Gov. Greg Abbott, but Whitley must first clear the committee, then win a two-thirds vote in the full Texas Senate.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Here's what we know about the Legislature's final property tax reform bill
The final version of the bill is expected to require cities, counties and emergency service districts to hold an election before raising 3.5% more property tax revenue than the previous year. Community colleges and hospital districts would need to do so at 8%. Full Story
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![State Capitol in the late afternoon on June 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune -
“I’m still doing penance”: How Kel Seliger gets by in the Texas Senate dog house
After opposing leadership — and mouthing off — the second-most senior Republican in the Texas Senate is the only senator who was not recognized to bring up a bill for a vote on the floor. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, in the Senate chamber on April 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Pentagon agrees to set up tent housing near the border for roughly 7,500 migrants
The tents will be erected near the Tornillo, Donna, Laredo and Del Rio ports of entry, as well as in Arizona. Full Story
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![Tents outside the Border Patrol station headquarters in in El Paso on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Lawmaker grills Department of Public Safety over disclosure of Sandra Bland cellphone video
State Rep. Garnet Coleman suggested that the newly released video showing some of Bland's confrontation with a state trooper before her death may have been buried in a “data dump” of information given to lawyers and lawmakers. Full Story
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![Memorial for Sandra Bland in Prairie View, the town where she was arrested. Bland was later found dead in her jail cell. The street has been re-named in her honor.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy single-handedly delays $19.1 billion disaster aid package
Most Texans in Congress had hoped the bill would easily pass Friday because of a provision designed to expedite the release of billions of dollars in disaster aid to the state. Full Story
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![Texas Congressional District 21 Republican Candidate Chip Roy speaks during a candidate forum sponsored by the Hill Country Tea Party Patriots in New Braunfels.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas lawmakers struggling to find a lovable tax
Even in a legislative session that began with estimates of a generous increase in state revenue, lawmakers spent a lot of time talking about big, big tax bills — all the way to the end. Full Story
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![From left: Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston; Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick; Gov. Greg Abbott; House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton; and Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, speak at a Jan 31, 2019, news conference addressing property tax reform.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
The Texas Republican Party platform supports some marijuana expansions. So why doesn’t Dan Patrick?
Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said a bill that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana was "dead on arrival" in the Senate. But his party's platform supports marijuana decriminalization. So what gives? Full Story
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![The Texas Republican Convention at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio. Bob Parks salutes the flag from the front row on June 14, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas picklers get a victory from the Legislature
A proposal on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott would make it easier for pickled beets, carrots and other produce to be sold at farmers markets alongside pickled cucumbers. Full Story
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![Anita McHaney displays a photo of her beets and carrots. She and her husband stopped farming after learning that they could not sell pickled beets.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Senate passes disaster aid bill that would release billions for Harvey housing aid
Texans in Congress have been working for over a year to get the Trump administration to release more than $4 billion in funds appropriated to the state after Hurricane Harvey. Full Story
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![A load of Harvey evacuees in the back of Chris Ginter’s monster truck in Houston on Aug. 29, 2017. Ginter volunteered to evacuate residents from their flooded neighborhood near Buffalo Bayou.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas' legislative leaders say they have a deal on school finance and property tax reform
Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced they have finalized the details of the three bills that will accomplish their top policy goals. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen are joined by state legislators
at a press conference at the Governorâs Mansion on May 23, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Watch Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Dennis Bonnen announce school finance deal
The "Big Three" spoke to news outlets as the Texas legislative session neared its end. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen hold a joint press conference on the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion on Jan. 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Texas A&M won't renew President Michael Young's contract — but says there's no plan for him to leave
“We look forward to your continued service as our president,” A&M System Chancellor John Sharp wrote in a letter to Young. Full Story
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![President of Texas A&M University Michael Young.]()
Credit: Photo via Texas A&M University -
Border Patrol quarantines migrants at McAllen facility amid flu outbreak
The quarantine of nearly three dozen migrants at the agency's central processing center happened a day after the death of a 16-year-old who had contracted the flu. Full Story
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![Undocumented immigrant children at a U.S. Border Patrol processing center in McAllen, Texas.]()
Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection