Criminal justice overhaul passes U.S. House, heads to Trump for signature
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, pushed the bill, which was inspired in part by reforms made in the Lone Star State. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30. 2018.]()
Credit: The White House -
Former UT-Austin director indicted on counts of theft, money laundering and abuse of official capacity
A spokesman said the University of Texas at Austin has already taken steps to improve its spending procedures. Full Story
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![The University of Texas Law School building on Wednesday, April 11, 2018]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Trump administration: Deal reached to force asylum seekers to wait in Mexico as cases are processed
The United States has been in negotiations with Mexico for weeks to reach such an accord, believing that illegal crossings will decline if Central Americans believe the asylum system will no longer offer them a way to avoid deportation. Full Story
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![Families from Guatemala and Honduras wait for their opportunity to apply for asylum. The said the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on the American side of the bridge have not given them much information other than they need to wait here.]()
Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune -
As most states raise their minimum wages, Texas refuses to budge
This year alone, 18 states increased their minimum wage and 30 states now have a minimum wage that exceeds the federal government's $7.25-per-hour rate. Many of Texas' major cities have boosted pay, too. Will the state follow suit? Full Story
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![Frances Sanchez and her three children (from left) Samaria or Sammy Sanchez, 9, Pedro Sanchez, 6, and Katrina Sanchez, soon to be 13, pose for a portrait in the home of a friend where they are staying in Garland.]()
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What ideas are Texas lawmakers exploring to keep schools safe?
The national debate came home to Texas again this year when a 17-year-old opened fire at Santa Fe High School, killing 10 and wounding several others. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Audit questions how DPS verifies eligibility when issuing Texas driver's licenses
The audit says the Texas Department of Public Safety lacks the controls to ensure necessary documents are collected and retained. Full Story
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Texas school finance panel approves final report to lawmakers
The Texas Commission on Public School Finance — created last year to scrutinize the way the state funds K-12 education — finalized a report on Wednesday that includes more than 30 recommended improvements. Full Story
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![Commission member Todd Williams of Dallas, left, meets with TEA Commissioner Mike Morath and State Sen. Royce West at the Texas Commission on Public School Finance on Jan. 23, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Federal judge overturns White House policy on asylum seekers fleeing domestic or gang violence
A Washington D.C.-based judge ruled the policy, which was implemented by former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in June, went against standards set forth in the Immigration and Naturalization Act. Full Story
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![Gissela Diaz, 3, is held by her father a few feet from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint. The father says they have been waiting on the bridge for days.]()
Credit: Reynaldo Leal -
By gutting Obamacare, Judge Reed O’Connor handed Texas a win. It wasn’t the first time.
The Texas Attorney General's Office has made a habit of filing lawsuits against the federal government that land in O'Connor's court. Full Story
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Dennis Bonnen has spent half his life in the Texas House. Is he ready to run it?
Twenty-two years after joining the Texas House as its youngest member, state Rep. Dennis Bonnen is poised to take over the chamber's reins on Jan. 8. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Emily Albracht / Robert Daemmrich and Anneke Els Paterson for the Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Lewd texts and school finance scuttlebutt
On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Ross, Emma and Patrick about the pre-session school finance scuttlebutt, a big Obamacare ruling out of Texas and a state senator facing allegations he sent lewd texts. Full Story
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![State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown during a March 22, 2018 Senate Committee on Health and Human Services hearing.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas court throws out 1987 murder conviction; declares North Texas man "actually innocent"
The Court of Criminal Appeals said Steven Mark Chaney's conviction was based partly on faulty science. Full Story
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In the Texas Legislature, bills filed on marijuana, daylight saving are all fair game
Watch the first episode of our mini-documentary series, “Under the Dome,” chronicling the cast of characters passing laws in the Texas State Capitol. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman / The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Mike Collier lost, but outdid Beto O'Rourke in most Texas counties
Beto O'Rourke, the Texas Democrat who got most of the attention in this year's general election, got more votes than any other Democrat on the statewide ticket. But one of them out-performed O'Rourke in 171 counties. Full Story
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![Mike Collier, then-Democratic nominee for Texas comptroller, at the state Democratic convention in Dallas on June 27, 2014. Collier is running for lieutenant governor in 2018.]()
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In the Rio Grande Valley, plans for a border wall ignite fight between church and state
The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville is resisting the government's efforts to take over the historic chapel that gave Mission its name. And a man known as the "cowboy priest" finds himself at the center of a national debate with local implications. Full Story
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What's the point of Texas' rainy day fund?
Texas' Economic Stabilization Fund holds more than $11 billion and is the largest in the country. There's a lot of disagreement over how and when to spend the money. Full Story
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Cornyn's push for federal prison reform helps First Step Act clear U.S. Senate
The bill, which calls for an overhaul in how prisoners are treated and prepared for release, has wide bipartisan backing. It is expected to pass the U.S. House and garner President Trump's signature. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, at the 2017 Texas Tribune Festival.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. House Democrats call for congressional investigation into Guatemalan child's death
Lawmakers said they had more questions than answers after touring Border Patrol facilities in New Mexico where a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl was held before her death. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, and other current and incoming members of Congress toured the U.S. Customs and Border Protection station in Lordsburg, N.M. on Dec. 18, 2018 to learn more about the in-custody death of a 7-year-old immigrant girl.]()
Credit: Jesus Rosales for The Texas Tribune -
UT-Austin says evidence "does not support a finding" that Charles Schwertner violated Title IX by sending lewd texts
Lawyers for Schwertner say the messages were sent by a third party. Full Story
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![Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, leading debate on urban ride-sharing rules in the Texas Senate on May 17, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas has failed to close educational gaps for kids of color. In Edgewood ISD, the fallout has lasted generations.
Edgewood ISD has faced consistent problems in preparing its students for college and the workforce. The district's struggles shine a light on Texas’ long record of neglecting schools that educate mostly students of color. Full Story
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![Carlos Lopez is a freshman at The University of Texas studying Biochemistry, while also holding down a part time job at HEB. He graduated high school from John F. Kennedy, a small school on the west side of San Antonio and feels unprepared for what he has experienced at UT. He studies at the Student Academic Center on campus, December 7, 2018. Although he feels his public education underprepared him for UT and an advisor suggested changing his major, he does not want to give up.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune