Texas Senate backs crackdown on mail-in ballot fraud
The Texas Senate has approved a bill aiming to crack down on mail-in ballot fraud, largely by beefing up criminal penalties — a response to voting irregularities in Dallas County. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/26/UP9A0071.jpg)
-
![State Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, on July 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Bill restricting abortion insurance gets initial nod in Texas Senate
Texas women would have to pay a separate health insurance premium to get coverage for non-emergency abortions under a bill passed by the Texas Senate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/26/UP9A0002.JPG)
![Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, on July 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate approves anti-abortion bill in overnight vote
The Senate has approved a measure that prohibits local and state government agencies from contracting with abortion providers and their affiliates. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/27/__BDD4184_Schwertner.jpg)
![State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 27, 2017. The committee is consider several bills related to long-term care facilities including S.B. 1130 by Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and others.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich/Texas Tribune -
Senate backs bill that would roll back cellphone safety laws in dozens of Texas cities
The Senate on Wednesday gave initial approval to legislation that would roll back local mobile phone ordinances that go beyond the recent statewide ban on texting while driving. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/31/GW1A6158.jpg)
![A statewide ban on texting while driving goes into effect Sept. 1, 2017.]()
Credit: Tim Park for The Texas Tribune -
The Brief: The "bathroom bill" is on its way to the Texas House
For the second time this year, the Texas Senate passed a version of the "bathroom bill," a measure regulating which restrooms transgender people can use. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/25/_BDP5964_Kolk.jpg)
![Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, is congratulated by Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, after the passage to engrossment of the "bathroom bill" during a long session in the state Senate, on July 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate passes bill targeting public employee union dues
The Texas Senate has passed legislation that would end the state's practice of collecting membership dues for certain public employees who are members of labor unions and associations. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/25/__95I9883_HughesCMS.JPG)
![State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, gives his views on mandatory pre-kindergarden education while wrapping up a Texas Tribune event at the Austin Club May 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate approves teacher bonuses, benefits — but not pay raises
The Texas Senate passed a bill that would provide funding for teacher bonuses and retirement benefits, slashing a controversial provision that would require school districts to increase teacher salaries without additional state money. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/25/_95I5797_Nelson_Jane_1.jpg)
![State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, and Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, are shown during a special session debate on July 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Senate gives early OK to bill regulating do-not-resuscitate orders
The Senate gave early approval to a measure Tuesday night that would require physicians to take certain steps before issuing do-not-resuscitate orders to patients. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/04/05/__BDD6326_Perryz.JPG)
![Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, listens to witness testimony on several bills in Senate Health and Human Services Committee on April 5, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Senate gives initial OK to property tax rate elections in cities, counties
The Texas Senate endorsed a bill allowing for property tax rate elections if revenues would exceed 4 percent of what what was taken in the year before. The House is slated to take up that matter and nearly three dozen other property tax and appraisal bills. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/22/_95I5092_TaylorVan.jpg)
![State Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, holds 434 comments sent to him by constituents regarding large property tax increases during a Select Committee on Government Reform hearing on Saturday, July 22, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Senate votes again to advance "bathroom bill"
The Texas Senate backed a bill that would bar some transgender people from using bathrooms that match their gender identity in schools and buildings overseen by local governments. The bill would also nix parts of local nondiscrimination ordinances. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/25/UP9A0142.JPG)
![State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, talked with fellow Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, during the Senate discussion of Senate Bill 3 on July 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas Senate tackles special session abortion bills
Texas senators tentatively approved bills that would require physicians and facilities to do more detailed reporting on abortions — and fine those who do not comply. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/24/_BDP5661_Campbell_.jpg)
![State Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, pauses during debate with Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, while talking on Senate Bill 10 on July 24, 2017. The measure would modify reporting requirements for physicians performing abortions.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas Republicans deciding where to go on bathrooms
The rift over the bathroom bill in the Texas Legislature won't end with the special session; it's a prelude to the March 2018 primary elections. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/25/_95I5516_signs.jpg)
![Victoria Hendrix of Austin is one of two people outside the Senate chamber on July 25, 2017, in support of Senate Bill 3, the "bathroom bill," up for debate during the special legislative session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Senate approves bills on "private school choice" and school finance study
The Texas Senate backed bills that would subsidize private school tuition and study the state's school finance system. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/24/_95I9630_Taylor_2__CMS.jpg)
![State Education Chairman Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, is shown on the Senate floor May 24, 2017, after announcing that he would not name conferees to consider House Bill 21, a school finance bill, effectively killing the measure.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate OKs maternal mortality task force
Under Senate Bill 17, the state’s Task Force on Maternal Mortality and Morbidity would have more time to study why an alarming number of Texas mothers are dying less than a year after childbirth. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Pregnant-Mother-Holding-Belly.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Bas Silderhuis -
House committee debates addressing property tax bill increases from several angles
The House Ways and Means Committee spent hours discussing dozens of bills that collectively go far beyond the upper chamber’s major property tax bill poised to pass this week. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/25/Dennis_Bonnen_and_Patrick_TT.jpg)
![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, meets with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in the Senate chamber on May 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Every Texan in the U.S. House just voted for sanctions against Russia
Texans in the U.S. House on Tuesday uniformly backed sanctions against Russia and limited President Donald Trump's power to ease them. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/02/28/Trump_addresses_Congress_TT.jpg)
![President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 28, 2017.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque -
Persistence pays off for rural Texans besieged by sky-high power prices
After struggling to pay sky-high power line rates for more than three years, thousands of rural Texans are set to get relief. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/01/22/Hugh_and_Nancy_Raney_Alfalfa.jpg)
![Hugh and Nancy Raney in front of a pair of fields, one currently fallow, on their farm near Big Spring in January 2016. The couple had to stop farming part of their land when running the electric pumps to get well water to the fields became too expensive.]()
Credit: Gary Rhodes for The Texas Tribune -
School choice, property taxes and abortion (podcast)
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Ross, Patrick and Morgan about the special session issues the Senate is plowing through — and what the House's coping mechanism is. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/11/22/TTE-tribcast_leadart.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Emily Albracht / Todd Wiseman -
Law enforcement comes out against Texas "bathroom bill"
In a news conference Tuesday, big-city police chiefs called on lawmakers to reject the “bathroom bill,” saying the measure is discriminatory and does not keep the public safe. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/25/APrice-LawEnforcementPresser-1.jpg)
![Austin Police Chief Brian Manley and San Antonio Police Chief William McManus stand behind Austin Mayor Steve Adler on the steps of the state Capitol on July 25, 2017. Top Texas law enforcement officers gathered at the Capitol today to speak out against "bathroom bill" legislation.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
Almost half of Texas' supply of execution drugs just expired
Eight doses of the state's supply of pentobarbital, the only drug used in Texas executions, expired on Thursday, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/04/21/TT-InjectionInventory_lead-01.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Graphic by Emily Albracht