Murderer Bernie Tiede denied new trial by appeals court
Bernie Tiede, the East Texas mortician-turned-murderer whose crime prompted a Hollywood movie, lost one round of his appeals Thursday. Full Story
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![Bernie Tiede tears up as his uncle Elmer Doucet denies sexually abusing him as a child during day nine of Tiede's new sentencing trial, on Monday April 18, 2016, at the Rusk County Justice Center in Henderson.]()
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U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke on 34-day road trip in underdog Senate bid
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, is using his congressional recess for a 34-day tour of Texas in his bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz next year. Full Story
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![U.S. Senate candidate and Congressman Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, talks about his 34-day tour of Texas in a Facebook video.]()
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Nearly 1,500 school officials urge Patrick to accept House school finance bill
In a letter sent to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Thursday, nearly 1,500 local school superintendents and trustees urged the head of the Senate to support the House's primary piece of school finance legislation, House Bill 21. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, speaks at a press conference held by members of the Senate Republican Caucus to discuss education and teachers' retirement, on August 8, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
The Brief: Paxton's "sanctuary cities" suit dismissed — but the fight's not over
A federal judge dismissed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's request to dub the state's new "sanctuary cities" ban constitutional on Wednesday — but the legal battle isn't over yet. Full Story
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![A woman demonstrating against Senate Bill 4, the so-called sanctuary cities law, waves a flag during a march near the San Antonio Riverwalk on June 26, 2017. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia is hearing arguments from Texas cities and counties challenging the bill, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
House member's ties to utility districts raise ethical questions
State Rep. Cecil Bell is a member of a committee that oversees utility districts in Texas. Many of those districts give his construction companies big contracts, while some of their lawyers contribute to his campaign. Full Story
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![State Rep. Cecil Bell, R-Magnolia, in his seat on the House floor on May 14, 2015.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
After 2015 legalization, Texans may be able to buy medical cannabis oil by January
Three dispensaries expect to get final approval from Texas soon to start growing and cultivating marijuana. It’ll take another several months before they can begin distributing the kind of cannabis oil that lawmakers legalized in 2015. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott displays SB339 as Rep. John Zerwas, Rep. Stephanie Klick and Sen. Kevin Eltife watch. The bill would allow limited use of medical marijuana oil that will control seizures in epileptic children.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Judge dismisses Paxton lawsuit over "sanctuary cities" law
A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed the state of Texas’ lawsuit against Travis County and other defendants over the state's new immigration enforcement law. Full Story
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![Protesters turn out at the Capitol in Austin hours after Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 4 — the "sanctuary cities" bill — into law. Abbott livestreamed the signing of the bill on Facebook.]()
Credit: Julián Aguilar -
Texas House approves one crackdown on mail-in ballot fraud, but pushes repeal of another
The Texas House on Wednesday tentatively approved a bill that seeks to crack down on mail-in ballot fraud, one of Greg. Abbott's priorities. But in doing so, they repealed another law meant to prevent such fraud at nursing homes. Full Story
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![Rep. Craig Goldman R-Fort Worth, smiles after Senate Bill 5, the mail-in voter fraud bill, passed to third reading on Aug. 9, 2017]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas House passes bill restricting insurance coverage of abortion
Texas women would have to pay a separate health insurance premium to get coverage for non-emergency abortions — what an opponent dubbed "rape insurance" — under a bill given early approval by the Texas House on Tuesday. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, discusses House Bill 214, which would limit health benefit coverage for elective abortions, on Aug. 8, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott v. Perry, school finance, impending Sine Die (podcast)
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Patrick about Gov. Greg Abbott's comparison of his accomplishments to former Gov. Rick Perry's, whether school finance reform has a real shot in the special session, and how soon the Texas Legislature will adjourn — again. Full Story
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Credit: Emily Albracht / Todd Wiseman -
How Angela Hunt changed Dallas' mind about its divisive riverside toll road
Once the lone dissident against an army of elected officials, the land-use attorney made a name for herself pushing back against North Texas' long-planned Trinity Parkway. After 11 years, her fight paid off. Full Story
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![Angela Hunt spent her tenure on the Dallas City Council battling plans for a toll road inside the Trinity River levees. Even after her term ended, she didn't give up the fight.]()
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The Brief: With the clock ticking, prospects are looking grimmer for Abbott's agenda
Gov. Greg Abbott tasked the Texas Legislature with passing 20 items in 30 days. State lawmakers have completed 22 of those days so far, at a cost of $736,000 and rising. The grounds of the Capitol have played host to hundreds of amendments, dozens of hours of debate and numerous rallies. And zero bills have made it to Abbott's desk. Full Story
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![The three leaders of Texas make nice at a short Cash Management Committee meeting in the Betty King Room of the Texas Capitol on July 18, 2017, the first day of the special session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Are lawmakers' business ties with public entities a conflict of interest?
Since 2016, public entities have had to reveal the businesses they have large contracts with. These "1295 disclosures" reveal numerous legislators among the contractors — and some of those lawmakers have sponsored or voted on bills that help those same public entities. Full Story
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![Clockwise, from top left: State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, state Reps. Jim Murphy, R-Houston, Eddie Lucio III, D-Brownsville, Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, Ana Hernandez, D-Houston, Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, Justin Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, Sergio Muñoz Jr., D-Palmview, Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont and Cecil Bell, Jr., R-Magnolia.]()
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Analysis: Even the losers get lucky sometimes
With a little more than a week left for this special session of the Texas Legislature, lawmakers are preparing closing arguments — and obituaries — for their pet issues. Full Story
![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, speaks at a press conference held by members of the Senate Republican Caucus to discuss education and teachers' retirement, on August 8, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
With 8 days left in special session, Texas House and Senate remain far apart
Not a single measure has made it to the governor’s desk despite a steady drumbeat from his office urging lawmakers to go "20 for 20." A "bathroom bill" is on life support, but a property tax measure still has momentum, supporters say. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus (left) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Judge approves temporary relocation of 1,000 hot prisoners
A federal judge signed off on Texas' proposal to temporarily move more than 1,000 inmates from one hot prison to 11 different facilities around the state. Full Story
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![Prison staff and inmates move through the Darrington Unit's main hallway on Wednesday, July 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Jolie McCullough/The Texas Tribune -
Texas backs Wisconsin in battle to protect partisan gerrymandering
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is backing Wisconsin in a high-profile case asking the U.S. Supreme Court whether lawmakers can go too far when drawing political maps to advantage one party. Full Story
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![Ken Paxton speaks at the Texas State Rifle Association General Meeting in Round Rock on Feb. 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Senate education chair: House school finance plan "not a long-term solution"
Senate Education Committee Chairman Larry Taylor said he would not accept the House's proposal to put $1.8 billion into public schools, comparing it to driving a broken car into the ground. Full Story
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![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 -
The Brief: Will Hurd's on a Texas town hall tour. Here's what's happened so far
Congress is out for the summer, and U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, is on a six-day, 20-stop swing across his sprawling swing district. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio, speaks at his election watch party at the Hotel Elian in San Antonio on November 8, 2016.]()
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In town halls, U.S. Rep. Will Hurd juggles district priorities in Trump era
U.S. Rep. Will Hurd logged hundreds of miles Sunday and Monday to hold town halls during Congress' summer recess, and his interactions with constituents illustrated the fine line he must walk in his massive swing district. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, holds a town hall on Aug. 7, 2017, at a Dairy Queen in Fort Stockton. Hurd was making a six-day, 20-stop swing through his 23rd District.]()
Credit: Patrick Svitek/The Texas Tribune