Mayors say Texas, U.S. politics increasingly undermine city needs
A major source of division among cities and state officials is differing opinions on what local control means — and to whom it provides the power to govern. Full Story
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![Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings was among a group of Texas mayors at a Feb. 17, 2017, news conference discussing their unified agenda in working with the 85th Texas Legislature.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
With proposal to penalize men for masturbating, legislator aims to shake up health debate
State Rep. Jessica Farrar, a Houston Democrat, has filed House Bill 4260, which would fine men $100 for masturbating. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, questions representatives of the Texas Department of State Health Services about state contracts for specific health clinics during an interim hearing on Aug. 15, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
At SXSW, Joe Biden pledges to work with Trump to end "cancer as we know it"
In Austin on Sunday, former Vice President Joe Biden said he hopes the Trump administration will be committed as the Obama administration was to the goal of eradicating cancer. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks about the Biden Cancer Initiative at South by Southwest in Austin on March 12, 2017.]()
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At Dallas County GOP event, Donald Trump Jr. says Texas “came through for this country”
Donald Trump Jr, the Dallas County Republican Party’s Reagan Day Dinner keynote speaker, said Texans’ fundraising efforts were key in helping his father secure a victory in the 2016 presidential election. Full Story
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![Donald Trump, Jr. speaks at the Dallas Republican Party Reagan Day Dinner on March 11, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Adler on Uber, sanctuary cities, Trump (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 3/9 conversation with Steve Adler, the mayor of Austin. Full Story
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Federal panel rules some of Texas' congressional districts illegal
Some of the state's 36 congressional districts violate either the U.S. Constitution or the federal Voting Rights Act, a panel of three federal judges ruled Friday. Full Story
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Tesla tries a new, ambitious approach at Texas Capitol
A pair of bills filed Friday would allow any vehicle manufacturer to sell directly to Texans — bypassing the middleman dealers — in the biggest challenge yet to a longstanding state ban on the practice. Full Story
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![Tesla vehicle on display outside the Texas Capitol on Jan. 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Lawmaker blasts Abbott appointee, health agency over contracting; agency fires back
State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione is demanding to know why dozens of large Texas Health and Human Services Commission contracts don't appear in the state's budget watchdog's database. The agency says it isn't responsible for the problem. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House proposal could claw back billions Texas voters approved for roads
The Texas House’s chief budget writer filed legislation Friday that would pave the way for lawmakers to claw back billions of dollars that voters approved for state highways, freeing them up for other budget needs. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman / Lynda Giddens -
Texas lawmakers say more study needed before “hog apocalypse”
Two Texas lawmakers have filed bills after outcry from hunters and meat processors over the state's approval of a new poison for feral hogs. Full Story
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Credit: Dave Govoni -
The Brief: Will charter schools get more funding this session?
Legislators and advocates looking to increase charter school funding are facing an uphill battle this session. Full Story
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![Advocates showed their support for charter schools during an April 29, 2015, rally at the Texas Capitol.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: The party in power in Texas acts more like two parties at war
The leadership battles in the Texas Legislature are often attributed to personalities — or to traditional House-Senate rivalries. But there's another factor: The Republicans in power are from different factions of their party. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick at a Texas Legislative Budget Board meeting on December 1, 2016.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for the Texas Tribune -
Public charters fight uphill battle for facilities funding
Charter schools, seeking more state money, want the public to know that they're public schools, too. Full Story
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![Children from charter and private schools all over Texas turned out for the 85th legislative session's National School Choice Rally on Jan. 24, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Lawmakers hear hours of testimony on bathroom bill (video)
Who can use what bathroom dominated the talk at the Texas Capitol this week. Full Story
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GOP lawmaker wants Texas law to catch up to driverless cars
State Rep. Charlie Geren filed a bill this week that aims to overcome the car industry opposition that crushed an autonomous vehicle bill two years ago. But he says there's lots of work left to do on it. Full Story
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![The Alliance for Transportation Innovation in February 2016 offered Texans trips in a driverless shuttle that maneuvered along a pre-programmed route in parking lots near Globe Life Park in Arlington.]()
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Paxton prosecutors want to delay May 1 trial until they can get paid
The special prosecutors handling the securities fraud case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are asking to put off his trial until they can get paid. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Lawmakers to take another look at cutting back free tuition program for veterans' kids
The state is set for another debate about the cost of a program that provides free tuition to children of military veterans. Full Story
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Ted Cruz sends school choice letter to every Republican in Texas Legislature
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz sent a letter to state lawmakers Thursday urging them to make Texas the next state that gives parents taxpayer dollars to send their children to private or religious schools, or educate them at home. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz talks with Sen. John Cornyn and Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, during a TPPF Orientation conference on Jan. 13, 2017 at the Sheraton Hotel in Austin.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
University of North Texas System chancellor retiring after 15 years
During Lee Jackson's tenure, the UNT system expanded from two campuses to four, and as of last fall, more than 40,000 students were enrolled there. Full Story
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![UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson.]()
Credit: Business Support Services/UNT System -
Paxton asks to intervene in Dallas County immigration case
The Texas attorney general’s office has asked a federal court for permission to intervene in a case about whether a county jail can hold undocumented immigrants for transfer to federal custody and subsequent deportation. Full Story
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Credit: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
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