Six days after Gov. Greg Abbott took office, he faced the first death of a child under state care. Emails obtained by The Texas Tribune capture his staff's efforts, and frustrations, trying to fix the state's embattled foster care system. Full Story
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In a ruling on political redistricting this week, the U.S. Supreme Court made an argument for equal representation from legislators even if that means voters don't get an equal say in electing them. Full Story
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A state plan to eradicate invasive Carrizo cane along the Rio Grande — cited by Gov. Greg Abbott as a border security priority — is finally getting some funding after sitting dormant for almost a year. Full Story
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Next month sees the release of the first book by Gov. Greg Abbott, a project that will combine how he overcame personal adversity with his proposal to overhaul the U.S. Constitution to place more power with the states. Full Story
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UT-Austin and A&M are wonderful, prestigious universities, but they are not necessarily the best choice for everyone, writes Brent Baker, vice president of Institutional Advancement at Weatherford College. Full Story
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A federal judge on Monday approved a $20.8 billion settlement between a group of five Gulf Coast states — including Texas — and BP stemming from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill. Full Story
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will publish his first book next month, 16 months into his first term. "Broken But Unbowed" will recount his life story and advance his push for a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution. Full Story
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In a unanimous decision released Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to uphold Texas' current system for drawing legislative districts so that they are roughly equal in population. Full Story
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State revenue could easily take some big hits this year — from a sliding oil and gas industry and from a series of potentially adverse court rulings. The message from the top to lawmakers: Don't get too spendy. Full Story
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The Tribune over the weekend took a look in a couple of must read pieces at legislating and its consequences when it comes to the hot button social issues of abortion and vaccines. Full Story
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U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Sunday launched his final push ahead of the crucial primary in Wisconsin, where his supporters are hoping to deliver the most decisive rejection yet of frontrunner Donald Trump. Full Story
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An Austin couple sought medical help when their almost-20-week old son began emerging early, but were told doctors could do little to help because of restrictions on abortion in Texas. Full Story
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Ted Cruz's presidential campaign claimed a "resounding victory" in North Dakota on Sunday after the state's GOP finalized its list of delegates to send to the Republican National Convention, with many viewed as supportive of the U.S. senator from Texas. Full Story
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A new political action committee has made its mission to guard parents’ rights to opt out of immunization requirements — whether that means targeting legislators who seek to close non-medical exemptions or pushing for policies that otherwise protect parents who choose not to vaccinate. Full Story
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The dog days are over for a Houston family who successfully affirmed their ownership rights over a German Shepherd after a three-year legal battle that ended up at the Texas Supreme Court. Full Story
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A state tax that imposes a 55-cent fee on each pack of cigarettes produced by small tobacco manufacturers is constitutional, even though Big Tobacco manufacturers do not pay the tax, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday. Full Story
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Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Ash Carter pay visits to Texas this week, House panel grapples with new EPA rules and Ted Cruz says charge against Trump campaign manager clarifies "what the Trump campaign is all about"— all that and more in the latest issue of our subscriber-only newsletter for political insiders ($). Full Story
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Use this interactive to look up Texas public high schools and find out how many of its students enrolled at UT-Austin in 2015. This is part of the Tribune's "The Price of Admission" series. Full Story
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We've updated our Government Salaries Explorer with fresh data for employees on the state of Texas payroll and employees at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. The Dallas County Community College District is a new addition to the explorer. Full Story
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Cutting prices can be expensive. The Texas Department of Transportation offered up the most recent example of that, answering the Legislature’s question about the price of making the state’s toll roads free. Spoiler alert: It's high. Full Story
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