The Senate on Monday passed a bill that would remove a cap on the number of school personnel that can carry firearms at schools. It is the chamber’s latest tweak to the marshal program since last year’s mass shooting at Santa Fe High School.
Alex Samuels
Alex Samuels was a reporter for The Texas Tribune from 2017 to 2021. She helped with national campaign coverage, wrote stories about the intersection of race and politics in Texas, and covered the hottest political news bubbling out of local communities. She was also one of the primary authors of The Blast, the Tribune’s subscription-only daily newsletter for political insiders. Alex began at the Tribune as a fellow in 2016. She graduated in 2017 from the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism. She originally is from Massachusetts and is the best pingpong player at the Tribune.
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Texas Legislature 2019
After gun activist shows up at lawmakers’ houses, Texas representative declares his “constitutional carry” bill dead
“I refuse to act like it is still a possibility and continue to provide false hope to my constituents,” state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, said in a statement.
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Texas Legislature 2019
“That bill has now been poisoned”: Business groups worry priority sick-leave legislation faces uphill battle
Some business groups who thought they had a slam dunk bill on employment benefits are now worried that LGBTQ opposition they tried to prevent could kill one of their priorities.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Senate passes bill allowing school marshals to carry, not lock up, their guns
Eliminating the lockbox requirement for school marshals was one of many suggestions Gov. Greg Abbott outlined for the Legislature in a 43-page plan released weeks after last year’s deadly shooting at Santa Fe High School.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House approves 2020-21 budget plan, with extra $9 billion for school finance, property tax relief
The House also signed off on a $9 billion supplemental budget that would withdraw $4.3 billion from the state savings account.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas investigating highly contagious whooping cough at state Capitol
Lawmakers were alerted that a page on the House floor had the infection, triggering discussions about vaccine policies in the state.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
On some big issues this year, Texas lawmakers are going against the polls
Issues like city-mandated paid sick leave and “red flag” gun laws are popular among Texas voters, polls suggest. Will opposing them have consequences in 2020?
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Julián Castro: “I’m confident that by the time people start voting that I’m going to do well”
At a meet-and-greet with Democrats in Dallas Tuesday night, Castro dismissed suggestions that his bid for president was being overshadowed by Beto O’Rourke and said he was working hard “to make sure that at the right time I’m the frontrunner of this race.”
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is "is “strongly opposed to weakening any laws against marijuana [and] remains wary of the various medicinal use proposals that could become a vehicle for expanding access to this drug,” according to a spokesperson.](https://i0.wp.com/www.texastribune.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/10_Lit._Gov._Dan_Patrick_Senate_Floor_MG_TT-2-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Medical cannabis expansion has high support in the Texas Legislature. But Dan Patrick might stand in the way.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s wariness of proposals to expand the state’s narrow medical cannabis program may block any such bills from reaching the governor’s desk this session.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Beto O’Rourke raises $6.1 million in first 24 hours — beating Bernie Sanders and all other 2020 contenders
The Texas Democrat says he raked in over $6.1 million for his presidential bid in the first 24 hours of his campaign — an eye-popping number that beats every other Democrat who has disclosed first-day figures so far.
