After years of Texas voters having the option to vote for an entire party’s slate in one fell swoop, the straight-ticket option will be no longer available beginning in 2020 under a bill Gov. Greg Abbott signed Thursday.
Jolie McCullough
Jolie McCullough was a reporter at The Texas Tribune from 2015 to 2023. She began as a data visualization journalist and then reported on criminal justice policy, ranging from policing and courts to prisons and the death penalty. She joined the Tribune from the Albuquerque Journal, her hometown newspaper. She previously worked at the Arizona Republic and is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Posted in
State Government
Dozens of Abbott appointees surpass donor threshold targeted by stalled “pay for play” bill
At least 71 of Gov. Greg Abbott’s nearly 800 current state board and commission appointees appeared to have donated more than $2,500 to the governor’s campaign account since 2013.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Despite Bland family’s complaints, House unlikely to beef up Sandra Bland Act
The House sponsor of the Senate’s Sandra Bland Act won’t try to change the bill’s language, after key provisions were taken out in the upper chamber.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Execution halted amid claims of false evidence at trial
A Fort Worth man who claims he did not intentionally kill an 89-year-old man had his looming execution halted Friday afternoon.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Bill to enforce reporting of police shootings stumbles, then passes
After failing by one vote on the House floor Wednesday night, a bill to penalize law enforcement agencies that don’t report police shootings to the state was reconsidered and passed.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texan on death row will face parole review instead of execution
For the second time in a week, a Texas death row inmate had his sentenced tossed out. Robert Campbell, 44, has been on death row for nearly 25 years in a Houston kidnapping and murder.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas lawmakers: State needs to act after black teen’s death by police
In the aftermath of a police officer killing 15-year-old Jordan Edwards near Dallas, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus called on state leaders to work with legislators on police interactions and accountability.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
After police shoot and kill unarmed teen, Texas lawmakers consider next steps
In the aftermath of the fatal shooting of an unarmed 15-year-old by police on Saturday night, Democrats in the state Capitol have pointed to relevant bills they say could prevent similar deaths.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas fights federal ban on import of execution drug
Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration officially blocked Texas’ attempted import of execution drugs. Now, Texas is fighting back in court.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
U.S. Supreme Court justices express caution, intrigue in death penalty case
U.S. Supreme Court justices Monday expressed concerns about the caseload federal appeals courts might see if they allow Texas death row inmate Erick Davila another chance in a lower court because of an error his lawyer made in the appeals process.
