Twenty-two new faces have taken their places in the Texas Legislature this year — 21 of them in the House and one in the Senate. All but seven of them are Republicans.
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
Criminal Justice
Late appeals denied, man’s execution set for murder he says he didn’t commit
A man who claims he is innocent is set to be executed Thursday evening in a robbery turned double murder in Dallas County.
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Energy, Environment, Health care, Politics, Public Education, State Government, Transportation
Watch our video series on community concerns coming to the Capitol
In our six-part “State of Mind” series, we looked at various issues being discussed across Texas as state lawmakers debate bills during the 85th Legislative Session. Watch all of the videos here.
Posted inHigher Education, State Government
Texas A&M University data updated in Salaries Explorer
Texas A&M University and all of its branches have been updated in The Texas Tribune’s Government Salaries Explorer. Find demographic information within each entity as well as individual salaries for employees.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Supreme Court to review Texas death penalty case
The U.S. Supreme Court said Friday it would review the legal complexities in a Texas death penalty case, where a man killed a 5-year-old and her grandmother.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas executes first person of the year
The first execution in Texas and the United States, for the killer of two men in Fort Worth after a fake drug deal, was held Wednesday evening.
Posted in
Demographics
Once again, the Texas Legislature is mostly white, male, middle-aged
Here’s a look at the demographics of the 85th Legislature by lawmakers’ race, gender, age, education and religion.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas sues FDA over seized execution drugs
More than a year after the feds blocked Texas from importing an execution drug, Texas filed a lawsuit demanding a final decision on whether the drugs can be delivered.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas judge who questions death penalty won’t seek reelection
Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Elsa Alcala, a Republican, said the main reason she won’t run is because of the “random and unreliable” results from partisan judicial elections.
Posted in
Guides
In light of Arizona ruling, will Texas executions change? A Texplainer
Hey, Texplainer: A federal judge in Arizona just ruled that witnesses have the right to see the full process of an execution, including the administration of lethal drugs. Will this affect how Texas carries out executions?
