Senators moved fast on Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda for the second special session. With House Democrats back in Texas, bills can now move through that chamber.
Joshua Fechter
Joshua Fechter is the Dallas-based urban affairs reporter for The Texas Tribune, covering policy — including housing affordability, housing and property taxes, evictions, policing and transportation — and politics in Texas' major metropolitan areas. Before joining the Tribune in August 2021, Joshua covered City Hall for the San Antonio Express-News. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas Senate OKs stricter limits on city, county property tax revenue
The proposal would put tighter limits on how much property tax revenue cities and counties of a certain size can collect each year.
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Economy
Texas cities, counties may face new limits on raising property taxes
Republican state lawmakers want to curb property tax bills by further limiting how much can be collected by cities and counties.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas GOP once again tries to ban local governments from hiring lobbyists in Austin
Critics of the bill say the state’s smallest cities and school districts will be silenced at the Capitol.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Meet the Californian who pushed Texas lawmakers to help fix the state’s housing crisis
A bipartisan coalition, organized by Nicole Nosek, played a role in getting the Legislature to pass laws tackling the state’s housing affordability woes.
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State Government
Appeals court upholds Texas law limiting cities’ enforcement of local ordinances
The 2023 law, previously ruled unconstitutional by a Travis County judge, prevents cities from enforcing ordinances that don’t align with broad swaths of state law.
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Politics
Sen. Angela Paxton files for divorce from Attorney General Ken Paxton
In a statement, Angela Paxton said she moved to end her 38-year marriage “on biblical grounds,” citing “recent discoveries.”
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Hill Country floods
“Disasters are a human choice”: Texas counties have little power to stop building in flood-prone areas
Experts suggested that more data and education are needed as Texas and the rest of the country build in known flood plains.
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Graphics and data reporting
Texas is getting older and its child population is growing
Texas remains younger than other states, but the number of older Texans has outpaced that of any other age group.
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2025 Legislative Recap
Texas lawmakers laid the foundation for a housing boom. Here’s how.
The Legislature passed laws allowing smaller homes on smaller lots and making it harder for neighbors to block new housing.