Lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate called for a review of sexual harassment policies Tuesday following a Texas Tribune story detailing how current procedures offered little protection for victims.
Morgan Smith
Morgan Smith was a reporter at the Tribune from 2009 to 2018, covering politics, public education and inequality.
In 2013, she received a National Education Writers Association award for “Death of a District,” a series on school closures. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from Wellesley College, she moved to Austin in 2008 to enter law school at the University of Texas.
A San Antonio native, her work has also appeared in Slate, where she spent a year as an editorial intern in Washington D.C.
Posted in
Politics
At the Texas Capitol, victims of sexual harassment must fend for themselves
Interviews with more than two dozen current and former lawmakers and legislative aides indicate sexual harassment regularly goes unchecked at the Texas Capitol. And sexual harassment policies rely on officials with little incentive or authority to enforce them, particularly in cases of harassment by lawmakers.
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In Harvey's Wake
$500 million in Ike relief is still unspent. Will Texas do better after Harvey?
State officials want as few parameters as possible on federal disaster relief funds, but housing advocates say that could lead to public works projects getting federal funds over Texans who lost everything.
Posted in
In Harvey's Wake
Abbott presses Congress for an extra $61 billion to rebuild after Harvey
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott flew to Washington to press the case for an additional $61 billion in federal disaster recovery money to rebuild public infrastructure after Hurricane Harvey’s devastation.
Posted in
In Harvey's Wake
Texas attorney general opens investigation into Harvey debris removal companies
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into debris removal companies who may be “overpromising and underdelivering” their post-Harvey cleanup services.
Posted inState Government
Federal housing agency announces $57.8 million to Texas for Harvey recovery
Federal housing officials announced Friday what they called “another down payment” of $57.8 million to support long-term recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
Posted in
In Harvey's Wake
How much has been raised for Harvey relief — and how’s it being spent?
Between the federal government, the Red Cross and private charities, billions of dollars will be spent to help Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas. The Tribune is tracking how it’s spent.
Posted in
In Harvey's Wake
Texans shouldn’t expect enough federal money to fully rebuild after Harvey
State officials estimate that it will take $60 billion in long-term federal funds to repair and replace the houses, buildings and infrastructure Harvey damaged.
Posted in
In Harvey's Wake
Slideshow: For southeast Texas, recovery after Harvey is slow
Reporter Morgan Smith and photographer Michael Stravato recently toured southeast Texas to document Harvey’s aftermath.
Posted in
State Government
Texting ban among more than 650 new Texas laws that take effect today
Hundreds of new state laws go into effect Friday including a statewide texting-while-driving ban. But two other high-profile measures – one dealing with abortion, the other immigration – are currently blocked by federal injunctions.
