The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.
Voters in Bexar County will be the first to cast their ballots under relaxed rules after a federal appeals court ruled that Texas’ strict voter identification law discriminated against minority voters. Full Story
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Here is what you need to know about Wednesday's complicated appeals court ruling that Texas' voter identification law discriminates against minority groups. Full Story
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Texas’ voter identification law violates the U.S. law prohibiting racial discrimination in elections, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. Full Story
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Republicans who want to stay out of the national conversation about the presidential race — the speaker of the Texas House, to name one — there are a handful of races at home that offer plausible excuses. Full Story
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The state Legislature should increase its focus on maritime ports and dedicate money to increasing their capacity during next year's session, said state Rep. Larry Gonzales during a House committee hearing Monday. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott's proposal comes after weeks of targeted killings of police officers and growing tension over disproportionate encounters between black Americans and law enforcement. Full Story
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State Rep. Borris Miles of Houston has captured the Democratic nomination to replace state Sen. Rodney Ellis, putting him on track to win the seat in November. Full Story
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Lawmakers peppered policy experts with questions about whether state agencies who keep departing employees on the state payroll by placing them on "emergency leave" violated state law, during a hearing on Tuesday. Full Story
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Six months ago when properly licensed Texans began openly carrying handguns, anti-gun activists and Second Amendment backers were sharply divided over what to expect. So far, gun owners seem to have the most complaints. Full Story
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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick joined a handful of other Texas Republican officials Friday in blaming previous Black Lives Matter protests for the shooting in Dallas that left at least 5 police officers dead. Full Story
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Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has thrown out their greatest legislative victory — the House Bill 2 abortion restrictions — Texas abortion opponents are trying to decide what comes next. Full Story
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday asked a federal judge in Wichita Falls to put a nationwide halt on the Obama Administration’s directive instructing school districts across the country not to discriminate against transgender students. Full Story
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In a wide-ranging interview, Hank Whitman, the new commissioner overseeing Child Protective Services, explains how he thinks he can turn around a child welfare agency crippled by low morale, high turnover and a spate of high-profile child deaths. Full Story
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Texas' top elected officials are asking state agencies to scale back their budget requests by 4 percent, seeking to further rein in state spending for the 2018-2019 cycle. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers want to get a leash on property taxes, which requires them to restrain local governments. The local governments point to expensive state government mandates that drive up their costs. It's hard to fix blame, or credit. Full Story
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The number of drug-induced abortions in Texas plummeted in the first full year after the state's strict 2013 abortion law took effect, according to statistics released Thursday by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Full Story
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With two weeks to go before Texas is set to slash a program's funding that pays for therapy services for children with disabilities, therapy providers are announcing new support from state lawmakers to postpone the cuts. Full Story
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The legal battle to defend Texas' 2013 abortion restrictions — which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional on Monday — cost Texas taxpayers more than $1 million, according to records obtained by The Texas Tribune. Full Story
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Though the Supreme Court on Monday handed Texas abortion providers a major victory by striking down the state’s most stringent abortion restrictions, House Bill 2 leaves behind a trail of shuttered clinics. Take a look. Full Story
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Over the objection of some local officials, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Board passed proposals Monday that will impact how much Texans pay for vehicle registrations as well as potentially drive some private firms out of business. Full Story
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