State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez becomes first to enter race for Senate District 14
Rodriguez, a longtime House Democrat from Austin, announced his candidacy Saturday for the seat being vacated by state Sen. Kirk Watson. Full Story
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![State Representative Eddie Rodriguez during the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and House Elections Commitee press conference regarding the statements released about the alleged 95,000 non-citizens on the voter rolls in Austin on Jan. 30, 2019.]()
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Jerry McGinty to head troubled Legislative Budget Board
McGinty, the CFO of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, will lead an embattled agency of nonpartisan budget analysts who have been without an executive director since October 2018. Full Story
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![State Capitol on June 20, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune -
Longtime Texas state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. heads to a runoff
The Brownsville Democrat has served in the Senate for nearly three decades. With all polling locations reporting Wednesday morning, he was just shy of the 50% vote mark needed to win outright. Full Story
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![Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, spoke during during a Senate State Affairs committee hearing on July 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas state crime labs won’t test suspected marijuana in low-level cases
The Texas Department of Public Safety said last week that it would not perform testing to distinguish between hemp and marijuana in misdemeanor cases. Full Story
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![A container of dried hemp plant with leaves and stems on Jan. 23, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
State Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. bets on experience, seniority as he confronts two Democratic primary challengers
The longtime state senator from Brownsville is hoping his upper-chamber clout can ward off two intraparty opponents questioning his Democratic credentials. Full Story
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![State Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, on the Senate floor on May 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Speaking statistically, this GOP donor wants to convince you that money buys justice in Texas
After losing a case at the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court, millionaire Salem Abraham set out to mathematically test the idea that campaign contributions influence the elected justices. Now he wants to change the system. Full Story
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![Salem Abraham in his office on Dec. 19, 2019.]()
Credit: David Bowser for The Texas Tribune -
Hemp is booming in Texas. Distinguishing it from marijuana is still a challenge.
In this video, The Texas Tribune dug into hemp and marijuana with lawmakers, crime lab scientists, criminal defense attorneys and hemp entrepreneurs. Full Story
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![A container of dried hemp plant with leaves and stems on Jan. 23, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Conversations on the future of the border region
We traveled to El Paso for a daylong series of conversations on the economic, political and cultural significance and evolution of the border region. Full Story
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State Sen. Kirk Watson to retire from Texas Senate
Watson has represented Austin in the Texas Senate since 2007. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, on the Senate floor on April 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
The billionaire Wilks family bankrolls one of its own in run for Texas House
The family has pumped millions from its fracking fortune into Texas politics, backing hardline conservative candidates and causes. Now one member of the clan is vying for the House District 60 seat being vacated by Rep. Mike Lang. Full Story
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![From left: Jon Francis and Glenn Rogers are among the four Republicans running for the open seat in Texas House District 60.]()
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Our updated Texas 2020 Hotlist: The most competitive races in this year's primary
A couple of The Texas Tribune's political nerds highlight (their latest version of) the most interesting races up and down the 2020 primary ballot. Full Story
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To end hazing, students must be individually punished or prosecuted, advocates tell Texas lawmakers
Legislation passed last year increases university transparency and strengthens the state's definition of hazing. But advocates say when it comes to enforcement, kicking fraternities off campus isn't enough. Full Story
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![The House Committee of Higher Education meets on Feb. 11, 2020.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Beto O’Rourke’s flock remains loyal while his party debates whether to move on
The question facing Texas Democrats: Can the party capitalize on the energy he brings out of his supporters while minimizing the counter-energy he seems to provoke from the right? Full Story
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![Democratic Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke speaks at Texas Southern University in Houston on March 30, 2019.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Who will control the Texas House?
It’s the question everyone’s asking across the state and at the Capitol: Will the Texas House flip? Watch our conversation with state Reps. Celia Israel, D-Austin, and Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth. Full Story
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After black student suspended over dreadlocks, some Texas lawmakers want to ban hair discrimination
The Texas Legislative Black Caucus hopes to pass the CROWN Act in the next legislative session. The bill would prohibit hair discrimination affecting people of color in schools and workplaces. Full Story
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![The administration at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvieu told senior DeAndre Arnold to cut his dreadlocks.]()
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Conservative activists helped elect Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Now some say there’s a disconnect.
A group of hardline grassroots activists has called on Patrick to be more outspoken on party priorities and worries that lines of communication appear to no longer be there. Full Story
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![JoAnn Fleming, executive director of Grassroots America, sits for a portrait in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Tyler Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Cara Campbell for The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Conversations on the future of health care
We're sitting down in Edinburg with lawmakers, thought leaders and medical professionals from all corners of the state for a daylong series of conversations on health care issues affecting Texas. Full Story
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With GOP supermajority at risk in 2020, Dan Patrick says Texas Senate may lower threshold to bring bills to the floor
The lieutenant governor said Thursday he may decrease the threshold to a simple majority if Republicans lose one or two seats in November. Full Story
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![Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Senate Parliamentarian Karina Davis on the senate floor. Jan. 9, 2019.]()
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Elizabeth Warren backs Eliz Markowitz in battleground Texas House race
The U.S. senator from Massachusetts is the latest Democratic presidential candidate to get involved in the Jan. 28 special election runoff for House District 28. Full Story
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![From left: Presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren and Eliz Markowitz, Democratic candidate for Texas House District 28.]()
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New campaign finance reports help crystallize fight for state House majority
The reports, which were due Wednesday, provide the first fundraising checkpoint since the candidate fields were finalized last month. Full Story
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![State Capitol on June 20, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune