Analysis: A race for speaker of the Texas House? Not so fast.
With Dennis Bonnen not seeking another term, state representatives are once again at the start of a race for Speaker of the Texas House. This could take a while. Full Story
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![Empty chamber of the Texas House of Representatives at the state captiol.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen's downfall throws House majority fight into uncertainty
The speaker's decision Tuesday to not seek reelection after months of scandal could have deep implications for the fight for the House majority. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dennis Bonnen signs paperwork on the House floor on May 25, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Dennis Bonnen gave Texas legislators a reason to distrust their leaders, too
The quick political demise of Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen is the kind of insider news that buttresses what many think about people in politics — and trust. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, is sworn in as House speaker by U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Looking on is Speaker Bonnen's wife Kimberly.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Bonnen regrets comments about Texas cities and counties — yet also says urban governments have "run amok"
Local leaders felt targeted by state lawmakers even before the release of a secret recording that has imperiled the Texas House speaker's future. Bonnen says he was trying to convey a larger point about those officials and how they treat taxpayers. Full Story
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![Dallas city skyline at sunset.]()
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Texas voters could stabilize funding for state parks with Proposition 5
Decades ago, lawmakers passed a law that was meant to fully fund Texas Parks and Wildlife, but the money never seemed to make it to the parks. Now they're asking voters to create a constitutional mandate that parks get more money. Full Story
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![Bastrop State park.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: In the Texas House, it’s going to be a little tougher to say, “Come, let us reason together”
The recording of Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen's raw political conversation with a conservative activist threw a partisan rock into the state Legislature's normally bipartisan pool. Now the members have to sort that out. Full Story
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![The House Democratic Caucus speaks to the press following Gov. Abbott's State of the State address in Austin on Feb. 5, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Live TribCast recording
We're livestreaming this week's TribCast recording, hosted by The Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith and featuring political reporters Cassi Pollock, Alex Samuels and Patrick Svitek. They break down the Dennis Bonnen tape released Tuesday. Full Story
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Local Texas officials balk at animus toward cities, plans for sales tax cuts in legislators' secretly recorded meeting
The recording revealed that top Republican lawmakers wanted the 2019 session to be painful for cities and counties — and 2021 to be even worse. Full Story
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![The Houston skyline on Dec. 17, 2018.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Dennis Bonnen, Michael Quinn Sullivan and who? We break down who was in the room and who’s mentioned on the tape.
Here’s who was mentioned in the recording where Republican Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen urged a hardline conservative activist to politically target members of their own party — and suggested he could get the activist's group media access to lawmakers next legislative session. Full Story
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![Michael Quinn Sullivan and Dennis Bonnen.]()
Credit: Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Anti-abortion activists take their fight to small-town East Texas
Five towns have passed ordinances aiming to outlaw abortion. Critics say a legal challenge is likely. Full Story
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![Lucy Cummings, 67, a 50-year resident of Joaquin and a supporter of the recent anti-abortion ordinance, stands on her front porch with her granddaughter, Brystal.]()
Credit: Ben Fenton for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recuses himself from opinion, citing conflict of interest
A local official had asked Paxton for legal guidance on special prosecutor pay — a major question in the criminal case against Paxton himself. Full Story
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![Ken Paxton at the inauguration ceremony of Judge Michelle Slaughter at the state capitol. Jan. 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Michael Quinn Sullivan’s torment of Dennis Bonnen could end next week
Next week could see the public airing of a secret recording that has had the Texas Capitol twisted in drama for most of the summer. With that, members of the Texas House can decide whether their speaker, Dennis Bonnen, made a big mistake or a little one. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dennis Bonnen during the Texas Fallen Heroes ceremony at the Capitol on May 25, 2019.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas abruptly halts permitting process for new medical cannabis dispensaries
The application was expected to draw interest from a number of companies and, once approved, lead to more competitive pricing. Full Story
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![Michael Rubin, Director at Compassionate Cultivation, tends to home-grown medical cannabis in Austin that serves patients throughout Texas, on January 19, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas ended temporary voting locations to curb abuse. Now rural and young voters are losing access.
A newly implemented change to election law is leaving a trail of shuttered early voting polling places across the state. Full Story
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![A voting sign in four languages at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
The 2019 Texas inauguration cost a record $5.3 million. Where are the receipts?
The Texas Tribune is suing to discover what happened to millions raised mostly from top lobbying firms, corporations, wealthy businesspeople and trade groups for the inauguration of Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Full Story
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![Air Force fighter planes fly over the state capitol during the Oath of Office Ceremony. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Governor Greg Abbott were sworn into their respective offices. Jan. 15, 2019. Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune.]()
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State Rep. Mike Lang reverses decision to not run for reelection
The Granbury Republican announced Wednesday he wasn't seeking another term in the House and was instead running for county commissioner, but he has since changed course. Full Story
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![State Rep. Mike Lang, R-Granbury, listens in during the House Select Committee on Mass Violence Prevention & Community Safety hearing on Sept. 17, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
After two Texas mass shootings, Greg Abbott wants to strengthen a vague network officials won't discuss
The governor's executive orders after shootings in El Paso and West Texas are meant to address gun violence without gun control. But a Department of Public Safety network he tapped says it needs more resources — and is remaining mum on how it operates. Full Story
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![Steven McCraw, Director of Texas Department of Public Safety, gives his testimony before the House Select Committe on Mass Violence Prevention & Community Safety committee on Sept. 17.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Dwayne Bohac announces he won't seek reelection
Bohac's decision gives Democrats one of their best pickup opportunities next year in the Texas House. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston, on the house floor.]()
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Analysis: Texas gun laws might not change, but the conversation is evolving
Repeated mass shootings can change officials' minds about their policy stances. After recent massacres, Texas politicians and officeholders are talking about guns in new ways. Full Story
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![Guns at McBride's Guns in Austin on March 26, 2013.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Texas raises sentencing for hit-and-run car accidents to equivalent of DWI manslaughter
A new law increased the punishment for failing to stop and render aid to match the sentence for DWI manslaughter. The goal is to deter drunken drivers from leaving the scene of an accident. Full Story
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![Phil Wood was killed in Austin in 2014 by a driver who left the scene of the accident.]()
Credit: Courtesy of the University of Texas Athletics