Republican, Democrat advance to runoff for Texas House seat in San Antonio
Republican Fred Rangel and Democrat Ray Lopez are heading to an overtime round in the race to replace former state Rep. Justin Rodriguez, D-San Antonio. Full Story
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![From left: Fred Rangel and Ray Lopez.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Special election runoff to replace Carol Alvarado in Texas House to be held March 5
Voters will decide the successor to former state Rep. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, who was elected to the Texas Senate in December. Full Story
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![Melissa Noriega and Christina Morales. Jan 29, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Voters in four states have approved Medicaid expansion by ballot. Will Texas do the same?
Idaho, Maine, Nebraska and Utah voters approved Medicaid expansion through ballot initiatives. Now Texas legislators have filed bills for a vote over whether the state should expand coverage for the joint federal-state health insurance program. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Four Democrats and one Republican vie for Justin Rodriguez's seat
The Democratic state representative from San Antonio gave up his seat in January after being appointed Bexar County commissioner. Full Story
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![From left: Gov. Greg Abbott and Republican candidate for Texas House District 25, Fred Rangel. Jan. 31, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The challenge of reining in property taxes at no cost to schools
A Texas Senate committee is moving rapidly to require voter approval for local property tax increases over 2.5 percent. But some want to see the Legislature's school finance bill before they vote on property taxes. Full Story
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![Property Tax committee Chairman and state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, during the Senate Property Tax Committee Hearing on on Feb. 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ savings account is poised to hit $15 billion. How much will lawmakers spend?
As lawmakers debate costly investments in property tax reduction and public schools, they're eyeing the state savings account for a sizable withdrawal. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Watch Texas Secretary of State David Whitley's confirmation hearing
The secretary of state's office has faced criticism for its handling of efforts to review the citizenship of 95,000 registered voters. Now, Secretary of State David Whitley — a Gov. Greg Abbott appointee — faces a confirmation hearing. Full Story
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![Texas Secretary of State David Whitley gavels in the 86th legislative session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Needing Democratic support, Texas' secretary of state faces a rocky path to confirmation
Republican David Whitley faces questions from Democrats about how he handled an attempt to review the citizenship of 95,000 registered Texas voters. Full Story
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![Secretary of State David Whitley.]()
Credit: Image via Gov. Greg Abbott's Twitter account. -
Analysis: A State of the State address that’s short on surprises, long on collaboration
What Texas Gov. Greg Abbott didn't say in Tuesday's State of the State speech was important. School finance and property taxes were the big issues before the speech — and Abbott didn't stray from those subjects. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott addresses state officials at the State of the State address in the House Chambers at the State Capitol on Feb. 5, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Courts have called Texas bail practices unconstitutional. Will that push this year's reform efforts to success?
Two years after a bail reform bill died in the Legislature, new bail legislation has other factors working in its favor. Full Story
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![Senator John Whitmire, D-Houston; Rep. Andrew. Murr, R-Junction; Chief Justice Nathan Hecht; and Justice Sharon Keller speak at a press confrence to announce legislation aimed at reforming the state’s bail system.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas government is often entertaining, but it’s not all show business
Property taxes and school finance — the top two priorities of state leaders this legislative session — aren't the sorts of issues that fire up political partisans. Sometimes, lawmakers are just trying to do some work. Full Story
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![The House floor during the 86th legislative session. Jan. 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas still doesn't have a law on intellectual disability and the death penalty. Will that change this year?
Nearly two decades after the U.S. Supreme Court said it was unconstitutional to execute those with intellectual disabilities, Texas still has no process on determining the condition — leaving life-and-death decisions in the hands of courts with very different methods. Full Story
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![Interior of Death Chamber by Texas Department of Criminal Justice.]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas leaders want voters to OK property tax revenue growth over 2.5 percent. They couldn't get 4 percent in 2017.
The leaders of both legislative chambers say they will be united this year — even if cities and counties push back — and that local officials should come to Austin with solutions in hand if they don't like new proposals. Full Story
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![From left: Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston; Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick; Gov. Greg Abbott; House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton; and Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, speak at a Jan 31, 2019, news conference addressing property tax reform.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
State lawmakers aim to lock in funding for Texas parks, historic sites
In 1993, the Legislature passed a law that said state parks and historic sites could receive all of the money generated by a tax on the sale of sporting goods. Since then, state lawmakers have given the parks department only about 40 percent of those collections. Full Story
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![Balmorhea State Park.]()
Credit: Chase A. Fountain/Texas Parks and Wildlife Department -
Democrat wins special election to replace Pickett; 2 Democrats headed to runoff to replace Alvarado
There were special elections Tuesday to fill vacant state House seats in Houston and El Paso. Full Story
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![Art Fierro, Christina Morales and Melissa Noriega. Jan. 29, 2019.]()
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Voters to pick replacements for former state Reps. Carol Alvarado, Joe Pickett
There are special elections Tuesday in House District 145 and House District 79. Full Story
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![State Sen. -elect Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, and outgoing state Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Political hardball, committee assignments spark joy and drama alike in the Texas Legislature
In this episode of our documentary series "Under the Dome," House and Senate leaders make their highly anticipated committee assignments — and one longtime lawmaker ends up in the doghouse. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman / The Texas Tribune -
Most members of the Texas Legislature are white men — and so are the committee chairs
Four out of every five committee chairs this session are men, and 72 percent of chairs are white. Full Story
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![A view of the house floor during the second day of the 86th legislative session. Jan. 9, 2019.]()
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Analysis: Unfunded state mandates have a new enemy — the governor of Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott and his partners in office want to impose limits on the size of local property tax increases, and the governor has added a twist those local governments might like: He has targeted unfunded state mandates. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott addresses attendees at the Oath of Office Ceremony on the state Capitol grounds on Jan. 15, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Dennis Bonnen says he doesn't support linking standardized tests to school finance, but declines to offer other specifics
The new House speaker discussed school finance in an interview with Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith in Lake Jackson. Full Story
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![Newly-elected state House Speaker Dennis Bonnen speaks with Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith at a Tribune event at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson on Jan. 18, 2019.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for the Texas Tribune