Analysis: Oversized tweets from a Texas trainwreck
It's the last Saturday of the legislative session — a day combining long, boring periods of inactivity with high levels of drama. In other words: perfect for a wandering mind. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker of the House Joe Straus on the dais in the House chamber for a joint session memorializing the nation's veterans, on May 27, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Patrick, Straus deadlocked over "bathroom bill"
In dueling press conferences Friday evening, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus revealed themselves at an impasse over bathroom regulations that could prompt Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, left, and House Speaker Joe Straus, right, from dueling press conferences they each held on May 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Cassandra Pollock/Alexa Ura -
Legislature largely maintaining cuts to therapy services for disabled children
The House grudgingly voted to accept the Senate's supplemental budget proposal, which would not restore funding for disabled children's therapy services. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, talks with Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, on the House floor April 25, 2017. Zerwas is co-chair of the House/Senate conference committee studying the state budget which had its organization meeting Monday.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers considered a lot of bills. Can you spot the real ones?
How close have you been paying attention during the 85th Texas Legislative session? Take this quiz to see how well you can distinguish between real bills and fake ones. Full Story
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![State Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, right, chairman of the House Committee on Calendars, talks with Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin (seated, left) and Chris Paddie, R-Marshall (center) in a packed room on Sunday, May 21, 2017 at the Capitol.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Texas governor jokes about shooting reporters after signing gun bill
After signing a bill and testing out a few guns at a shooting range Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott held up his bullet-riddled target sheet and joked, "I'm gonna carry this around in case I see any reporters." Full Story
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![Gov. Abbott admires his practice target after signing Senate Bill 16, which reduces the first-time fee for a license to carry handguns, on May 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A test of negotiating skills for the state’s top three leaders
Texans will get a close look at the state's top leaders over the next three days — the end of the regular legislative session — as they try to unknot their differences over regulating restroom use and limiting local property tax increases. Full Story
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![From left: Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are shown on May 21, 2015.]()
Credit: Office of the Governor -
Texas Lawmakers say Driver Responsibility Program repeal unlikely this session
A measure to repeal the widely unpopular program made it out of the House but died before hitting the Senate floor. Full Story
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Credit: Callie Richmond for the Texas Tribune -
House, Senate strike deal on “Buy American” iron and steel bill
Senate Bill 1289 by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would require large state projects to purchase iron and steel from an American supplier if the cost doesn’t exceed 20 percent more than the price of cheaper, foreign imports. Full Story
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![Construction in downtown Austin's Warehouse District on Tuesday, May 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott appears undecided on signing texting-while-driving ban
Gov. Greg Abbott appears to be undecided on whether he will sign a proposed statewide ban on texting while driving that is now on his desk. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks on the first day of the 85th Legislature on Jan. 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Dallas' failing pension fund poised for overhaul as bill heads for Abbott's desk
The House unanimously approved a Dallas pension bill aimed at preventing first responders' retirement fund from becoming insolvent within a decade. Full Story
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![Dallas police officers and firefighters protest their failing pension fund outside City Hall in Dallas on April 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott signs crackdown on inappropriate student-teacher relationships
The bill Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law on Thursday requires principals and superintendents to report cases of teachers having inappropriate relationships with students or face a state jail felony or a fine of up to $10,000. Full Story
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![After signing it into law on May 25, Gov. Greg Abbott displays Senate Bill 7, which toughens the penalties for inappropriate student-teacher relationships. In the background: Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath, State Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, State Rep. Tony Dale, R-Cedar Park and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Abbott: There is still time to avoid a special session of the Legislature
Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday there is still time for a deal to be struck to avert a special session of the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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![Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to the Convention of States gathering at the Texas Capitol on Dec. 6, 2016]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Uber, Lyft returning to Austin on Monday
Uber and Lyft are returning to Austin on Monday, the same day Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign ride-hailing legislation passed by Texas lawmakers. Full Story
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![Uber and Lyft, two San Francisco-based transportation networking companies, have launched services in several Texas cities.]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Texas Senate approves bill tweaking A-F school grades
The Texas Senate approved a bill that would tweak a plan to grade school districts — well past a midnight deadline for passing legislation. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor walks across the Senate floor on May 24, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Former child bride lobbies for bill to save others from her nightmare
At 14, Trevicia Williams was forced to marry a 26-year-old ex-convict. Nearly 40,000 children were married from 2000 to 2014 in Texas, but a bill that made it to the governor’s desk Tuesday seeks to stop this practice. Full Story
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![Trevicia Williams was 14 years old when her mother forced her to marry a man 12 years her senior.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Trevicia Williams -
Another top TABC honcho departing amid controversy
Steven Weinberg abruptly quit this week as commissioner of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which has been roiled by reports of extravagant spending, mismanagement and heavy-handed regulation. Full Story
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![Commissioner Steven Weinberg attended the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's quarterly meeting via video conference on May 23, 2017. Weinberg quit the day of the meeting. Chairman Kevin Lilly, left, alongside Commissioner Ida Clement Steen, right, recognized Carla Thompson with a promotion to Captain.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding -
Houston pension bill heads for governor's desk, but firefighters are still mad
The House passed a controversial Senate version of a Houston pension bill, angering firefighters. But in Dallas, leaders appear to have coalesced around a bill that once divided the mayor and first responders in that city. Full Story
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![Retired Houston firefighters and their supporters watch from the state House gallery on May 6, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
House backs Giddings measure targeting "lunch shaming"
After several failed attempts and compromises during the legislative session, Rep. Helen Giddings finally succeeded in getting the House to pass a measure that targets "lunch shaming" in schools. Full Story
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![State Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Desoto, holds up a sample of a piece of cheese given to students who lack money to pay for school lunches in Dallas area schools during a personal privilege speech on the House floor May 9, 2017, where she chastised House Freedom Caucus members for killing her bill on school lunches for poor kids.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Bills exempting tampons from Texas sales tax went nowhere this session
Despite state lawmakers filing several bills exempting tampons and other menstrual products from sales taxes, the measures didn't draw serious attention from the legislature this session. Full Story
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![Texas would be the first southern state to provide tax exemptions on female hygiene products related to menstrual cycles.]()
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Analysis: Killing Texas ethics legislation without leaving fingerprints
It's hard to get tougher ethics laws for politicians and officeholders through the Texas Legislature. It can be even harder to figure out exactly who killed them. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, leads a discussion on House Bill 501, an ethics bill, on May 3, 2017. The bill passed, 147-0.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune