Houston-area Democrats line up in competitive primary to succeed John Whitmire in the Senate
Whitmire held the Senate seat for four decades. Six Democrats are now competing for the seat in the upper chamber. Full Story
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![The Texas Senate gallery as technical staff prepares communications for next week's start in the impeachment trial of Ken Paxton on September 5th. Paxton is accused of several ethics violations during his three terms as Texas Attorney General.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Republican senator who voted to acquit Paxton wants Senate to consider reopening impeachment proceedings
The bombshell request by retiring state Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, comes after Paxton decided to stop fighting a whistleblower lawsuit whose claims factored into his impeachment trial. Full Story
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![State Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, sits on the floor during the afternoon session of Day 1 of the Ken Paxton impeachment trial in the Texas Senate.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Judge lets Texas Senate contender campaign amid residency doubts
At the same time, the judge denied a motion by Brent Hagenbuch to dismiss the case challenging his eligibility, letting it move forward ahead of the March primary. Full Story
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![Candidate for state Senate District 30 Brent Hagenbuch.]()
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Texas Senate candidate backed by Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick faces mounting eligibility challenges
Brent Hagenbuch is working to fend off doubts about his residency in the four-way Republican primary to replace retiring state Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster. A last-minute court filing claims he resides in a corporate apartment in the district. Full Story
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![Candidate for state Senate Brent Hagenbuch.]()
Credit: Brent Hagenbuch For Texas Senate Campaign -
Texas Republicans in one rural county will hand count ballots. Experts say it’s “a recipe for disaster.”
While hand counting ballots is legal, the Texas Secretary of State has warned local party leaders the effort could be costly and time-consuming. Full Story
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![Voters stand in line at Highland Hills Library to cast their ballots on Election Day in Dallas. Nov. 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton and aides ordered to answer questions under oath in whistleblower case
The four whistleblowers asked the court last month to force the attorney general and his aides to sit for deposition, which would require them to answer questions under oath related to the allegations of bribery and corruption. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, center, sits between defense attorneys Tony Buzbee, left, and Mitch Little, right, before starting the ninth day of his impeachment trial in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Austin, Texas.]()
Credit: Sam Owens/Pool via San Antonio Express-News -
State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado challenges fellow Dallas Democrat Sen. Nathan Johnson
Neave Craido revealed her decision to the Dallas Morning News in an interview published Monday, saying Johnson has not fought hard enough to push back against the Republican agenda. Full Story
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune -
Texas claims in filings that challenges to 2023 election are invalid, results are final
In court filings Tuesday, the secretary of state’s office argued that the plaintiffs in the election contests “never served a citation” properly. But there’s no guarantee it’ll work. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session Tuesday
The decision to end work Tuesday leaves long odds for bills to boost school safety funding and make sure that election challenges don’t delay the implementation of property tax cuts, teacher pension raises and infrastructure spending. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan stands at the dias during a special legislative session at the state capitol in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate passes its own school safety funding bill, but little time remains to get it across the finish line
Senate Bill 5 would send an extra $800 million to public schools for security upgrades over the next two years. But the measure is at risk of becoming the latest casualty of the rift between the Texas House and Senate. Full Story
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![A DPS police vehicle sits outside of Dalton Elementary School as students wait outside their classroom on the first day of school in Uvalde on Sept. 6, 2022.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Pat Fallon says he changed his mind about running for Texas Senate after pleas from his son and Mike Johnson
The second-term congressman pulled out of a run for Senate after both Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson courted him into their ranks. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Sherman, during a U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability meeting in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 31, 2023.]()
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U.S. Rep. Pat Fallon drops Texas Senate bid, will run again for Congress
Fallon, who made the decision 24 hours after filing to run for his old Texas Senate seat, did not say why he changed his mind. His staff said the congressperson would provide more information later. Full Story
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![Senator Pat Fallon on the senate floor. Jan. 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Republican Pat Fallon to give up Congress seat and run for his old Texas Senate post
Fallon served in the Texas Senate for two years before running for Congress. He won’t see reelection in the U.S. House. Full Story
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![State Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper, at his desk on the Senate floor in 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Senate fast-tracks passage of vouchers and border security legislation
The Senate revved to life Thursday, holding committee hearings with little advance notice and advancing four bills that satisfy Abbott’s agenda. Full Story
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![State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, speaks with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on the Senate floor during the first day of the second special session at the state Capitol in Austin, on June 28, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
State Sen. Drew Springer will not seek reelection in 2024
The Republican, who represents a north Texas district, is the first member of the state Senate to announce ahead of the Nov. 11 start of the filing period that he won’t be running. Full Story
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![State Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, during the last day of the 88th regular session on May 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
With time running out, Texas Senate punts on taking action on border bill
The Senate on Sunday afternoon failed to take action on a border security bill, leaving virtually no time to pass the bill before the special session ends on Tuesday. Full Story
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![State Senators discuss a Point of Order on an amendment to the SJR 1 property tax bill to include a bonus for Texas teachers, with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on the Senate floor during the first day of the second special session at the state Capitol in Austin on June 28, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Watch a Texas Tribune conversation on the state Legislature’s special session
Journalists covering the Texas Capitol discussed what came out of this year’s third special session and what is still to be resolved. Full Story
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Private schools are ready to expand into smaller communities if Texas adopts voucher program
With rural Texas relatively underserved by private schools, the potential for expansion could play a role in the debate over whether to let families use taxpayer money to pay for private education. Full Story
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![A student's school supplies on the first day of in-person classes in Texas on Sept. 8, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House approves ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers
Violations could bring a $50,000 fine under an amendment adopted Wednesday. The bill’s sponsor said the ban would be the strongest in the nation. Full Story
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![A man carries a sign protesting Houston Methodist Hospital's COVID-19 vaccine mandate outside Houston Methodist Hospital in Baytown on June 7, 2021. Employees who chose not to inoculate themselves by the hospital's Monday deadline faced suspension without pay and job termination, a policy criticized by the protesters as unfair and unauthorized.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Texas voters split on House, Senate handling of Paxton impeachment, poll finds
Republicans showed a more clear divide, giving the Senate higher marks than the House for how the attorney general’s impeachment was handled. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, center, talks with his defense attorney Tony Buzbee, left, before starting the ninth day of his impeachment trial in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Austin, Texas.]()
Credit: Sam Owens/Pool via San Antonio Express-News
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