Special election to replace expelled Bryan Slaton in Texas House set for Nov. 7
At least five candidates have already announced their intention to run in the solidly Republican North Texas district. Full Story
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![The Sergeant at Arms of the Texas House removes state Rep. Brian Slaton's name card from the House voting board after the House voted to expel Slaton at the state Capitol in Austin on May 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Bryan Slaton’s Texas House downfall could complicate GOP fight against “groomers”
Republicans were so busy policing drag artists and transgender Texans that they missed so-called “grooming behavior” by one of their own, LGBTQ advocates say. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, on the House floor at the state Capitol during session in Austin on April 25, 2023.]()
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Texas House expels Bryan Slaton, first member ousted since 1927
The unanimous vote followed an investigation that determined the Royse City Republican had engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with an aide. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, sits at his desk during session on the House floor at the state Capitol on April 18, 2023.]()
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State Rep. Bryan Slaton resigns ahead of expulsion vote over inappropriate relationship with aide
The Royse City Republican had come under growing pressure to step down after an investigation determined he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 19-year-old woman on his staff. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, at his desk on the House floor during session at the state Capitol in Austin on April 25, 2023.]()
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Texas House committee recommends expelling Rep. Bryan Slaton
The House General Investigating Committee found that Slaton, a Republican from Royse City, engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a subordinate. The Texas Tribune previously reported on an allegation that he had sex with one of his staff, a woman under 21, and gave her alcohol. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royce City, sits at his desk in the House Chamber on May 5, 2023. Slaton is under House investigation for alleged liaisons with a Capitol staffer.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Rep. Bryan Slaton declines to discuss attendance at closed investigative hearing
The Royse City Republican, accused of having an inappropriate relationship with an employee, emerged from a room where a House investigative panel was meeting. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, waits to ask a question on the House floor during session at the state Capitol in Austin on April 25, 2023.]()
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Texas House investigative committee sets hearing into allegations of inappropriate conduct by lawmaker
Weeks after the committee issued four subpoenas without disclosing what they were for, it moves forward with its investigation into an unnamed lawmaker. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol in Austin on Oct. 19, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
Amid Slaton scandal, Texas Legislature moves to crack down on lawmakers who give alcohol to minors
The House passed a bill with a late amendment to make it a state jail felony for a “public officer” to give alcohol to a minor under any circumstances. Slaton voted for the amendment. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, sits at his desk on the House floor in Austin on April 18, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Staffer alleged in complaint that state Rep. Bryan Slaton had sex with Capitol intern
The new details about the allegation stem from the complaint filed against Slaton to the House General Investigating Committee. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, waits to speak from the back podium on the House floor on Monday, August 9, 2021.]()
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Texas House investigating committee issues four subpoenas, days after allegations against Bryan Slaton emerge
The committee would not say who was being issued the subpoenas or for what purpose. Full Story
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![The state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 9, 2023.]()
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Two GOP Texas House members call for Rep. Bryan Slaton to resign
Reps. Briscoe Cain and Steve Toth, who are usually ideologically aligned with Slaton, said the lawmaker needed to step down. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, on the House floor during a session at the state Capitol on April 26, 2021.]()
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Ken Paxton wants more power to prosecute election crimes. These bills in the Texas Legislature would give it to him.
Although no evidence of widespread voter fraud has been found, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been actively pursuing election-related crimes since he took office in 2015. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton gave a speech in the Senate chamber during his swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 10, 2023. This is Paxton's third term in the office.]()
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Effort to ban Democratic chairs fails in Texas House, but rule passes to penalize future quorum-breakers
House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, snuffed out a monthslong push Wednesday to end the chamber’s longtime tradition of having committee chairs from both parties. Full Story
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![State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, speaks at a Texas Freedom Caucus press conference at the Capitol on Aug. 30, 2021.]()
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Texas GOP lawmaker hires Christian nationalist who called for drag show attendees to be executed
State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, hired Jake Neidert, 22, last month as his office’s legislative director amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ violence and rhetoric and ahead of an impending legislative session that is expected to focus heavily on anti-trans bills. Full Story
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![Jake Neidert is legislative director for state Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington.]()
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By tradition, the minority party gets to chair some Texas House committees. Some in the GOP want to end that.
Republican critics say conservative priorities will always be hamstrung if Democrats, who are in the minority party, get a say in which legislation reaches the floor. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan gavels the House into session on Saturday, August 7, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers advance bills blocking access to gender-affirming health care despite opposition from LGBTQ Texans, medical associations
Equality Texas CEO Ricardo Martinez said Texas has filed more anti-LGBTQ bills this session than any other state legislature. Full Story
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![People hold up signs at an event held by Equality Texas at the Capitol on April 14, 2021. The group had several speakers, including parents of trans-children, speaking against SB 1646, which would bring possible charges against parents for helping their children with their gender identities.]()
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Another Texas GOP lawmaker is attempting to make abortion punishable by the death penalty
Similar bills filed in the Texas Legislature in previous years have failed. Full Story
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![An ultrasound machine at women’s health clinic in Austin, Texas.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune -
Republican Texas lawmakers reviving push to end in-state tuition for undocumented college students
Activists worry that if the bill becomes law, many undocumented students will lose opportunities to further their education. They also say it could hurt the state’s economy. Full Story
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![Students walk through an area known as “The Quad” on the first day of the fall semester at Texas State University in San Marcos on Aug. 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune