Five takeaways from the $80 million raised by Texas campaigns the first half of this year
Gov. Greg Abbott is a fundraising juggernaut, and Republicans still dominate campaign finance in the state. Full Story
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![State Capitol in the late afternoon on June 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Dennis Bonnen, Michael Quinn Sullivan and the Texas political roller coaster
In May, the House speaker was at the top of the political world. In terms of influence, Sullivan and his Empower Texans organization were near the bottom. And now? Full Story
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![From left: Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during the Texas Fallen Heroes Memorial Ceremony on May 25, 2019.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
President Trump is talking about red-flag laws. Texas lawmakers have blocked those bills in the past.
In the wake of shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, the president and Congress are discussing laws blocking access to firearms for people considered an imminent threat. But here in Texas, bills that would do that have made little traction. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Leah Millis: Trump | Miguel Gutierrez Jr. : Patrick -
After El Paso shooting, some Texas Republican leaders decry "white" terror
Land Commissioner George P. Bush linked the shooting with "white terrorism," while U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz called it a "heinous act of terrorism and white supremacy." Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
After El Paso shooting, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says video games teach young people "to kill"
Patrick told "Fox & Friends" on Sunday that he believes a lot of factors contributed to the deadly shooting in El Paso, including violence on social media and the video gaming industry. Full Story
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![Lt. Governor Dan Patrick at a press conference regarding property taxes on May 1, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: For Texas lawmakers, a ballad of rope and dope
Texas lawmakers made it legal to farm hemp and, incidentally, harder to prosecute people caught with small amounts of marijuana, which is still illegal. Now they're bickering about whether that's the fault of the new law or of local prosecutors. Full Story
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![Industrial hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).]()
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Watch Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick and Dennis Bonnen's unexpected press conference
The "Big Three" announced additional National Guard deployments to the border and bashed Congress for failing to do more to halt a surge in migration. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen hold a joint press conference on the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion on Jan. 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Texans approve of Trump’s job performance but have questions about his character, UT/TT Poll says
More than half of the state's voters think President Donald Trump is doing a good job, but they're not as pleased with some of his character traits, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Emily Albracht/The Texas Tribune -
After House Republicans tackle big challenges in session, they face another one: saving themselves
Some Democrats are mobilizing in hopes of taking the nine House seats they need for a majority in 2020 as Republican House Speaker Dennis Bonnen tries to prevent intra-GOP challenges in the primaries. Full Story
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![Opening Day of the 86th session of the Texas Legislature with action in the Texas House
Election of Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, by unanimous vote.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott signs bill designed to limit property tax growth
A top priority of state leaders, the legislation requires voter approval before local governments increase their property tax revenue by more than 3.5%. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 2 to limit property tax growth during a press conference at Wallyâs Burgers in Austin on June 12, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott signs $11.6 billion school finance measure into law
The high-priority bill boosts per-student funding and reduces property taxes across the state. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs the $11.6 billion school finance bill into law while surrounded by lawmakers at Parmer Lane Elementary School in Austin on June 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas Republicans, squeezed between tariffs and immigration
The president's threat to impose tariffs unless Mexico stops the flow of migrants into the U.S. has put Texas Republicans in a tough spot — choosing between their loyalty to Donald Trump and their worries about tariff's effects on the Texas economy. Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump greets supporters as he disembarks Air Force One after landing at El Paso International Airport in El Paso on February 11, 2019.]()
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Some Texas gun rights groups oppose a state-funded gun storage safety campaign. But not the NRA.
Some gun rights groups want Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a line item in the Texas budget that puts $1 million toward a public safety campaign on gun storage. But one powerful bloc isn't actively opposing the measure: the National Rifle Association. Full Story
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![Rifles on display at McBride's Gun Inc. in Austin.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
After blocking David Whitley's confirmation, Senate Democrats see bills die on Abbott’s desk
A monthslong push from the governor’s office to confirm his longtime aide as secretary of state heated up in the session’s final days. Some Democrats feared retribution for defying the governor. Full Story
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![Texas Secretary of State David Whitley at a state Senate Committee on Nominations hearing on Feb. 7, 2019. Whitley was appointed to the job by Gov. Greg Abbott, but Whitley must first clear the committee, then win a two-thirds vote in the full Texas Senate.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Through the lens: The 86th Texas Legislature in photos
Take a look back at the 2019 regular legislative session as seen through the lenses of Texas Tribune photographers. Full Story
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![Flowers and foliage outside the Capitol on April 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers are done. Here are this session's winners and losers.
The 86th legislative session is in the history books. Who's up and who's down after the 140-day marathon in Austin? Full Story
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To pass school finance and property tax bills, Texas’ legislative leaders chose cooperation over combativeness
In the past, personalities got in the way of policy at the Texas Capitol. This year, state leaders refused to let that happen. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen before a press conference at the Governor's Mansion on May 23, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
“I’m still doing penance”: How Kel Seliger handles life in the Texas Senate dog house
After opposing leadership — and mouthing off — the second-most senior Republican in the Texas Senate is the only senator who was not recognized to bring up a bill for a vote on the floor. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, in the Senate chamber on April 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
The Texas Republican Party platform supports some marijuana expansions. So why doesn’t Dan Patrick?
Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said a bill that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana was "dead on arrival" in the Senate. But his party's platform supports marijuana decriminalization. So what gives? Full Story
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![The Texas Republican Convention at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio. Bob Parks salutes the flag from the front row on June 14, 2018.]()
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Texas' legislative leaders say they have a deal on school finance and property tax reform
Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced they have finalized the details of the three bills that will accomplish their top policy goals. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen are joined by state legislators
at a press conference at the Governorâs Mansion on May 23, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune