The latest Greg Abbott news from The Texas Tribune.
Officials in Travis and Harris counties — both early adopters of pandemic restrictions — rolled some back Tuesday in an effort to allow vaccinated residents to return to pre-pandemic living. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d54fcbc66ad8ba9dfb4c28ba1c078135/Fri%20ATX%20SoCO%20SF%20TT%2013)
While 30% of Texans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the vast majority of children are unvaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine was authorized last week for children as young as 12. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/abb78b3e792062ffae4536422184aa9a/TXST%20COVID%20JV%20TT%2005.jpg)
Texas lawmakers filed thousands of bills during the 2021 legislative session. Here are the big bills that passed – and the ones that failed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6c865a6ab5955ace3de2fd8fddcd7e46/session-summary-promo-img.jpg)
The extra $300 federal benefit will end June 26 for jobless Texans. Abbott also cut off another federal benefit that extended aid to gig workers, self-employed people and others who aren’t traditionally covered by unemployment insurance. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/149a47bcdd9a12f0376aba30f3b5feda/Abbott%20State%20of%20the%20State%202021%20BD%20Pool%2001.jpg)
Gov. Greg Abbott has said he intends to sign the bill. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8216ec909b8ada05ff0cc929dacfd1b3/Womens%20Health%20Clinic%20%20SS%20TT%2009.jpg)
State officials knew children were being illegally housed in an unlicensed facility but did not notify the court, despite a mandate from a federal court judge that came as part of a decade-long class action lawsuit against the state on the behalf of foster children. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/13c6dc2bbe8b291854587da4d0048960/Texas%20DFPS%20EG%20TT%2012.jpg)
On this week’s TribCast, Matthew talks to Alexa, Cassi and Patrick about proposals in the Legislature to add new restrictions on voting and to allow the permitless carry of handguns. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a6696cb99a0f3d134a7cfc178e2d1a86/TribCast%20May%2012.jpg)
House Bill 1024 allows beer, wine and mixed drinks to be included in pickup and delivery food orders, securing a revenue stream made available to restaurants during the pandemic when their dining areas were forced to close. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/323d94ef9db28ecb38466aa15fdceed1/ATX%20Drinks%20To%20Go%20AG%20TT%2012.jpg)
A key deadline passed Monday without action in the Texas House on casino legislation backed by the gaming empire Las Vegas Sands. A measure to allow sports gambling looks similarly doomed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/577d77058ebb34eb12f1021b289c472d/Casino%20REUTERS%20TT%2003.jpg)
The wide-ranging legislation would affirm the governor’s ability to suspend state laws during a pandemic and allow for overriding local orders issued by county judges or mayors if they’re inconsistent with state orders. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/fcb93e858f5cb4499a0719a25c3a2b8c/ATX%20Snow%20Storm%20Day%203%20MG%20TT%2027.jpg)
Patrick, who twice chaired Trump's campaign in Texas, is up for a third term in 2022. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d7e47bffc41de6119890b55ee3de5940/Trump%20Patrick%20Split%20TT.jpg)
Huffines, who has criticized Abbott as being too slow to fully reopen the state, served in the Senate from 2015-19. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c0a2a91896ffdac08af4f42d9e2e2552/Dan%20Huffines%20MKC%20TT%2033.jpg)
The Legislature still has plenty of big issues to address in its last month: electric outages, the budget and policing. At the same time, the Republican majority has its eye on issues that are dear to the conservative base: abortion, guns and elections. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1991a6a9b082a0a40de14468ca8670a5/House%20Floor%20Cain%20JV%20TT%2026.jpg)
Texas voters are returning to normal pre-pandemic activities, and to their customary civic and political concerns, too. The changes are evident in the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/fa95e195b4bd509ea2f853833dba8a20/Fri%20ATX%20SoCO%20SF%20TT%2002)
Dozens of big companies, local businesses and chambers of commerce issued a statement reflecting the biggest pushback yet by the business community against Texas Republican efforts to further tighten the state's restrictive voting rules. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e8d2ca579c1bda167d57d718d4212f7a/ATX%20Early%20Voting%20Day%20Two%20MG%20TT%2018.jpg)
"I don't think he supports me; I don't support him," Paxton told The New York Times in a story published Tuesday. He later criticized the story as "fake news" and insisted he backed Abbott. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/dfd97507a583c5d7eb72a6d80764d051/Paxton%20Abbott%20Split%20TT.jpg)
Texas voters have a strong preference for politicians from their own parties, but overall, the president is as popular here as the governor or either of the state's U.S. senators. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3966241820de010a5085a084b0e8d80a/UT%20TT%20Biden%20Assesment.jpg)
State lawmakers are now trying to change the way ERCOT is governed by requiring members to live in Texas and giving more board seats to political appointees — changes that experts say may do little to improve the power grid. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4b853814e0d36d6e94e1e9f149f62fc8/ATX%20Snowstorm%20Drone%20MG%20TT%2006.jpg)
The Texas House on Tuesday approved House Bill 20, one of Gov. Greg Abbott's emergency items this year, and sent it to the Senate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b0508b96d8377379be032c57ade49dfa/04%20Bail%20Bonds%20MG%20TT.jpg)
The event next week is attracting a who's who of big-name Republicans who could run for the White House in a few years. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/013022c67506bbc06e083a5abaa99cf7/Pence%20Trump%20Rally%20OK%20REUTERS%20TT.jpg)