Harris County voter outreach proposal sparks another fight with Texas Republicans
The county plans to ID eligible voters and send them registration forms. GOP officials say it’s an end-run around state law. Full Story
![The Harris County Clerk’s Office Elections Department presentation at DeBakey High School Civics Club’s voter education conference in Houston on April 5, 2024.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/BdJazlgvWut_1DTfI-2WXihbItI=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4fe7e8e5b46b2e52333a3338b758a5fc/0405%20DeBakey%20HS%20Voting%20JB%20TT%2005.jpg)
The latest Paul Bettencourt news from The Texas Tribune.
The county plans to ID eligible voters and send them registration forms. GOP officials say it’s an end-run around state law. Full Story
Housing advocates say Texas laws fall short when it comes to property trespassers but they warn changes could worsen the state’s evictions crisis. Full Story
In the state’s larger counties, voters can now elect people to the agencies that appraise property values. Full Story
Justice John Devine’s comments at a conservative event are the latest to prompt concerns about his impartiality as a jurist. Full Story
Voters in Texas’ 50 largest counties will now elect new three members of their respective property appraisal district boards. Full Story
The $18 billion property tax-cut package is aimed squarely at lowering school district property taxes, which make up the lion’s share of a Texas landowner’s property tax bill. Full Story
Democrats, however, said their GOP colleagues “caved” to outside pressure in voting to acquit and return Ken Paxton to his job as attorney general. Full Story
Republican lawmakers targeted the Harris County elections department during this year’s regular session after numerous issues arose out of the 2022 election. Full Story
Unless a judge intervenes, Harris County is expected to dissolve its elections administration office later this year. The duties of running elections will once again be split between the county’s tax assessor and clerk. Full Story
A stalemate among Texas’ top Republicans has dragged on for months. Tax-cut proponents in the House and Senate made their first pitches to end the impasse Wednesday. Full Story
With several hundred bills awaiting action by the governor, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called the veto threat an affront to Texans and the legislative process. Full Story
The bill’s sponsor says greater oversight is needed for Texas’ largest county as county officials have vowed to fight the legislation in court. Full Story
The multistate program, ERIC, is considered by election administration experts across the country to be the best tool for preventing double voting across state lines. It has been the target of conspiracy theories. Full Story
The Republican-led House also approved a bill that would give the secretary of state new authority to investigate complaints in Harris County. The Senate must review changes to that bill before it becomes law. Full Story
Vera, who planned to testify on election legislation, was a regular at the statehouse. Two weeks ago, lawmakers sang “Happy Birthday” to him during a House Elections Committee hearing. Full Story
Two years ago, Texas lawmakers focused all their election changes in one bill. There are dozens of proposals this year, and many stem from concerns in Harris County — the nation’s third-largest county. Full Story
The proposals target the taxes homeowners pay and require school districts to lower their tax rates. Full Story
Housing advocates, builders and real estate experts agree that the state simply isn’t building enough homes to keep up with its booming population and economic growth. Full Story
Cuts to school property tax bills. Bigger tax benefits for homeowners. A controversial idea to limit property tax growth. Here’s what you need to know about the brewing property tax debate at the Texas Legislature. Full Story
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan’s proposal reveals the different roads the Texas House and Senate want to take on property taxes — and the fight that might emerge between the two chambers this session. Full Story