TribCast: Previewing the 2025 legislative session
The Texas Tribune’s politics podcast returns with a look at the race for House speaker, the future of school vouchers and other major legislative issues this year. Full Story
Texas lawmakers are in Austin for the 89th Texas Legislature’s second, 30-day special session. They are redrawing the state’s congressional map, considering limits on consumable THC products and pushing flood preparedness measures. A first special session ended without successful legislation after House Democrats fled the state to block Republicans’ proposed congressional redistricting map. The regular session ran from January to June and resulted in a new school voucher program, a ban on DEI initiatives in public schools and proposals to increase the state’s water supply.
The Texas Tribune’s politics podcast returns with a look at the race for House speaker, the future of school vouchers and other major legislative issues this year. Full Story
The Lubbock Republican has been working for years to develop a new statewide approach to managing water and hopes voters will devote $1 billion a year to the problem. Full Story
After his party lost seats in the Texas House, Wu says he’s focused on building a coalition against extremism. Full Story
Rep. Cody Harris filed a complaint against Texas GOP Chair Abraham George for sending mailers and censuring lawmakers who support Rep. Dustin Burrows as House speaker. Full Story
Proposals to allow online registration and broaden photo ID options may have a chance to advance, supporters say. Full Story
Allison lost his primary last year, after being targeted by his party over his vote to kill school vouchers. Full Story
More than 2,800 Texans are getting abortion pills through the mail from out-of-state every month, prompting a lawsuit and legislation seeking to end the practice. Full Story
Paxton’s latest tour is the continuation of his efforts in the past year to get political revenge on House Republicans who supported his impeachment. Full Story
A likely fight over how much power to take away from local governments may dominate the debate. Full Story
The state’s 988 suicide had the nation’s fifth highest rate of abandoned calls in August, the latest data available, amid a multi-million funding deficit that could worsen as federal dollars expire this year. Full Story
Plesa, a Dallas Democrat, said the party should embrace bipartisanship, and start talking about economic issues. Full Story
Texas received $203.4 million in 2021 to help build community mental health programs at libraries and churches, among other efforts. Those funds expire Dec. 31. Full Story
Officials hope state lawmakers will boost the budget of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman office, an independent state agency, which can often be an elderly Texan’s only lifeline to the outside world. Full Story
The bill would require companies to test fertilizer made from sewage sludge for PFAS and meet limits before selling them to Texas farmers and ranchers. Full Story
A Votebeat analysis shows how such requirements risk disenfranchising key voter groups, including Native Americans and college students. Full Story
This is the latest example of the Republican Party of Texas spending its resources attacking its own members. Full Story
Some voucher opponents are ready to compromise; others are hoping supporters will fumble over the program's size, eligibility and accountability. Full Story
Five years after weathering a major Republican House leadership controversy, Burrows finds himself at the center of another skirmish — this time as he seeks the speaker’s gavel himself. Full Story
Republicans who vote against party leaders’ preferred candidate could be barred from running in primaries. Lawsuits could follow. Full Story
In a Q&A, Burrows said he’s still confident he’ll win. But he says the leadership race is bigger than any one person and his supporters are trying to protect the integrity of the House. Full Story