Texas lawmakers want to make it easier to convert office space into apartments and condos
Supporters hope easing zoning rules will entice landlords to renovate and ease the state’s housing crisis. Full Story
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The 89th Legislature’s regular session runs from Jan. 14 to June 2, 2025. Republicans control both the Texas House and Senate. We focus on what Texans need to know about the 140-day lawmaking session and how the policies legislators craft could impact people’s lives. For more behind-the-scenes updates from the session, subscribe to The Blast, the Texas Tribune’s premier newsletter that serves the first word on political moves across the state.
Supporters hope easing zoning rules will entice landlords to renovate and ease the state’s housing crisis. Full Story
The bill would require the state to reduce the test’s length, prioritize post-secondary preparation and launch a revamped version by 2026. Full Story
The proposal, filed Thursday, comes well short of the increase school administrators and education advocates have been asking for. Full Story
The proposal sets a few possible points of contention between the House and Senate, including how much money should families get through the program. Full Story
Supporters of voucher-like education savings accounts are trying to press their advantage early and build a sense of inevitability. Full Story
A recent budget analysis noted the Texas Senate’s voucher bill could affect the fund if it leads students and teachers to leave public schools. Full Story
The package was fast-tracked after Gov. Greg Abbott declared “bail reform” an emergency item. The bills now head to the House for consideration. Full Story
Teachers with three and five years of experience would qualify for raises under Senate Bill 26. Instructors in smaller school districts would get bigger pay bumps. Full Story
There were only so many chair positions to go around, with 30 committees for 88 Republicans, making it inevitable that some would miss out on plum appointments. Full Story
The Texas Senate has proposed injecting a staggering half a billion dollars into film production, as economists and fiscal hawks question the return on investment. Full Story
Republicans chair all committees, as promised, while Democrats will lead half of the newly created subcommittees. Full Story
Reported domestic violence incidents have risen 26% since 2019. Full Story
A pair of lawsuits filed by allies of West Texas megadonor Tim Dunn shut down laws that banned outside spending in the House leadership race, allowing for more political mudslinging and raising questions about ethics rules. Full Story
The designations come at a tumultuous time for universities as funding could be cut off and efforts to end tenure continue. Full Story
The package of bills would tighten the state's bail laws to keep more people in jail — including undocumented immigrants — while their criminal cases are pending. Full Story
Past efforts to allow more religion in public schools have been hamstrung by legal challenges. But those on the religious right feel empowered by recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Full Story
The aggressive Republican agenda’s success depends on how well the three leaders harmonize their tactics and goals for the legislative session. Full Story
The marquee proposal would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000. The legislation must win approval from the House next. Full Story
From teacher pay and preparation to special education and DEI, here are issues Texas lawmakers are prioritizing this legislative session. Full Story
Texas law requires an armed officer at each school. Districts are asking lawmakers to pay the full yearly cost, which they say is $100 per student. Full Story