Over a year after the school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, the community still doesn’t know what went wrong. It’s a key reason we’re publishing findings based on a trove of raw materials investigators have yet to release.
The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit uncovers big stories that matter to Texans and the nation, taking aim at corruption, injustice and malfeasance across the state. Read on for the latest stories, and be sure to sign up to get the latest on the people and policies shaping the future of Texas with the Tribune’s weekday newsletter.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Dark money nonprofit with ties to Texas billionaire works to defeat Midland school bond
Tim Dunn’s public policy groups have helped ensure that tax hike language is attached to every school bond ballot measure in the state. Now he is using that language to cast doubt on a bond in his hometown of Midland.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Book bans in Texas spread as new state law takes effect
As Texas enters its third straight school year of coordinated book banning activity, a growing number of districts are targeting library books. Caught in the dragnet: books featuring a “naked” crayon and one with a cartoon butt.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Texas schools chief took over Houston district, but has let underperforming charter networks expand
Commissioner of Education Mike Morath has repeatedly waived expansion requirements for charter school networks, allowing them to serve thousands more students, even when they don’t meet academic performance standards.
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Ken Paxton Impeachment
The many times Ken Paxton refused to defend Texas agencies in court
The Texas attorney general said he’s “back to work” after his recent acquittal, but his office has repeatedly declined to fulfill one of its key duties: representing state agencies who are being sued.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Texas nixed child ID kits after our investigation. Now a bill to spend taxpayer money on the kits in Pennsylvania is in trouble.
Legislation that would require purchasing the kits is facing key opposition after ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found no evidence that they’d ever been used to find a missing child. The probe previously spurred Texas to strip millions in funding.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Impeached Texas attorney general partnered with troubled businessman to push opioid program
While launching a statewide program to distribute packets to dissolve opioids, Attorney General Ken Paxton worked to connect Kenny Hansmire with the state’s comptroller, who oversees the distribution of millions of dollars in opioid settlement money.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Texas lawmakers pull funding for child ID kits after investigation finds little evidence of their effectiveness
Lawmakers were slated to spend millions of taxpayer dollars for the kits but changed course after a series of revelations in a ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation.
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Texas Legislature 2023
After a week’s delay, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick signs bill to increase transparency in public records law
Patrick said he had always intended to sign the measure but pulled it aside in response to the House playing “games” at the end of the regular session.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas bill to increase transparency in public records law left in limbo despite passing Legislature
The bill would close a long-standing loophole in state law that allows officials to withhold law enforcement records if no one was convicted in a case. The measure was the only bill sent to the Senate that did not get signed and sent to the governor.