Critics of the Chapter 313 corporate tax incentive program say it lacks accountability and is burdensome to taxpayers in the state.
Texas Senate
Posted in
Redistricting Texas
Analysis: Texas’ population has changed much faster than its political maps
Texas’ population has grown 40% this century, and 91% of the new Texans are people of color. Federal judges now have to decide whether those monumental changes are reflected in the state’s political maps.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Democrat Matthew Dowd ends campaign for Texas lieutenant governor, citing need for “greater diversity”
The former George W. Bush political strategist had launched a bid to win the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. On Tuesday, Dowd said he’s stepping aside to make way for a “diverse field” of candidates in the race.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
A growing number of Texas Republicans want a fourth special session to pass COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban
It remains unclear whether Gov. Greg Abbott — the only official with the power to convene special sessions — will order state lawmakers back to Austin, or what issues he would include on the agenda.
Posted in
Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott, GOP leaders allocate $4 million to fund county-level election audits
A new state law requires the secretary of state’s office to audit results in four randomly selected counties every two years.
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Politics
State Sen. John Whitmire announces he will run for Houston mayor in 2023
Whitmire, the longest-serving member of the Texas Senate, will first run for reelection to the chamber in 2022 before his mayoral run the following year.
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Politics
Jay Kleberg, King Ranch scion and conservationist, to run for land commissioner as a Democrat
At least three other Democrats and four Republicans are vying for the office that GOP incumbent George P. Bush is leaving to run for attorney general.
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Texas 2022 Elections
State Rep. Alex Dominguez will run to replace retiring state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. in high-stakes Democratic primary
Lucio is retiring from the Rio Grande Valley seat, and Dominguez wants to continue his legacy of focusing on education in the region. But he suggested he would take a different approach to at least a couple issues, including abortion.
Posted in
Politics
Michelle Beckley, one of the Texas House’s most liberal members, joins Democratic primary for lieutenant governor
The Carrollton Democrat hopes Beto O’Rourke’s run for governor will help down-ballot Democrats next year.
Posted in
Public Education
Gov. Greg Abbott calls for criminal investigation into availability of “pornographic books” in public schools
It’s unclear why the governor tasked the state’s education agency, which does not employ law enforcement officers, to perform the investigation.
