State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro traded barbs in a televised debate on Tuesday. The topic ostensibly was immigration, but the exchange touched on other hot-button topics such as abortion.

Lawmakers held a hearing on what can be done a year after the fertilizer explosion in West to avoid a similar disaster in the future. Some potential reforms were put forward, but big changes would be difficult in Texas, where new regulations are viewed skeptically.

A report on alleged wrongdoing by UT System Regent Wallace Hall in handling private student information was referred to Travis County prosecutors. The director of the Public Integrity Unit said he would need a week to determine whether his office would move forward with a case.

The Boats 'N Hoes PAC, the creation of an employee of GOP political consultant Allen Blakemore, was swiftly shut down after news reports surfaced of its formation. Democrats seized on the PAC name, attempting to associate it with GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott.

A federal judge denied an El Paso abortion clinic temporary relief from a new state requirement that physicians who provide abortions obtain hospital admitting privileges. The abortion provider had claimed the law placed an "undue burden" on women by forcing them to go to New Mexico for the procedure.

Two abortion doctors sued a Dallas hospital, claiming their admitting privileges were revoked after they became the target of anti-abortion protests. The doctors were given back temporarily their admitting privileges with a hearing on the matter scheduled for April 30.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.