Lawmakers vote to fund veterinary medicine at Texas Tech
The Texas Tech University's plans for a veterinary school were "on pause" when the legislative session began. But lawmakers voted Saturday to allocate $4.1 million for the project. Full Story
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Credit: Allison Ralston -
Chances of House, Senate agreement on property taxes appear slim
The House adjourned for the day Saturday without appointing conferees to work out its differences with the Senate on property tax legislation. Full Story
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![Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
"Buy American" iron and steel bill gets legislative approval
On Saturday, both chambers approved a "Buy American" iron and steel bill that will expand a provision already in effect for the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Water Development Board. The measure now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Full Story
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![A construction site in Austin's Warehouse District on May 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature sends $217 billion budget to Gov. Abbott
Amid increased talk of a special session over other issues, both the Texas House and Senate voted Saturday evening to approve a $217 billion, two-year budget, the only bill lawmakers are required to pass. Full Story
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![House Appropriations Chairman John Zerwas, R-Richmond, and Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound.]()
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Analysis: Oversized tweets from a Texas trainwreck
It's the last Saturday of the legislative session — a day combining long, boring periods of inactivity with high levels of drama. In other words: perfect for a wandering mind. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker of the House Joe Straus on the dais in the House chamber for a joint session memorializing the nation's veterans, on May 27, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Patrick, Straus deadlocked over "bathroom bill"
In dueling press conferences Friday evening, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus revealed themselves at an impasse over bathroom regulations that could prompt Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, left, and House Speaker Joe Straus, right, from dueling press conferences they each held on May 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Cassandra Pollock/Alexa Ura -
Legislature largely maintaining cuts to therapy services for disabled children
The House grudgingly voted to accept the Senate's supplemental budget proposal, which would not restore funding for disabled children's therapy services. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, talks with Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, on the House floor April 25, 2017. Zerwas is co-chair of the House/Senate conference committee studying the state budget which had its organization meeting Monday.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Sweeping anti-abortion bill heads to governor's desk
Texas senators voted Friday to send a bill banning the most common second-trimester abortion procedure and changing how health care facilities handle fetal remains to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Full Story
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![State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 27, 2017. The committee is consider several bills related to long-term care facilities including S.B. 1130 by Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and others.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich/Texas Tribune -
Liveblog: Scenes from the final days of the 85th legislative session
Now that the House and Senate have adjourned sine die, take a look back at the sights and sounds of the final days of the Texas legislative session. Here's our live coverage. Full Story
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![Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, reacts after his point of order to kill SB 4 the sanctuary city bill is denied during debate on Feb. 7, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers considered a lot of bills. Can you spot the real ones?
How close have you been paying attention during the 85th Texas Legislative session? Take this quiz to see how well you can distinguish between real bills and fake ones. Full Story
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![State Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, right, chairman of the House Committee on Calendars, talks with Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin (seated, left) and Chris Paddie, R-Marshall (center) in a packed room on Sunday, May 21, 2017 at the Capitol.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Texas governor jokes about shooting reporters after signing gun bill
After signing a bill and testing out a few guns at a shooting range Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott held up his bullet-riddled target sheet and joked, "I'm gonna carry this around in case I see any reporters." Full Story
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![Gov. Abbott admires his practice target after signing Senate Bill 16, which reduces the first-time fee for a license to carry handguns, on May 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Mike Floyd’s first job after graduating high school? Helping run a school district
A high school senior reflects on his unlikely victory over an incumbent school board member, and what his generation is bringing to Texas politics. Full Story
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![Mike Floyd, a senior at Dawson High School in Pearland, on May 16, 2017. Floyd recently ran for and won a seat on the Pearland ISD school board.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Lawmakers say Driver Responsibility Program repeal unlikely this session
A measure to repeal the widely unpopular program made it out of the House but died before hitting the Senate floor. Full Story
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Credit: Callie Richmond for the Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A test of negotiating skills for the state’s top three leaders
Texans will get a close look at the state's top leaders over the next three days — the end of the regular legislative session — as they try to unknot their differences over regulating restroom use and limiting local property tax increases. Full Story
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![From left: Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are shown on May 21, 2015.]()
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House, Senate strike deal on “Buy American” iron and steel bill
Senate Bill 1289 by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would require large state projects to purchase iron and steel from an American supplier if the cost doesn’t exceed 20 percent more than the price of cheaper, foreign imports. Full Story
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![Construction in downtown Austin's Warehouse District on Tuesday, May 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Behind closed doors, Texas lawmakers strip funding for sex trafficking victims
Lawmakers cut a $3 million initiative to help victims of sex trafficking, ending child welfare advocates' hopes that 2017 would be the year they would finally see funds set aside to help children who had been sold for sex. Full Story
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![Pimps send their victims to "walk the track" on a stretch of Bissonnet Street in Houston. Anti-trafficking efforts in Texas have focused more on putting pimps in prison than rehabilitating their prey.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott appears undecided on signing texting-while-driving ban
Gov. Greg Abbott appears to be undecided on whether he will sign a proposed statewide ban on texting while driving that is now on his desk. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks on the first day of the 85th Legislature on Jan. 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Dallas' failing pension fund poised for overhaul as bill heads for Abbott's desk
The House unanimously approved a Dallas pension bill aimed at preventing first responders' retirement fund from becoming insolvent within a decade. Full Story
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![Dallas police officers and firefighters protest their failing pension fund outside City Hall in Dallas on April 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Some Texas Republicans in Congress want special session on redistricting
Several Texas Republicans in Congress told the Tribune they want Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session to redraw the state's congressional map. Yet all signs suggest Abbott isn't interested. Full Story
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![The current Texas congressional district map.]()
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Abbott signs crackdown on inappropriate student-teacher relationships
The bill Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law on Thursday requires principals and superintendents to report cases of teachers having inappropriate relationships with students or face a state jail felony or a fine of up to $10,000. Full Story
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![After signing it into law on May 25, Gov. Greg Abbott displays Senate Bill 7, which toughens the penalties for inappropriate student-teacher relationships. In the background: Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath, State Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, State Rep. Tony Dale, R-Cedar Park and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune