Texas House panel approves bill to pay for bulletproof vests for police
Senate Bill 12 would create a grant program that would pay for bulletproof vests for all patrol officers in Texas. Full Story
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![A Houston police officer on the scene in a west Houston neighborhood where a gunman with an assault rifle shot one man and injured six before being killed by a SWAT officer on May 29, 2016.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Five death penalty reform bills heard in Texas House committee
Five death penalty bills were heard in a seven-hour-long meeting at the Capitol Monday night. Full Story
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![State Reps. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, left, and Jeff Leach, R-Plano, speak at a press conference on the death penalty and the law of parties on April 17, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Despite Ken Paxton's request, judge to stay on in his case
Judge George Gallagher will remain on the securities fraud case against Attorney General Ken Paxton, according to a spokeswoman for the judge. Full Story
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![AG Ken Paxton at a press conference to recognize January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month on January 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Outlook uncertain for bill to raise age of criminal responsibility
Democratic state Sen. John Whitmire of Houston says a bill that would raise the age of adult criminal responsibility in Texas from 17 to 18 years old fails to address his chief concerns: cost and safety. Full Story
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![State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
In Dallas and Houston, pension fights escalating, sparking unexpected debates
Houston and Dallas leaders were supposed to each be united on how they wanted state lawmakers to address their respective pension shortfalls before the legislative session even began. (Spoiler alert: They're still not.) Full Story
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![Mayors Sylvester Turner of Houston (l.) and Mike Rawlings of Dallas.]()
Credit: Turner: Bob Daemmrich/Rawlings: Eric Schlagel -
UT-Dallas police investigating Qurans found in toilet in March
Police are investigating an incident in which they found two copies of the Muslim holy book in a men's bathroom at the University of Texas at Dallas. Full Story
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![The Quran.]()
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Sen. Huffman, advocates at odds over best way to combat sexual assault
Some sexual assault survivors and advocates are clashing with a Texas senator over the best way to combat sexual assault on college campuses. Full Story
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![State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, during a meeting of the Senate State Affairs Committee on March 27, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Paxton trial in Harris County to begin Sept. 12
Attorney General Ken Paxton's newly relocated trial on securities fraud charges is scheduled to begin Sept. 12. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton during a May 25, 2016, press conference.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Hate crime law results in few convictions and lots of disappointment
In Texas, the tiny number of successful prosecutions leave both victims and lawmakers questioning state’s commitment to punishing hate. Full Story
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![Reverend Rodney Norsworthy, a minister at Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, shows the grave of James Byrd, at a cemetery in Jasper, TX on June 15 2012.]()
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Sandra Bland's mother urges House committee to pass bill named after her daughter
The Sandra Bland Act would require law enforcement agencies to document the race and ethnicity of drivers they stop, divert some people to treatment instead of jail and require more training and reporting for county jails and law enforcement officials. Full Story
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![Sandra Bland, who was found dead at the Waller County Jail in 2015.]()
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Ken Paxton trial moved to Harris County
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's trial on securities fraud charges was moved Tuesday to Harris County, prompting Paxton to seek a new judge in the case. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
"David's Law" would criminalize cyberbullying, mandate school policies
A Texas senator wants to criminalize cyberbullying when it leads to a minor's serious injury or suicide. Critics of the bill say prevention is more effective than punishment. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Tim Park for The Texas Tribune -
Texas court halts execution of man amid claims of false evidence
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals halted the execution of Paul Storey Friday afternoon, which was set for next Wednesday. Full Story
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![Paul Storey]()
Credit: Illustration by Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Cornyn, Cruz part of Senate vote confirming Gorsuch to Supreme Court
The U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday morning. Full Story
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![Neil Gorsuch, a judge on the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.]()
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Cornyn, Cruz join Senate GOP in ending filibuster on Trump's Supreme Court nominee
A senator's ability to filibuster a U.S. Supreme Court nominee ended on Thursday. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn sits with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and wife Heidi Cruz at the Fort Hood Purple Heart ceremony on April 10, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House committee backs banning most sex offenders from living on college campuses
Most registered sex offenders would be barred from living on college campuses under a bill unanimously approved by a House committee Wednesday. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Raney, R-College Station, lays out his bill HB 355 in the House Higher Education Committee on March 22, 2017. Raney's bill would forbid registered sex offenders from residing in college dorms to help curb the crime o sexual assaults on Texas college campuses.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Ruling could mean new execution date for man convicted in prison guard's murder
A death row inmate convicted in a Texas prison guard's murder lost another appeal Wednesday at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Full Story
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![Robert Pruett, seen here in a 2013 interview, was sentenced to death in 2002 for the murder of correctional officer Daniel Nagle.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
Texas House backs crowdfunding measure to test more rape kits
A bill that would crowdfund money from Texans to deal with a state backlog of thousands of untested rape kits tentatively passed the Texas House Wednesday on a voice vote. Full Story
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![State Rep. Victoria Neave, D-Dallas, authored a House bill that would allow crowdfunding for rape kit testing in Texas.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
How the Texas "bathroom bill" compares to North Carolina's revised law
After North Carolina revised its controversial bathroom law last week, the NCAA announced it would again consider the state for future championship games. So is the proposed Texas bill more like the new North Carolina law or its predecessor? Full Story
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![Bathroom stall at the Austin Convention Center.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Senate panel approves bill banning bestiality in Texas
"These are serious crimes," said state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, the bill's author. "The state's response should be as well." Full Story
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Credit: Tamir Kalifa