Abbott vetoed a section of the state budget that funds the Legislature — including salaries and benefits of 2,100 employees — as punishment for House Democrats’ May walkout to prevent passage of a controversial voting bill.
Courts
Stay up to date on Texas courts with in-depth coverage of major rulings, judicial elections, criminal justice, and the judges shaping state law from The Texas Tribune.
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Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott orders Texas National Guard to help with migrant arrests at the border
In a letter to the major general of the Texas National Guard, Abbott said “more manpower is needed” at the border.
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Demographics
Federal judge tosses lawsuit that sought to end UT-Austin’s affirmative action policy
The judge found that the group behind the suit had essentially brought the same claims in a previous case in which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the University of Texas at Austin’s policy.
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State Government
Texas Supreme Court extends state program to help tenants avoid eviction until Oct. 1
The extension comes as the federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire on July 31.
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Foster Care in Texas
Texas foster care crisis worsens, with fast-growing numbers of children sleeping in offices, hotels, churches
Increased oversight and lack of funding mean hundreds of children spend their nights in hotels and churches and on office floors.
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Immigration
Texas judge orders federal government to stop granting new DACA applications
Judge Andrew Hanen’s ruling doesn’t affect the status of more than 600,000 current DACA recipients.
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Texas Abortion Restrictions
Twenty abortion providers sue Texas officials over law that bans abortions as early as six weeks
The law is set to take effect Sept. 1.
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Criminal Justice
Federal judge finds U.S. government inaction mostly to blame for Sutherland Springs mass shooting
Federal Judge Xavier Rodriguez said the U.S. Air Force’s failure to report the shooter’s domestic violence conviction to the FBI allowed him to purchase the gun used in Texas’ deadliest mass shooting.
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Texas Legislature 2021
2,100 state workers caught in the crosshairs of Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of Legislature funding
The legislative branch budget includes funding for House and Senate lawmakers, their staffers and those working in nonpartisan legislative agencies. In total, there was more than $410 million allocated in the 2022-23 fiscal budget.
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Demographics
Supreme Court upholds Arizona law in ruling that could make it harder to challenge new voting restrictions in states like Texas
The Texas Legislature will convene for a special session next week and new voting restrictions are expected to be considered.
