The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas lawmakers Wednesday considered extending hate crime protections to transgender people and repealing the state’s anti-sodomy law, which remains on the books even though it's been found unconstitutional. Full Story
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State Rep. David Simpson's proposal to legalize marijuana in Texas moved closer to a full House after it was approved by a House committee Wednesday evening. Full Story
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A state lawmaker is pushing to make all financial disclosure statements filed with the Texas Ethics Commission available online so the public can easily find them. In that spirit, the Tribune presents the disclosures filed by scores of state agency heads, regents and others that you can't get online now. Full Story
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The criminal records of one-time offenders who stay out of trouble would be sealed and hidden from the public under a bill that cleared the Senate Tuesday. Supporters call it a second chance, but critics fear unknowing employers will pay the price. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott defended his decision to have the Texas State Guard monitor a military training exercise known as Jade Helm 15. He said his office is simply looking to serve as a "communication facilitator" between the military and concerned citizens. Full Story
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More than a week after a judge who once worked for Rick Perry was tapped to hear an appeal in the former governor's indictment, it's still unclear whether he'll see the case through. Full Story
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Texas' top elected officials on Monday offered an absolute defense of free speech in the wake of a Garland shooting that left two gunmen dead outside a contest featuring cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Full Story
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State Rep. Jonathan Stickland's ejection from a House Transportation Committee hearing aside, activists devoted to purging Texas of red light cameras say they aren't thrilled with the bills under consideration this session. Full Story
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At our 5/1 conversation, Julián Castro, the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, talked about the lessons of Baltimore — and how to prevent the next Baltimore. Full Story
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State Sen. John Whitmire is asking questions about a program for at-risk youths run by the Texas Military Department where more than half of the applicants are truant students referred by justice of the peace courts or from the schools themselves. Full Story
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At our 4/30 conversation, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and a candidate for Houston mayor, talked about the events this week in Baltimore — and the takeaways for other big cities. Full Story
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Despite appearances, the House and Senate aren't too far apart on border security funding, says the lone border lawmaker on the budget conference committee. One sticking point is funding for state trooper pay. Full Story
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With the U.S. Supreme Court set to hear oral arguments in four same-sex marriage cases on Tuesday, Texas Republicans are already looking for loopholes in hopes of getting around a possible decision that effectively legalizes gay marriage. Full Story
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Lawyers for a Texas inmate convicted of capital murder in the 1999 stabbing death of a prison guard have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt his Tuesday execution. Full Story
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On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics, host Jason Whitely, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy and Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey talk about last week's "breakfast blowup." Full Story
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Dawn Carlton is intellectually disabled, but she says she manages fine on her own. The 38-year-old woman is pushing for a series of bills this legislative session to change the way court-appointed guardians are used in Texas. Full Story
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Local law enforcement agencies could apply for grants to equip their officers with body cameras and could also come up with guidelines for the equipment under legislation that the Senate approved Thursday. Full Story
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A key member of the Texas House’s Republican leadership blasted Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as a Washington-style politician a day after the Texas Senate passed its version of a sweeping border security bill. Full Story
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The Texas Senate on Monday passed its own sweeping border security bill, choosing to send its own version to the House rather than taking up the House’s measure, which the lower chamber passed last month. Full Story
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State politicians, high court judges and top bureaucrats would get public corruption cases against them moved to their home counties under a controversial bill that cleared the Texas House on Monday. Full Story
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