Legislation that would remove Texas judges from the straight-ticket voting process garnered a mostly cool reception Tuesday at a hearing, as both Democrats and Republicans said that tinkering with the ballot turns off voters.
Criminal Justice
Get the latest Texas Tribune coverage on criminal justice, including crime, courts, law enforcement, and reforms shaping the state’s justice system.
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Criminal Justice
Border DAs Back Amped-Up Prosecution Unit
The final piece of a high-profile border security package got moving Tuesday when a House committee heard House Bill 12 by state Rep. Oscar Longoria, which would elevate the state’s Border Prosecution Unit into an official statutory being.
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Criminal Justice
Video: Republicans Rally to Uphold Gay Marriage Ban
As the highest court in the land prepares to consider the constitutionality of same-sex marriage bans, a few hundred conservatives gathered at the Texas Capitol on Monday to rally in support of traditional marriage.
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Criminal Justice
Case of “San Antonio Four” Set to Enter its Final Act
Four San Antonio women were convicted of molesting two girls in the 1990s, but one of the girls has since said they were coerced to make false accusations. The women’s case is getting a new look.
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Criminal Justice
House Gives Tentative OK to Border Security Bill
Texas House members overwhelmingly gave tentative approval to a sweeping border-security measure on Wednesday that would increase the number of state troopers on the border and establish a catchall intelligence center in Hidalgo County.
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Criminal Justice
Texas Sues Feds Over Benefits for Same-Sex Couples
The state of Texas is suing the Obama administration for giving medical leave benefits to certain same-sex couples, according to an announcement Wednesday from Attorney General Ken Paxton.
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Criminal Justice
Prosecutor Accused of Misconduct in Disputed Texas Execution Case
In a major turn in one of the country’s most-noted death penalty cases, the State Bar of Texas has filed a formal accusation of misconduct against the county prosecutor who convicted Cameron Todd Willingham.
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Criminal Justice
Bill Would Bar Doctors From Asking About Guns
State Rep. Stuart Spitzer is afraid the federal government can use medical records to identify gun owners. Over the objections of the medical community, he has filed a bill that would prohibit doctors from asking patients whether they own a firearm.
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Criminal Justice
Sanctuary Cities Bill Back in Play in Senate
After taking a backseat in 2013, legislation to cut off funding to so-called sanctuary cities that don’t use local police to enforce federal immigration laws is under debate before a Senate subcommittee.
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Criminal Justice
Bill Moving Public Integrity Unit to AG’s Office is Senate-Bound
A measure that would yank the state’s public corruption-fighting unit out of the Travis County district attorney’s office and stick it in the Texas attorney general’s office is headed for the full Senate.
