Texas lawmakers expected to be sweating over a very tight budget right now, after strong early signs that the pandemic would stall the economy. But an improved economy and a huge infusion of federal aid is erasing those fears.
Economy
Get the latest on jobs, business, growth, and policy shaping the state’s economy with in-depth reporting from The Texas Tribune.
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Texas Legislature 2021
In oil-rich Texas, GOP lawmakers push bill to punish Wall Street for fossil fuel disinvestments
The bill would direct state investment funds to divest from companies that cut ties with fossil fuel companies, pitting Texas against some increasingly carbon-conscious Wall Street investors.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Joe Biden signs COVID-19 relief bill that will give millions of Texans $1,400 checks
The bill, which also includes billions in aid for state and local governments, now awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas no longer has a statewide mask mandate. But face coverings are still required in some businesses and public places.
Texas’ statewide mask mandate has ended as of March 10. Businesses are also now allowed to operate at full capacity as long as the hospitals in their region haven’t been treating a large share of patients for COVID-19. Here’s a look at what the loosened restrictions mean for Texans.
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Winter Storm 2021
Analysis: One way or another, Texans will get the bill for fixing the electric grid
It’s going to be expensive to make sure the state’s electricity stays on during winter storms like the one that blacked out most of Texas last month, and the money will come, one way or another, from average Texans.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Legislation backed by casino giant would allow casinos, sports gambling in Texas
Las Vegas Sands is pushing to create the opportunity for casinos at “destination resorts” in the state’s four largest metropolitan areas.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
A Texas lender sued thousands of low-income Latinos during the pandemic. Now the feds are investigating.
Oportun Inc., a small-dollar loan company, disclosed to investors that it is the subject of a probe by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau following reporting by The Texas Tribune and ProPublica.
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Winter Storm 2021
Analysis: After the blackouts, a whiff of the 2022 elections in Texas
A proposed remodeling of the state’s electricity grid from Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller might be more than it seems. It reads like a campaign’s position paper.
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Coronavirus in Texas
A Mexican restaurant in Houston is keeping its mask rule. People threatened to call ICE on the staff.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift the statewide mask mandate has not come easily for many businesses that are navigating enforcement of mask rules while facing backlash. “It was just horrific,” said Monica Richards, co-owner of Picos.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas businesses must decide whether to require face masks. Some worry they could lose customers either way.
A day after Gov. Greg Abbott announced plans to fully reopen businesses and end the state’s mask mandate, small business owners across Texas found themselves struggling to decide what to do next.