State Rep. Travis Clardy tests positive for COVID-19, is quarantining in district
Clardy, who has been fully vaccinated since earlier this year, tested positive last Friday. Full Story
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![State Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, on the House floor on May 7, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: The Texas Legislature’s first special session of 2021 ends Friday. What happens next?
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Cassi, Jolie and Patrick about the law enforcement presence at the border and Democrats’ and Republicans’ next moves as the special session wraps up. Full Story
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![Legislators on the House floor in Austin watch as Texas Democrats in Washington testify before a House Oversight and Reform subcommittee on proposed Texas election laws on July 29, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Local mask mandates pop up in defiance of Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order banning COVID-19 restrictions
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is the most recent official to defy the governor’s order. He announced Monday that the city’s nearly 22,000 city employees will be required to mask up inside city buildings where social distancing is not doable. Full Story
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![Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announces Troy Finner as the new chief of the Houston Police Department on March 18, 2021, at City Hall in downtown Houston.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Two House Democrats who broke quorum missing from Washington, D.C., reportedly vacationing in Portugal
Their vacation does not affect the lack of quorum that the House has in Austin that prevents the chamber from passing an elections bill. But it is at odds with Democrats’ insistence that they would use their time away to advocate for federal voting rights legislation in the nation’s capital. Full Story
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![From left, Democratic state Reps. Julie Johnson and Jessica González.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
With special session’s end looming, Texas Democrats and Republicans mull their next moves
Abbott has promised to call a second special session to pass the GOP’s priority voting bill, but the exact timing is uncertain. And House Democrats have not yet revealed what they have planned after the session ends this week. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with legislators on the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
What is gender-affirming medical care for transgender children? Here’s what you need to know.
Gender-affirming care, which leading health care organizations in Texas say is the best way to provide care to transgender children, is emerging as a top target of state Republicans and lies at the heart of brewing political and legal battles. Full Story
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![A Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, treats a patient in Austin on Nov. 8th, 2012.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge for The Texas Tribune -
Energy industry showers Gov. Greg Abbott, other Texas politicians with campaign cash after they passed power grid bills
For some energy experts, the increase in donations for the officials at the close of the session looks like a reward for not passing more stringent regulations and raises questions about whether lawmakers let the oil, gas and the broader energy industry off easy for its massive failures. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference regarding Texas’ emergency response to an unprecedented winter storm gripping Texas on Feb. 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for tThe Texas Tribune -
Federal judge temporarily blocks Gov. Greg Abbott’s order to pull over vehicles with migrants, which drew racial profiling concerns
The U.S. Justice Department sued Abbott and Texas after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the order “dangerous and unlawful.” Full Story
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![A group of migrants walks onto a Customs and Border Protection vehicle after being apprehended near the U.S. and Mexico border in Del Rio on July 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Ron Reynolds and U.S. Rep. Al Green arrested while demonstrating for federal voting bill at U.S. Capitol
Reynolds is among the Texas House Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C., last month to block a state voting restrictions bill. Full Story
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![State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, and U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Two years after Walmart mass shooting, El Paso leaders see inaction and betrayal by Texas officials
In what some people call an affront to the families of the 2019 shooting victims, Texas Republicans expanded gun rights earlier this year when the state Legislature passed a permitless carry bill. Full Story
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![The El Paso Walmart where a gunman opened fire on back-to-school shoppers on Aug. 3, 2019.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Texas teachers say GOP’s new social studies law will hinder how an entire generation understands race, history and current events
Educators who spoke to The Texas Tribune overwhelmingly denounced the new social studies law going into effect Sept. 1. These are the provisions they say could cause problems for them — and Texas students. Full Story
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Credit: The Texas Tribune -
University of Texas president defends decision to join SEC as lawmakers criticize timing and impact on other schools
Jay Hartzell said the switch to the Southeastern Conference was the best thing for UT-Austin’s student athletes and the university. Texas senators expressed disdain for the move and questioned how it came about. Full Story
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![Texas Longhorns' marching band cheers on their team in the first half of the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Nov. 29, 2019.]()
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With time running out, Texas Legislature still at impasse on GOP elections bill
Republicans believe they have already compromised enough on the legislation, while Democrats are distrustful of both the policy driving the bill and their GOP colleagues after seeing how they have managed the process around the proposal so far. Full Story
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![Legislators talk amongst themselves on the House floor on July 29, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Groundhog Day in Texas
A lot of the news from the last few days — about the Legislature, about COVID-19 and about immigration — has a real déjà vu quality to it. And there’s a good reason for that. Full Story
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![A migrant child waits with his family in front of the Catholic Charities RGV Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen on July 27, 2021.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Justice Department sues Texas over Gov. Greg Abbott's order for law enforcement to pull over vehicles with migrants
On Wednesday, Abbott issued the order, allowing Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to reroute civilian vehicles back to their origin point or a port of entry, or seize the vehicles, if police suspect the driver is transporting migrants who have COVID-19. Full Story
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![A group of migrants wait to board a charter bus in front of the Catholic Charities RGV Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen on July 27, 2021.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar joins Sen. Lindsey Graham in demanding that Biden appoint border czar
Cuellar and Graham’s letter is the latest in a series of criticisms against the Biden administration’s border security response. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, greets supporters at an event featuring Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at his campaign headquarters in Laredo on Feb. 22, 2020.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
How Republican Jake Ellzey's bipartisan appeal, positive campaign helped him upset Trump's pick for Congress
Wright’s coveted endorsement from Trump — which appeared so powerful in propelling her to the top in the initial election — may have contributed to her undoing in the runoff where state Rep. Jake Ellzey benefited from a more bipartisan appeal, coupled with a more positive, energetic campaign. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Waxahachie, won the runoff race for Texas' 6th Congressional District against Donald Trump-backed Susan Wright.]()
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UT System board votes to accept invitation for UT-Austin to join the SEC
The decision comes just a week after news surfaced that the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma planned to leave the Big 12, sending shockwaves through college sports and many Texas lawmakers who feel the expansion will have drastic consequences on the remaining Texas schools in the Big 12. Full Story
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![The Texas Longhorns take the field against TCU Horned Frogs in an NCAA college football game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Oct. 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell/USA Today Sports via REUTERS -
Texas Democrats in Washington, D.C., to meet with Stacey Abrams and the Clintons
Texas Democrats have been in the nation’s capital for more than two weeks, seeking the support of as many high-profile politicians as they can. Full Story
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![Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia Stacy Abrams and former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas government has to put Humpty Dumpty together again
A partial shutdown of state government wouldn't do anyone in state politics any good. Lawmakers still have time to erase the governor's veto of the Legislature's budget — but not a lot of time. Full Story
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![A legislator holds his head in his hand while sitting on the House floor on July 19, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune