Bill legalizing permitless carry of handguns in Texas on brink of passage after compromise reached
The agreement advances the legislation even closer to becoming law. Gov. Greg Abbott has said he will sign such a proposal. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c11bdd5ba653d09ba8e3352551086718/Handgun%20File%20EL%20TT%2009.jpg)
-
![A M&P Shield handgun, small enough to be ideal for conceal carry, in Austin on April 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Legislators running out of time to pass bills curbing law enforcement agencies from hiring bad officers
Texas law enforcement agencies have long dealt with troublesome officers who move from one department to another. Transparency bills aim to make their disciplinary records more easily accessible to such agencies. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a0b087dff2fb60f9f3f7a21f90a01ff1/Austin%20Protest%20August%201%20JV%20TT%2002.jpg)
![Protesters clash with police in riot gear in downtown Austin on August 1, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Allocating $16 billion in coronavirus relief funds will be part of special legislative session in the fall, Gov. Greg Abbott says
Abbott already planned to call a special session later in the year for the Legislature to do its decennial redrawing of Texas political maps. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/64a79345e18d8c1338af7a0e25d61f5d/Winter%20Storm%20Abbott%20Presser%20JV%20TT%2012.jpg)
![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 The Texas Tribune -
Priority bills imperiled as end-of-session tensions rise between Texas House and Senate
House lawmakers expressed frustration Thursday that some of their priority legislation had not moved in the upper chamber, including a package of health care and criminal justice reform bills pushed by House Speaker Dade Phelan. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/36561e55da4a668b3426ae8a3de805b5/RECOMP%20House%20Floor%20Phelan%20Abortion%20Bill%20%20MG%20TT%2014.jpg)
![House Speaker Dade Phalen on the House Floor on May 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Greg Abbott wants Texas to be normal again
The governor is turning the dial to "normal," in more ways than one, dissolving pandemic restrictions and minding issues of interest to Republican primary voters. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4ea2c8a3276af4aedd4c1bedf6e880ce/Abbott%20Dallas%20Presser%20CM%20TT%2003.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott holds a press conference in Dallas on unaccompanied minors crossing the southern border on March 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Carly May for The Texas Tribune -
Most U.S. House Republicans from Texas vote against forming a commission to investigate Jan. 6 insurrection
The bill creating the commission, which would have subpoena power, passed 252-175. Republican U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales of San Antonio and Van Taylor of Plano were the only two GOP Texans to support the measure. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/03144759366fd0ace6507cbe6d0587d8/Trump%20Protest%20DC%20REUTERS%202021%20TT%2008.jpg)
![Pro-Trump rioters climb on walls at the U.S. Capitol during a protest against the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by Congress, in Washington, D.C., on Jan.6, 2021.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Stephanie Keith -
TribCast: Texas schools will no longer require masks
In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Patrick, Karen and James about Gov. Greg Abbott's latest mask order and where the big bills stand in the final weeks of the legislative session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2b8d148d7559ac36f84cf17db213b0ee/TribCast%20May%2019.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott meets with local leaders in El Paso on August 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Three congressional Republicans from Texas reprimanded for violating U.S. House's mask mandate
U.S. Reps. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, and Chip Roy, R-Austin, were given first warnings. U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving, received a $500 fine for violating the House’s mask mandate a second time. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3b31f1f63ff1b674ba322cdeed83168e/Van%20Duyne%20Roy%20Gohmert%20REUTERS%20TT.jpg)
![From left, U.S. Rep Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas and U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott signs into law one of nation’s strictest abortion measures, banning procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy
The signing of the bill opens a new frontier in the battle over abortion restrictions as first-of-its-kind legal provisions intended to make the law harder to challenge are poised to be tested in the courts. Full Story
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Vengeance or politics? Democrat Harold Dutton explains why he advanced bill targeting transgender athletes, other GOP priorities
As a powerful committee chairman, Dutton could have bottled up legislation that Democrats opposed. Instead, critics say, he’s pushed through Republican bills that Democrats find objectionable. Full Story
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg. Abbott says no public schools or government entities will be allowed to require masks
While 30% of Texans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the vast majority of children are unvaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine was authorized last week for children as young as 12. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/abb78b3e792062ffae4536422184aa9a/TXST%20COVID%20JV%20TT%2005.jpg)
![Two students sit under a sign encouraging students to wear a mask on the first day of classes for the fall semester at Texas State University in San Marcos on Aug. 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
The 2021 legislative session is over. Here are the big bills that passed – and the ones that failed
Texas lawmakers filed thousands of bills during the 2021 legislative session. Here are the big bills that passed – and the ones that failed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6c865a6ab5955ace3de2fd8fddcd7e46/session-summary-promo-img.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Ben Hasson/The Texas Tribune -
Point of Order: George P. Bush supports Donald Trump in 2024, teases primary challenge to Ken Paxton
In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Land Commissioner George P. Bush about the state of the state and the issues in play as the 2021 session winds down — and about his rumored plans to challenge Ken Paxton in the GOP primary for Texas attorney general. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ee3b23c67609fb74b29eb60f2b7d02d0/TT-PointofOrder-podcast-launch-art.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Lawsuit seeks to block Lubbock’s ordinance aimed at outlawing abortions
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas are suing over the West Texas city’s “sanctuary city for the unborn” ordinance. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1c702948c9f51802dcb7377af51fb523/Lubbock%20May%20Election%20Day%20JR%20TT%2006.jpg)
![Kids hold signs supporting Proposition A at the corner of Indiana and 82nd Street in Lubbock on May 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune -
Texas senator overhauls House bail bill to keep more people in jail if they can’t post cash bonds
Legislative attempts to reform bail in Texas are likely headed for a closed-door showdown over the different approaches the House and Senate each devised. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4897f5dfaa1c671d69fe3dd902eb2778/Bail%20Bond%20Signs%20EL%20TT%2005.jpg)
![An Austin Bail Bonds II sign near Interstate 35 on Feb. 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Jobless Texans will lose all federal unemployment benefits, including extra weekly $300, after Gov. Greg Abbott opts out of the program
The extra $300 federal benefit will end June 26 for jobless Texans. Abbott also cut off another federal benefit that extended aid to gig workers, self-employed people and others who aren’t traditionally covered by unemployment insurance. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/149a47bcdd9a12f0376aba30f3b5feda/Abbott%20State%20of%20the%20State%202021%20BD%20Pool%2001.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott prepares to deliver his State of the State speech at Visionary Fiber Technologies outside of Lockhart on Feb. 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto/Pool -
The Texas Tribune discusses how voting and elections could change in Texas
Heider Garcia, the Tarrant County elections administrator, and Isabel Longoria, the Harris County elections administrator, discussed the future of voting in Texas, a state with some of the nation’s most restrictive voting rules. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/99d20412f815c81102ae415ec2e6c395/TTE-Voting_leadart.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
George P. Bush wants to challenge beleaguered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. But can he keep Trump out of it?
Bush has a unique history with Trump as the only prominent member of his famous political family to back the former president. Meanwhile, Paxton has tightly aligned himself with Trump in recent months. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a746a1630c963291164672911b936fa8/Ken%20Paxton%20George%20P%20Bush%20Split%20TT.jpg)
![From left, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP state senator urged use of unproven hydroxychloroquine treatment for COVID-19. Now he's spreading doubt about vaccines.
In a period of sagging vaccination rates — particularly among staunch conservatives — state Sen. Bob Hall used his platform to promulgate debunked anti-vaccine conspiracies and push claims that have largely been eschewed by the medical community. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/522ff73e57530bed02d5bf5e4d0c6f3c/0003_Bob_Hall_Juan_Figueroa_May_5_TT.jpg)
![State Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, on the Senate floor on May 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas legislators have a long way to go and a short time to get there
Texas lawmakers are entering the last two weeks of this legislative session, with some of their biggest promises unfilled. Don’t fret: They do a lot of their work only when deadlines loom. Full Story
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/30f11e7585ae7ae573a7d4c343f03ea8/Abortion%20Rally%2005-19%20EL%20TT%2004)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a5d92bb1cdcb85f97e96d4da38f0f64b/House%20Floor%2005-13%20JV%20TT%2023)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a484a5bf4746b91a0b7c327d30e9d3fb/House%20Floor%20EL%20TT%2003)