Odessa elected its first gay City Council member
Donald Trump won Ector County, which includes Odessa, with more than 70 percent of the vote. Full Story
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![At Large City Council member Craig Stoker poses for a photo at city hall on Dec. 3, 2024.]()
Credit: Julian Mancha for The Texas Tribune -
A South Texas lawmaker's 15-year fight for a Rio Grande Valley law school
Advocates say a law school in one of the state's poorest regions would exponentially help communities with legal aid. Full Story
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![Armando Martinez speaks during the Inside the Interim with RGV Lawmakers Event in Edinburg on Aug. 24, 2022.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott signals support for David Cook over Dustin Burrows in GOP fight for House speaker
Days after the Texas House GOP caucus backed Cook, Abbott made clear that he expects Republican representatives to do the same. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to DPS Troopers and National Guard troops at a Thanksgiving dinner event in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
State agency to ask lawmakers for $300 million to fix “significant neglect” in Texas’ Medicaid enrollment system
The request, which includes hiring more staff and updating the online application system, comes as applicants must wait for months to receive approval for benefits. Full Story
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![A Texas Health and Human Services client application on April 24, 2018.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
San Antonio housing officials plan for new HUD leadership
Former state Rep. Scott Turner’s nomination to lead the agency may offer a glimpse of what could be cut from San Antonio’s housing ecosystem. Full Story
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![state Rep. Scott Turner, R-Frisco, listens to a speech nominating him as House speaker in January 2015.]()
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Webb County’s top elected official switches to Republican Party
Tano Tijerina was elected as a Democrat to lead Webb County, which includes Laredo. It is among many border counties that Trump won in November. Full Story
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![Webb co. Judge Tano Tijerina.]()
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Federal judge blocks rule that would have given DACA recipients access to Affordable Care Act coverage
The temporary injunction issued Monday would affect roughly 90,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients in Texas. Full Story
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![Supporters of the the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy rally after a hearing on the DACA program outside the federal courthouse in Houston on June 1, 2023.]()
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Total ad spending on Amarillo anti-abortion measure unknown
Several prominent Amarillo business people donated to support the so-called travel ban. Meanwhile, statewide progressive groups helped the opposition. Full Story
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![Anti-abortion supporters from left, Cassie Green, Mark Lee Dickson, and Bonnie Burnett talk outside of a polling location in Amarillo on November 5, 2024.]()
Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune -
Bill aimed at increasing transparency could sow chaos for election officials, experts say
Under state Sen. Paul Bettencourt’s bill, some individuals could submit requests for explanations of ‘election irregularities’ and potentially bring them to the Texas Secretary of State. Full Story
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![State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, on the Senate floor on Sept. 14, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Dustin Burrows says he has votes to be Texas House speaker after David Cook wins GOP caucus vote
Burrows claims the support of a coalition of Republicans and Democrats, while Cook has the endorsement of the GOP caucus. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, holds a press conference in the Speaker's Committee Room, on Dec. 7, 2024, saying he has the votes to become Speaker of the House in the upcoming legislative session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
The Texas House speaker race isn’t over. Here’s where it stands.
With Speaker Dade Phelan out of the race, Republican state Reps. David Cook and Dustin Burrows will now face off. Full Story
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![The Texas House floor on Aug. 31, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
What does the Texas House speaker do and why are Republicans fighting?
Texas Republicans are poised to pick the statehouse lower chamber’s next leader this weekend. Full Story
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![Speaker of the House Dade Phelan presides over the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Speaker Dade Phelan abandons bid for third term amid bruising leadership battle
Phelan, a Beaumont Republican, had previously insisted he had enough votes to thwart a challenge from the right led by state Rep. David Cook of Mansfield. Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan before gavelling in the House for the third-called special session on Oct. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Houston Rep. Gene Wu to lead Texas House Democrats through GOP-dominated legislative session
Wu defeated incumbent Trey Martinez Fischer on Thursday to become the next chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus. Full Story
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![Texas Rep. Gene Wu looks on during a press conference in opposition to Senate Bill 147 outside of City Hall on January 23, 2023, in downtown Houston, Texas.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Texas weighs social media bans for minors as schools and police face challenges
A Texas lawmaker has introduced a bill prohibiting minors from using social media accounts as school districts become a “hunting ground” for online dangers. Full Story
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![In this photo illustration, the Social Media icons and Facebook, Messenger and Instagram logos seen displayed on a smartphone.]()
Credit: Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images via REUTERS -
Texas conservatives plan to further restrict trans lives this legislative session
Emboldened by the recent election, some Texas lawmakers are already filing bills that would dictate bathroom use, limit gender identity markers on documents and restrict funding for surgeries. Full Story
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![People hold signs in front of the Texas Capitol during a protest for transgender kids' rights on Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune -
After Texas banned puberty blockers and hormones for trans kids, adults lost care, too
As limitations on trans teens increase, doctors have left the state, weakening an already threadbare system for trans adults. Full Story
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![Colin Zicko on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas on November 20, 2024.]()
Credit: Jack Myer for The Texas Tribune -
Texas has billions pledged to expand broadband. Spending it is taking a while.
Despite the efforts of local governments and others, the move to provide internet access to millions of Texans has been slow and faces new challenges. Full Story
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![A sign welcoming visitors to Big Lake. Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024.]()
Credit: Mitch Borden for The Texas Tribune -
Maternity care in rural Texas needs a rescue, groups say
Almost half of Texas counties have nowhere to get prenatal care, let alone deliver a baby. This plan offers legislative proposals to shore up what’s left. Full Story
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![CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Jasper Memorial hospital in Jasper on Jan. 3, 2023.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Houstonian Mark Swidan to be released from Chinese imprisonment
The Texan has been imprisoned in China for 12 years on charges of drug trafficking. Full Story
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![Mark Swidan.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Swidan Family Free Mark Campaign