The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Reps. Ina Minjarez and Matt Krause about the issues that have divided an otherwise unified House in the last weeks of the session, including abortion and religious liberty. Full Story
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Angry that the Legislature failed to overrule local ordinances requiring private employers to offer paid sick leave, many business groups are hoping the courts will finish the job for them. Full Story
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A bill to kill one program that critics say traps low-income drivers in a cycle of debt, is nearing the governor's desk, but bills to reform the similar Omni program look all but dead as the legislative session winds down. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Ross, Emma and Patrick about the Texas House's resident bomb-thrower, the most controversial bills still moving in the Legislature and Beto O'Rourke's attempted presidential reboot. Full Story
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If the House approves changes made by the upper chamber, the bill will head to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Full Story
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Senate Bill 10, focused on connecting children to mental health services, was knocked out of contention with a parliamentary maneuver Tuesday night but was revived as an amendment to another bill hours later. It's one of several measures the state's GOP leaders championed in the wake of the deadly shooting last year at Santa Fe High School. Full Story
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The bill needs a final stamp of approval from the Senate before it can head to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk for his signature. Full Story
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Tentative approval of the bill comes days after the one-year anniversary of a shooting at Santa Fe High School that left 10 dead and another 13 wounded. Full Story
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Consideration of the bill comes more than a year after a gunman killed 26 in a Sutherland Springs church. Full Story
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Supporters of the bill say it would expand ballot access. But some critics argue that the real goal is to make it tougher for Libertarians to get on the ballot and easier for Green Party candidates to do so. Full Story
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What started as a sweeping religious refusals bill has been significantly watered down as it moves through the Texas Legislature. But LGBTQ advocates still fiercely oppose it, saying it perpetuates hateful rhetoric. Full Story
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Lawmakers filed thousands of bills during the 2019 legislative session. Here's how the big bills fared. Full Story
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After final Senate approval, the bill will head back to the House, where members will decide whether to accept the changes made in the Senate. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has expressed wariness to expanding the Compassionate Use Program, but the bill's Senate sponsor said Patrick helped craft the version that cleared a key hurdle Friday. Full Story
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As lawmakers in Austin work to pass a sweeping school safety bill, many Santa Fe survivors and their loved ones say they’re focused less on what’s happening at the Capitol and more on what can be done to rebuild and uplift their community. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers are wrangling over changes to election law that — depending on your allegiance — would make elections more secure or suppress voting among groups that favor Democrats, the political minority in Texas. The fight's not about you — it's about them. Full Story
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The measure moved quickly through the Senate after the LGBTQ Caucus killed a near-identical proposal on a procedural motion last week in the Texas House. Full Story
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House Bill 1325 would legalize hemp and hemp-derived extracts like CBD oil as long as they contain no more than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive element in marijuana known as THC. Full Story
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The House Elections Committee on Wednesday night resumed its discussions on a controversial bill pitched as an election security measure but that critics say is a pathway to state-sanctioned voter suppression. Full Story
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The announcement Tuesday from Comptroller Glenn Hegar came amid lawmakers' closed-door haggling over the two-year budget, which includes funds for public schools and property tax relief. Full Story
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