The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
A monthslong push from the governor’s office to confirm his longtime aide as secretary of state heated up in the session’s final days. Some Democrats feared retribution for defying the governor. Full Story
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Whitley leaves his job after presiding over a botched review of the voter rolls that questioned the citizenship of thousands of eligible voters. Full Story
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Completing negotiations that have taken place over the last few months, Texas House and Senate lawmakers accepted a compromise on a state spending plan for 2020-21. Full Story
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The bill aims to slow rising property tax revenues and make it easier for Texans to understand how their tax bills are determined. The House and Senate both approved it Saturday, and it is expected to soon be sent to Abbott for his signature. Full Story
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Sen. Lois Kolkhorst's office said Saturday that she "is still evaluating all options available to save SB 1804." Full Story
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Lawmakers delivered on their promises of school finance and property tax reforms, agreeing to spend $11.6 billion on a combination of education changes and tax cuts. It's big, but is it really "transformative"? Full Story
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The House initially exempted churches and nonprofits from the extended statute of limitations, but the chamber agreed to include them Friday after sex assault victims pushed back. Full Story
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The final version of the bill is expected to require cities, counties and emergency service districts to hold an election before raising 3.5% more property tax revenue than the previous year. Community colleges and hospital districts would need to do so at 8%. Full Story
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After opposing leadership — and mouthing off — the second-most senior Republican in the Texas Senate is the only senator who was not recognized to bring up a bill for a vote on the floor. Full Story
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State Rep. Garnet Coleman suggested that the newly released video showing some of Bland's confrontation with a state trooper before her death may have been buried in a “data dump” of information given to lawyers and lawmakers. Full Story
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Most Texans in Congress had hoped the bill would easily pass Friday because of a provision designed to expedite the release of billions of dollars in disaster aid to the state. Full Story
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Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said a bill that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana was "dead on arrival" in the Senate. But his party's platform supports marijuana decriminalization. So what gives? Full Story
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A proposal on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott would make it easier for pickled beets, carrots and other produce to be sold at farmers markets alongside pickled cucumbers. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced they have finalized the details of the three bills that will accomplish their top policy goals. Full Story
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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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