The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
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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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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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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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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