Mike Floyd’s first job after graduating high school? Helping run a school district
A high school senior reflects on his unlikely victory over an incumbent school board member, and what his generation is bringing to Texas politics. Full Story
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![Mike Floyd, a senior at Dawson High School in Pearland, on May 16, 2017. Floyd recently ran for and won a seat on the Pearland ISD school board.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
House, Senate strike deal on “Buy American” iron and steel bill
Senate Bill 1289 by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would require large state projects to purchase iron and steel from an American supplier if the cost doesn’t exceed 20 percent more than the price of cheaper, foreign imports. Full Story
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![Construction in downtown Austin's Warehouse District on Tuesday, May 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Some Texas Republicans in Congress want special session on redistricting
Several Texas Republicans in Congress told the Tribune they want Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session to redraw the state's congressional map. Yet all signs suggest Abbott isn't interested. Full Story
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![The current Texas congressional district map.]()
Credit: Graphic by The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate looks to resurrect bathroom, property tax bills
The Texas Senate, hoping to resurrect its versions of bathroom and property tax proposals dear to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, grafted both of them onto unrelated county affairs legislation early Wednesday morning. Full Story
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![At a May 17, 2017, news conference, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told reporters that the House had to pass two items — property tax reform and the "bathroom bill" — or he'd look to force a special session.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Killing Texas ethics legislation without leaving fingerprints
It's hard to get tougher ethics laws for politicians and officeholders through the Texas Legislature. It can be even harder to figure out exactly who killed them. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, leads a discussion on House Bill 501, an ethics bill, on May 3, 2017. The bill passed, 147-0.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Field to replace Mechler takes shape
The most-discussed potential candidates had all made up their minds by the end of Tuesday, with a two-way race emerging between Houston-area businessman Rick Figueroa and Travis County GOP Chairman James Dickey. Full Story
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![Texas GOP Chairman Tom Mechler speaks at the State Republican Convention in Dallas on May 13, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate will reject House's "bathroom bill" compromise
The legislative wrangling over where transgender Texans can use the bathroom isn’t over yet. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, on the floor of the Senate on Sunday, May 21, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House backs voter ID overhaul, with changes
The 95-54 vote followed a six-hour debate that saw fierce pushback from Democrats, who argued the legislation wouldn’t go far enough to expand ballot access and might discourage some Texans from going to the polls. Full Story
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![State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, asks questions about Senate Bill 5, the voter ID bill, which has been declared an emergency item by Gov. Abbott, on May 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
House members issue demand for Senate action
Members of the Texas House on Tuesday issued a loud demand for the Senate to take action on their bills — or else. Full Story
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![State Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, gives closing arguments on House Bill 122, which would raise the age of criminal responsibility in Texas from 17 to 18. The House passed the bill 92-52 on April 20, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
School groups say House bathroom amendment open to interpretations
School groups say a Texas House amendment addressing bathroom use is open to interpretations on whether it actually keeps school districts from allowing transgender students to use bathrooms that match their gender identities. Full Story
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![Bathroom stalls at the Austin Convention Center in 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Supreme Court's ruling on North Carolina redistricting strikes down a Texas line of defense
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday in a North Carolina gerrymandering case could have major implications for the drawing of political maps in Texas and nationwide. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Texas Republicans fear federal oversight as voter ID overhaul stalls
Republicans fear a failure to overhaul strict Texas voter ID rules could torpedo the state's position in litigation over whether lawmakers discriminated against minority voters. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton and Solicitor General Scott Keller after oral arguments on the voter ID case before the U.S. 5th Circuit of Appeals in New Orleans on May 24, 2016.]()
Credit: Cheryl Gerber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP Chairman Tom Mechler resigns
Tom Mechler, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas since 2015, announced his resignation from that post Saturday afternoon, citing personal reasons. Full Story
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![Republican Party of Texas Chairman Tom Mechler looks on as Electoral College members cast their vote for president at the state Capitol on December 19, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Property tax relief doesn’t equal extra money in your pocket
There's a simple test to tell you whether the promise of a tax cut is really a tax cut: Is there money in your hand? Full Story
![At a May 17, 2017, news conference, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told reporters that the House had to pass two items — property tax reform and the "bathroom bill" — or he'd look to force a special session.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate approves ban on straight-ticket voting
The Texas Senate gave initial approval Wednesday to legislation that would eliminate straight-ticket voting in all elections. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-Richland Hills, debates Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, on the merits of House Bill 25, which would eliminate straight-party voting in Texas. Garcia argued that the measure would result in discrimination and in even lower voter turnout.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Patrick takes hostages — and control of legislative session
Amid rumors of a special session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick put out a short list of bills he wants the House to pass if he's going to let the Senate advance must-pass legislation. And he appears to have the upper hand in the last days of the session. Full Story
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![At a May 17, 2017 press conference at the Capitol, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warns he'll seek a special session if the House doesn't pass certain legislation.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Patrick threatens to force special session over tax, bathroom bills
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threatened to push for a special legislative session to pass bills to regulate bathroom use for transgender Texans and set new thresholds for when cities and counties must get voter approval for tax rates. Full Story
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![At a May 17, 2017 press conference at the Capitol, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warns he'll seek a special session if the House doesn't pass certain legislation.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
From U.S. House floor, Texas Democrat calls for Trump's impeachment
U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat, called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump Wednesday morning during a speech from the floor of the U.S. House. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston.]()
Credit: Official House Portrait -
Even in Texas, sometimes the billionaires lose
After billionaire Warren Buffett met with Gov. Greg Abbott and other top leaders, a bill to grant him a loophole from protectionist Texas auto laws seemed to be fast-tracked, until Tea Party activists found out about it. Full Story
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![Warren Buffett in 2010.]()
Credit: White House -
Texas Senate sends bill to governor discouraging weather-related lawsuits
A tort-reform bill that would discourage property owners from suing insurers over weather-related claims tentatively passed the Texas Senate on Tuesday. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman