The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
What issues matter most to you this session? Texas House Parliamentarian Chris Griesel explains one of the most basic ways to engage elected officials on those issues: speaking up. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/23/TT-come-and-take-it-legebot-art001.jpg)
Groups suing Texas over its political maps have asked a federal court to ensure new congressional districts are drawn ahead of the November 2018 elections. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/RedistrictingAgain.jpg)
An advocacy group says thousands of letters sent to rural lawmakers suggests widespread support for legislation that would create education savings accounts. But lawmakers — and some constituents — say the letters are dubious. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/34d62a60dbd93a22169c49f71fb858a6/.BYE%20Mailbox)
In Wednesday's dawn-to-dusk fight over repealing the law that served as a central campaign issue for Republicans over the last four election cycles, Texans were right in the middle. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/02/28/Trump_addresses_Congress_TT.jpg)
As local control battles rage at the Texas Capitol, Gov. Greg Abbott is voicing support for a much more sweeping approach to the issues that have captured headlines. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/01/31/SOSspeech12TT_BD.jpg)
Texas GOP chairman Tom Mechler, an Amarillo oilman, insists that he wasn't lobbying when he asked the state to intervene in his clients' dispute with a pipeline giant. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d64ee5d63192e5519e80cc0bb299662b/BD%20INC%20Meckler%202010)
Though the proposals are unlikely to get very far, House Democrats are again pushing for a minimum wage increase in Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/08/14/CampaignFinance-PavedWithMoney.jpg)
In opening remarks before the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz suggested Neil Gorsuch was "no ordinary nominee" and that his nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court must be viewed in light of the 2016 presidential election. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/09/07/TRIBUNE_JUDGES_CRUZ.jpg)
U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, a Midland Republican, questioned FBI Director James Comey at Monday's hearing on whether the intelligence community was certain that Russia intended to help Donald Trump become president. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/20/Joaquin_Castro_Mike_Conaway_and_Will_Hurd.jpg)
The Texas “bathroom bill” has made it to the House but chamber leaders are hinting that the controversial legislation may never reach the chamber's floor for a vote. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/01/04/Texas_House_pre_85.jpg)
Former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, has been charged with violating federal election law. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/02/05/Steve-Stockman2.png)
More than 600 people signed up on Wednesday to testify before the House State Affairs Committee on the lower chamber's version of the controversial proposal to outlaw "sanctuary" jurisdictions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/15/Charlie_Geren_BD_TT.jpg)
In an attempt to make major changes in how higher education is funded, the Senate Finance Committee is proposing major cuts to each state university. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/University_Tuition_Money.jpg)
"If Republicans take this opportunity and blow it, we will rightly be considered a laughingstock," U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said Wednesday regarding divisions among Republicans on the leading proposal to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/11/Cruz_ReaganDay_TT.jpg)
Officials with Texas Central Partners, the private firm developing the Houston-Dallas high-speed rail line, said the rider added to the state senate's proposed budget Wednesday would put their project at risk. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/15/HSR_08.jpg)
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accuses U.S. agencies of violating federal law by failing to license a nuclear waste repository in Nevada. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Simmons-Waste.jpg)
The federal judges who said the state's congressional maps are invalid last week are in position to take another step — to require Texas to get federal permission whenever it wants to change election and voting laws. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Redistrict_by_Students_1.jpg)
After several hours of debate, the Texas Senate on Tuesday tentatively signed off on the “bathroom bill” on a 21-10 vote. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/14/__BDP4415_PatrickCMS.JPG)
State Sen. Paul Bettencourt's attempt to limit when cities and counties can increase property tax collections without an election drew bipartisan opposition Tuesday. But many supporters also came to the bill's defense. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/14/Bettencourt_SB2_MKC_TT.jpg)
A week after a marathon hearing, the Texas Senate debated the "bathroom bill" on the floor Tuesday afternoon. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/02/07/_BDD6327_Patrick.jpg)