The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
A bill that would enact a statewide texting-while-driving ban is advancing in the Texas Legislature, and it could affect some local ordinances already in place. Here's a look at which municipalities currently have restrictions. Full Story
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House Democrats tried — and mostly failed — to divert funds allotted for border security and the Texas Department of Public Safety to other departments during Tuesday’s budget debate. Full Story
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The Texas House was poised to take a vote banning private school vouchers as it adopted the state budget Tuesday. But about nine hours into the debate, the lawmaker carrying the measure withdrew it from consideration. Full Story
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Ted Cruz returned home Tuesday evening to a hero's welcome, rallying hundreds of supporters outside the headquarters of his week-old presidential campaign with an impassioned plea to replicate the energy that propelled him to Congress in 2012. Full Story
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With more than 350 proposed amendments before then, the Texas House is likely to go well into the evening before getting to a final vote on the $210 billion budget. Early discussions addressed school funding and incentives programs. Full Story
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Months after three Ebola diagnoses stirred fears in Dallas, the Texas Senate on Tuesday approved legislation aiming to clarify how the state should respond to its next infectious disease outbreak. Full Story
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Amid an ongoing scandal over how the state awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to a private company, the Texas Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill that would overhaul the state’s contracting processes. Full Story
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Texas is quickly settling into its role as a lucrative state for White House hopefuls, playing host this month alone to several candidates looking to tap the state's deep pool of donor dollars. Full Story
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Barry Smitherman, the only person to serve both on the Texas Railroad Commission and the state’s Public Utility Commission, will practice energy law at Vinson and Elkins, the international law firm announced Tuesday. Full Story
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Some state lawmakers are trying to cut Texas' energy use by encouraging demand response – programs under which utilities reward customers for powering down electricity guzzlers when demand peaks. Full Story
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Before it commits millions of dollars more to keep state troopers on the border, lawmakers need to know what DPS has accomplished during the border surge, a border legislator said Monday. Full Story
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A House committee on Monday approved legislation that would limit local control over oil and gas activities — a committee substitute for a bill that initially stirred anger in city halls across Texas. Full Story
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Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s New Hampshire debut, much like the rest of his first week as a candidate, demonstrated both the promise of his presidential candidacy and the potential hurdles facing his uphill campaign. Full Story
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As the Texas House prepares for a floor fight Tuesday over its budget, a flurry of amendments filed by Democrats seeks to defund the state's Alternatives to Abortion program. Full Story
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A budget amendment from San Antonio state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer will seek better accounting of discrimination complaints at universities, specifically cases involving fraternities and sororities. Full Story
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Lawmakers in the Texas House will have a chance to draw a line in the sand over private school vouchers during the upcoming battle over the budget Tuesday. Full Story
A frustrated regulator's letter suggesting the state drop enforcement of its ethics laws might spark some legislative action. That would be a gift for Gov. Greg Abbott, who wants ethics to be a signature issue this session. Full Story
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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, eyeing a run for the White House in 2016, touted his fighting spirit and Midwestern thriftiness in a Saturday night speech to Harris County Republicans. Full Story
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At a Houston press conference Saturday, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker emphatically denied he recently shifted his stance on illegal immigration. Full Story
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Jon Wellinghoff, the former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chairman, talks about what looming federal climate regulations mean for Texas, whether the state should link its grid to others and how to incentivize energy conservation. Full Story
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