Ken Paxton’s securities fraud trial will remain in Houston, court rules
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruling overturns lower-court decisions that had moved the case back to Collin County, where the suspended attorney general lives. Full Story
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![Opening Day action of the 88th Texas Legislature at the Texas Capitol showing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton giving a speech in the Senate chamber during his swearing-in ceremony.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan join forces on property taxes. It might help the push for school vouchers.
Phelan announced the formation of a House committee that could set the tone in favor of vouchers ahead of an expected special session on education. The move comes weeks after Abbott sided with Phelan on a plan to lower property taxes. Full Story
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![Newly-elected House Speaker Dade Phelan greets Gov. Greg Abbott before speaking to the Texas House during opening ceremonies as the 2021 Texas Legislature gets down to work in Austin on Jan. 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto/Pool -
Texas Democrats aim for unity ahead of expected primary to take on U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz
Lose Cruz, a new super PAC, promises big spending to help the party’s eventual nominee in the 2024 campaign. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, departs the Senate Republican's policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 28, 2023.]()
Credit: Rod Lamkey/CNP/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
At Humble ISD, Mexican graduation stoles sparked a dress code controversy
What a Houston-area school district calls a mistake points at deeper problems related to dress codes. Advocates say it also amounts to systemic racism. Full Story
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![A decorated cake for a graduation party, hosted for a high school graduate, on June 6, 2020.]()
Credit: May-Ying Lam for The Texas Tribune -
In U.S. House, the far right gains a powerful spending-cuts ally in Texas Republican Kay Granger
The chair of the House Appropriations Committee vows to hold spending bills to 2022 levels to counter “years of out-of-control spending.” Full Story
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![Incumbent U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, speaks to supporters at the Blue Mesa restaurant in Fort Worth during the 2020 primary election on March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
T-Squared: The regular 2023 legislative session is behind us. We were with Texans the whole way.
The Tribune’s editor-in-chief on covering the 2023 Texas legislative session. Full Story
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Where Texas redistricting lawsuits stand after U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Alabama case
The high court left intact a key provision of the federal Voting Rights Act in a case many feared would go the other way. The decision’s importance in ongoing litigation over Texas’ political maps will largely be felt in what didn’t happen. Full Story
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![The newest drafts of the statewide congressional districts in Texas outside the Senate Chamber in the Texas Capitol in Austin on Sept. 30 2021.]()
Credit: Dimitri Staszewski for The Texas Tribune -
With $1.4 billion investment, Texas hopes to sprint to the front of the microchip manufacturing race
Microchips are increasingly present in every day life, from phones and laptops to cars and washing machines. Gov. Greg Abbott approved last week a stimulus package in an effort to shore up the supply chain after the pandemic’s disruptions. Full Story
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![Workers inside the clean room of U.S. semiconductor manufacturer SkyWater Technology, where computer chips are made, in Bloomington, Minnesota in April, 2022.]()
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On property tax impasse, Gov. Greg Abbott appears open to House-Senate compromise
The special session churns on with the House adjourned, the Senate still working and the governor welcoming an agreement that has thus far eluded lawmakers. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott says he won’t renew his COVID-19 disaster declaration later this week
Texas appears to be the last state with a broad pandemic declaration, which was begun in 2020, still in place. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs six bills relating to border security at the state Capitol in Austin on June 8, 2023. “Washington D.C. has failed to do its job to secure the border,” Abbott said “As a result, Texas has had to take unprecedented steps in responding to the crisis caused by the Biden administration on the border, and in response the Texas legislature has stepped up to make sure that we will be able to more robustly respond.”]()
Credit: Joe Timmerman/The Texas Tribune -
From new funding to state intervention in elections, this year’s legislative session left big stamp on Houston
During a Texas Tribune event in Houston, state Sen. Carol Alvarado and Taylor Landin of the Greater Houston Partnership discussed the big takeaways of the regular session for their city. Full Story
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Lawmakers passed a bill to stop insurers from considering ESG criteria in setting rates
So-called environmental, social and governance policies are often adopted by companies to reduce their carbon footprints. The new Texas bill aims to stop insurers doing business in Texas from using ESG criteria, but it doesn’t include penalties for violations. Full Story
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![State Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, presents SB 14, which seeks to ban puberty blockers and hormone therapies for transgender youth, for it's second reading on the House floor at the state Capitol in Austin on May 12, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: How does Nate Paul’s arrest affect Ken Paxton?
In this week’s episode, we discuss the arrest of Austin developer Nate Paul, what it might say about Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial and whether it makes Paxton more vulnerable to criminal prosecution. Full Story
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![The electronic board during the vote to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, on the House floor of the state Capitol on May 27, 2023 .]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republicans in Congress stand behind Donald Trump after federal indictment
GOP lawmakers dismiss the charges over classified documents as a partisan attack, but Democrats say the matter proves nobody is above the law. Full Story
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![Hundreds of people gathered to attend former President Donald Trump's first 2024 presidential campaign rally in Waco on March 25, 2023.]()
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Nate Paul charged with 8 felony counts of making false statements to financial institutions
The Austin real estate investor was a central figure in allegations that led the Texas House to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton last month. One of the charges against Paul has ties the impeachment allegations. Full Story
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![The United States Federal Courthouse in Austin on June 9, 2023.]()
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Appeals court dismisses GOP megadonor’s lawsuit against Beto O’Rourke
Billionaire Kelcy Warren claimed that he was defamed by the Democratic candidate’s criticism of the power-grid failure in 2021. Full Story
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![Gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke greets attendees during a Get Out the Vote Rally hosted by the Asian American Democrats of Texas in Asiatown on October 15, 2022.]()
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Texas to deploy buoys to deter Rio Grande crossings, Abbott announces
The governor revealed plans for a floating river barrier at a Capitol signing ceremony for six new laws related to border security. The first 1,000-foot section will be set up near Eagle Pass. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott displays SB 1113, one of six bills he signed during a border security bill signing session at the state capitol in Austin on June 8, 2023. “Washington D.C. has failed to do its job to secure the border,” Abbott said “As a result, Texas has had to take unprecedented steps in responding to the crisis caused by the Biden administration on the border, and in response the Texas legislature has stepped up to make sure that we will be able to more robustly respond.”]()
Credit: Joe Timmerman/The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers pull funding for child ID kits after investigation finds little evidence of their effectiveness
Lawmakers were slated to spend millions of taxpayer dollars for the kits but changed course after a series of revelations in a ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation. Full Story
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This year, Texas lawmakers zeroed in on existing health care programs, leaving bolder measures by the wayside
Pregnant moms on Medicaid will get health care coverage for a year, patients will get more detailed billing and nurses will get help with school loans. But efforts failed to gain steam for legalizing fentanyl test strips, increasing the pool of mental health professionals who accept Medicaid and expanding Medicaid benefits to more Texans. Full Story
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![Learning Tree owner Christa Marek holds her granddaughter at the Learning Tree childcare center in Yoakum, on Sept. 13, 2022.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
With Texas House adjourned, Senate takes bigger swing at border enforcement and human smuggling
Rather than accept the House legislation as is, senators passed their own — more expansive — proposals for border security. But unless the House convenes again, the bills can’t go to the governor’s desk. Full Story
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![State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, talks about a bill on the Senate floor at the state Capitol in Austin on March 14, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune