The extra $300 federal benefit will end June 26 for jobless Texans. Abbott also cut off another federal benefit that extended aid to gig workers, self-employed people and others who aren’t traditionally covered by unemployment insurance.
Politics
Stay informed with The Texas Tribune’s in-depth political coverage, including Texas elections, state government, policy debates, and the leaders shaping the future of the state.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas senator overhauls House bail bill to keep more people in jail if they can’t post cash bonds
Legislative attempts to reform bail in Texas are likely headed for a closed-door showdown over the different approaches the House and Senate each devised.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas GOP state senator urged use of unproven hydroxychloroquine treatment for COVID-19. Now he’s spreading doubt about vaccines.
In a period of sagging vaccination rates — particularly among staunch conservatives — state Sen. Bob Hall used his platform to promulgate debunked anti-vaccine conspiracies and push claims that have largely been eschewed by the medical community.
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Politics
George P. Bush wants to challenge beleaguered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. But can he keep Trump out of it?
Bush has a unique history with Trump as the only prominent member of his famous political family to back the former president. Meanwhile, Paxton has tightly aligned himself with Trump in recent months.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: Texas legislators have a long way to go and a short time to get there
Texas lawmakers are entering the last two weeks of this legislative session, with some of their biggest promises unfilled. Don’t fret: They do a lot of their work only when deadlines loom.
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Politics
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy loses bid to replace Liz Cheney as third-ranking House Republican
Roy announced Thursday that he was seeking the post but was quickly denounced by former President Donald Trump.
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University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polls
Analysis: Those Texans ignoring social distancing guidelines? They’re probably not vaccinated
Polling suggests that along with an increasing number of vaccinated people without masks, there will be many others who are unmasked but unvaccinated — posing a public health hazard to themselves and to other unvaccinated people with whom they come into contact.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Time runs out on Texas House bill banning gender-confirmation health care for kids, but another attempt lives on in the Senate
House Bill 1399 would have banned gender-confirmation surgery, hormone therapy and puberty suppression treatments for Texas’ transgender children.
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Politics
Donald Trump denounces Chip Roy’s bid for U.S. House Republican leadership post: “He has not done a great job”
Roy was among a small handful of Texas Republicans who voted against overturning the election in January.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House adds MLK and Frederick Douglass speeches to bill that would mandate teaching “informed American patriotism”
House Bill 4509 would mandate that students study documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Federalist Papers. The bill’s author added speeches from Black historical figures after criticism at a hearing last month.
