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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 2025
Bill making ivermectin an over-the-counter drug signed by Gov. Greg Abbott
Some people use the drug to treat COVID, even though it’s not approved by the FDA for such use.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas is officially replacing STAAR. Here is what schools’ new standardized tests will look like.
House Bill 8 scraps the unpopular exam for three shorter tests at the beginning, middle and end of the year starting in the 2027-28 school year.
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Criminal Justice
New Texas law restricting abortion pills beefs up an existing legal tool
HB 7, which was signed by the governor Wednesday, allows private citizens to sue abortion pill providers and manufacturers, mirroring a 2021 law on abortion bans
Posted inHealth care
Bill allowing private citizens to sue over abortion pills clears Texas governor’s desk
House Bill 7 allows people to sue manufacturers and distributors of the drug.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Abbott signs bill allowing Harris County law enforcement to contract with HOAs without commissioners’ OK
House Bill 26 advanced out of the Texas Legislature on Aug. 27, two days after being added to the second special session’s agenda.
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Politics
News organizations fight to unseal Attorney General Ken Paxton’s divorce records
The Texas Tribune, Texas Newsroom and ProPublica are among a group of media outlets arguing the records should be made public because the Paxtons are elected officials subject to scrutiny.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Tejano star Bobby Pulido launches South Texas congressional run
The musician and Democrat is looking to flip Texas’ 15th Congressional District, which voted for President Donald Trump by 18% in 2024.
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Politics
Ken Paxton’s legal crusade against Beto O’Rourke is faltering before an all-Republican appeals court
The court, appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott, recently allowed O’Rourke to continue raising and dispersing donations, and cast doubt on Paxton’s main arguments.
Posted in
Redistricting Texas 2025
Texas GOP may be banking on low Hispanic turnout in new map
Republicans note that some of the districts they intend to flip were redrawn to become majority-Hispanic. Democrats say the GOP made sure to add Hispanic Texans who are unlikely to vote.