Analysis: It takes a village to win big races in Texas
Want to win a statewide political race in Texas that's not at the very top of the ballot? It helps a lot if your party's top candidate wins — or at least runs a close second. Full Story
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![A woman votes at Great Baptist Hills on July 14, 2020, in Austin.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats see focusing on power grid failure as a winning campaign strategy heading into 2022
Republican leaders defend their record on the power grid, pointing to more than a dozen laws passed during this year’s legislative session to address the grid’s reliability. Gov. Greg Abbott has staked his reputation on a promise that the lights won't go out this winter. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol during the winter storm on Feb. 16, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Republican bill that limits how race, slavery and history are taught in Texas schools becomes law
The so-called “critical race theory” law prohibits teachers from discussing “a widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs.” Full Story
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![Students walk between classes at Chapa Middle School in Kyle on August 24, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas now bans medical abortions after seven weeks of pregnancy
Beginning today, a new law restricts abortion-inducing medication, the most common abortion method in Texas. Full Story
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![A pharmacist poses with pills of Misoprostol, made by Lupin Pharmaceuticals, at a pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on June 19, 2019.]()
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Federal judge blocks Texas law that would stop social media firms from banning users for a "viewpoint"
The law was passed this year after outcry from Republicans over perceived anti-conservative bias among major tech companies. Full Story
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![Social media app icons on a smartphone.]()
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Texas scientists search for potentially virulent new omicron COVID-19 variant as state health officials push vaccination
So much is unknown about the new COVID-19 variant: the severity of the illness it causes, whether it can resist vaccines and natural antibodies and whether it’s more contagious than the delta variant that has burned through Texas and the U.S. for months. Full Story
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![Travelers gather their luggage at baggage claim at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Nov. 18, 2021.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ ban on mask mandates in public schools back in place after federal appeals court ruling
Three-judge panel finds no "concrete, or actual or imminent, injury" caused by Abbott's ban on mask mandates. Full Story
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![Fifth graders at Jacob’s Well Elementary School in Wimberley during a reading exercise. Some students participated in the ex…]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
The pandemic has undone years of educational gains in Texas schools. Here’s what the road to recovery looks like.
Gaps in student learning because of pandemic disruptions could impact students in the long term. Full Story
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![Isabel Suarez works on homework at her home in Pflugerville. Dec 9, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas regulators pass rule aimed at preventing natural gas producers from having power cut off during future winter storms
But Texas oil and gas regulators addressed only part of the problem that led millions of Texans to lose power for days after February’s winter storm, and gas producers likely won’t be required to weatherize until 2023. Full Story
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![Wayne Christian, Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, and Commissioner Jim Wright listen during an RRC hearing in the …]()
Credit: Dimitri Staszewski for The Texas Tribune -
Longtime state Sen. Larry Taylor, best known for his work on education issues, says he won't run for reelection
Taylor was a key player in the 2019 school finance overhaul that lawmakers passed. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, addresses Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, on the Senate floor on May 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
A growing number of Texas Republicans want a fourth special session to pass COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban
It remains unclear whether Gov. Greg Abbott — the only official with the power to convene special sessions — will order state lawmakers back to Austin, or what issues he would include on the agenda. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with legislators on the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, …]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
The Supreme Court appears open to rolling back abortion rights. Here's what that means for Texas.
Texas has passed legislation that ensures abortion would be made a felony if Roe v. Wade is overturned “wholly or partly,” as the court considers Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban. Full Story
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![Barriers surrounded the Supreme Court ahead of planned demonstrations regarding abortion in Texas in Washington, D.C., on No…]()
Credit: Eric Lee for The Texas Tribune -
“People should probably be worried”: Texas hasn’t done enough to prevent another winter blackout, experts say
Natural gas powers the majority of electricity in Texas, especially during winter. Some power companies say the state’s gas system is not ready for another deep freeze. Full Story
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![Vistra Corp.’s Midlothian Power Plant opened its doors to media on October 15, 2021 to show the plant’s weatherization proce…]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Republican state Rep. Matt Krause drops out of attorney general’s race to run for Tarrant County district attorney
Krause had been among the primary challengers to Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose legal problems have made him a target for both parties next year. Full Story
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![State Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, on the House floor on Aug. 9, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
UT-Austin professors criticize university for halting antiracism study with preschoolers
The decision to halt the study comes after a University of Michigan-Flint professor filed an Office for Civil Rights complaint against the study, arguing it discriminates against children of color. But professors said pausing the study sets a negative precedent that could impact academic freedom. Full Story
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![The statue of George Washington outside the University of Texas at Austin Main Building on July 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A swelling Texas treasury gives 2022 hopefuls room for big ideas
As the political season starts, the contestants got an unexpected bit of good news: The state comptroller says the next Legislature will start with almost $25 billion in the state treasury. Expensive campaign promises just got a lot easier to make. Full Story
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![Legislators on the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Congressional gerrymandering by Texas Republicans cut out the heart of Houston’s Asian community
Asian and Pacific Islander populations surged in Texas over the past decade, but their political power is weakened under new congressional maps. A northwest Houston neighborhood offers a case study in how that was done. Full Story
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![Hyunja Norman poses for a portrait at the Korean Community Center in Spring Branch on Oct. 21, 2021. Norman passionately se…]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Texas grid vulnerable to blackouts during severe winter weather, even with new preparations, ERCOT estimates show
The most severe scenario considered by ERCOT for this winter — very high demand for power, extensive fossil fuel outages, and low renewable power production — does not capture the amount of power lost during February. Full Story
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![Snow surrounds an Austin Energy station in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021.]()
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Dallas health care program for transgender kids formally dissolved after becoming target of conservative criticism
Hospital officials cited privacy for children as a reason behind the decision and said patients will still receive care through other departments. Full Story
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![Protestors participate in a rally against Anti-Trans legislation at the southern steps of the state capitol on April 28, 202…]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott, GOP leaders allocate $4 million to fund county-level election audits
A new state law requires the secretary of state's office to audit results in four randomly selected counties every two years. Full Story
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![People wait in line to vote at Audelia Road Branch Library on the first day of early voting in Dallas on Oct. 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune