State government

The bill would have made it a crime to repeatedly use social media to harass or torment someone. It was aimed at protecting children from some indirect forms of cyberbullying.

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The Legislature designated the funding for the Amarillo campus over objections of Texas A&M University, which currently runs the only veterinary medicine school in the state.

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Abbott said the measure "is an unnecessary invasion of parental rights and an unfortunate example of over-criminalization."

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Critics say a bill awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott's signature would mark an expansion of lawmakers’ ability to wall off their records from public scrutiny.

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The legislation includes framework that provides more than $1.6 billion for flood control projects and repairs across the state.

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The bill, which goes into effect Sept. 1, prevents cities and neighborhood associations from prohibiting or regulating children who sell nonalcoholic drinks on private property.

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The conservative groups who made a feast of former House Speaker Joe Straus for 10 years have a new target: Straus successor Dennis Bonnen.

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A Texas Tribune study analyzed 560 cases from four Texas counties to shine a light on how the controversial practice of civil asset forfeiture is used by law enforcement.

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The bills would, among other things, strengthen mental health initiatives available to children, abolish the cap on how many school marshals can carry guns on public school campuses and allot money to school districts that can go toward “hardening” their campuses.

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Some gun rights groups want Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a line item in the Texas budget that puts $1 million toward a public safety campaign on gun storage. But one powerful bloc isn't actively opposing the measure: the National Rifle Association.

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In this edition of the TribCast, Emma talks to Ross, Alexa and Patrick about the latest at Gov. Greg Abbott’s office and upcoming mayoral elections in Dallas and San Antonio.

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Gov. Greg Abbott added David Whitley to his state staff after Texas Senate Democrats refused to confirm Whitley as secretary of state. Whitley's handling of a botched voter citizenship review undermined his Senate support. But isn't the hiring a sign that the governor didn't mind?

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The bills aim to create a "hostile environment" for human trafficking in Texas and address sexual assault, said Gov. Greg Abbott at a bill signing ceremony Tuesday in Dallas.

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Whitley had resigned as secretary of state just before he would have been kicked out of office without a confirmation vote.

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Take a look at how Texas lawmakers reconciled major differences in their proposed two-year budgets, including funding for public schools, teacher salaries, women’s health, prison guard salaries and more.

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In the last episode of our podcast about the 86th Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to House Speaker Pro Tem Joe Moody and Senate President Pro Tem Kirk Watson about what state lawmakers did for us and to us this session — and what they’ll do next.

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A monthslong push from the governor’s office to confirm his longtime aide as secretary of state heated up in the session’s final days. Some Democrats feared retribution for defying the governor.

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Some plumbers are calling for a special session after the Texas House ended the state plumbing code and a plumbing regulation agency that has dozens of employees.

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In the past, personalities got in the way of policy at the Texas Capitol. This year, state leaders refused to let that happen.

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Completing negotiations that have taken place over the last few months, Texas House and Senate lawmakers accepted a compromise on a state spending plan for 2020-21.

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