Photos: After Texas Hill Country flood, grief and recovery take hold
After the tragic flooding in Kerr County, photographs depict a battered but resilient community. Full Story
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![Community members visit Louise Hays Park in Kerrville to look at the damage left behind by the deadly Fourth of July flood in Kerr County on July5, 2025.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers failed to pass a bill to improve local disaster warning systems this year
A GOP state lawmaker who represents Kerr County says he likely would vote differently now on House Bill 13, which would have established a grant program for counties to build new emergency communication infrastructure. Full Story
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![An aerial view of damage along the Guadalupe River near Kerrville on July 5, 2025. Heavy rains in the Hill Country on July for caused catastrophic flooding and loss of life.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune -
In Texas region prone to catastrophic floods, questions grow about lack of warning
Water rose fast along the Guadalupe River, causing 68 deaths as of Sunday afternoon. Local officials said they couldn’t have seen it coming. Full Story
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![Uprooted trees after deadly flooding in Kerrville on July 5, 2025.]()
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Camp Mystic, a haven for generations of Texas girls, becomes a center of tragedy
Girls remain missing from the camp, which has hosted the daughters of governors and one president. Rescue efforts continued Sunday. Full Story
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![Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt on July 5, 2025.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune -
Central Texas flooding death toll rises to at least 79 as search continues for survivors
More than 400 first responders from over 20 agencies were on the ground combing the area Sunday searching for survivors. Full Story
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![A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, June 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville.]()
Credit: Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribune -
Former Democratic state House candidate among nine indicted for alleged vote harvesting in South Texas
The charges are the latest escalation in a probe that resulted in Texas authorities indicting six other Frio County area officials in May. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Republican Party of Texas convention on Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Paxton drops appeal: Texas to pay $6.6 million to whistleblowers
The Legislature will still have to appropriate the funds to pay the judgment, either during the upcoming special session or during the next regular session. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton makes a statement to the press May 26, 2023 a day before a scheduled impeachment vote in the Texas House in a long-running ethics complaint.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
House Democrats, California leaders weigh tit-for-tat redistricting if Texas Republicans redraw maps
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s aides have signaled their boss’s willingness to counter Texas redistricting with a similar move to offset GOP gains, lawmakers said. Full Story
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![California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks next to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as he announces a $750 million film and TV tax credit to help boost one of California's hallmark industries and the local economy from The Ranch, a Warner Bros. production facility, in Burbank, California, U.S., July 2, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake]()
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Elon Musk hired a dozen Texas lobbyists this year. State law keeps the extent of their influence under wraps.
How the billionaire businessman’s lobbyists helped him get so many state Legislature wins is something of a mystery. Full Story
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Texas says undocumented immigrants visited local hospitals 80K times in three months. That’s 2% of all visits.
While the state says undocumented patients cost hospitals $329 million over three months, critics say the data lacks payment information and more context. Full Story
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![Medical equipment and tools line the walls above a hospital bed in Cedar Park Regional Medical Center in Cedar Park, Texas on Mar. 13, 2024. Kaitlyn Cunningham has been in this hospital room for more than two months.]()
Credit: Maria Crane for The Texas Tribune -
Renewing our commitment to political and investigative journalism
In the last few months, we’ve restructured our teams and made new hires that will help us build on our reputation as the state’s go-to source for news on Texas government and politics. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol seen on Monday June 30, 2025 in Austin, Texas.]()
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Inside Elon Musk’s stellar year at the Texas Capitol
While Elon Musk took Washington, D.C., by storm, his company representatives and lobbyists were also notching up big political wins in Texas. Full Story
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![An illustration of Elon Musk standing in front of machines related to his businesses and the Texas Capitol in Austin.]()
Credit: Glenn Harvey for The Texas Tribune and ProPublica -
Texas changes sexual assault laws to clarify what is consent
After three sessions, Texas lawmakers passed a bill last month that defines consent and fixes what advocates called a loophole in Texas sexual assault laws. Full Story
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![Summer Willis, a survivor of sexual assault, speaks in support of domestic and sexual assault survivors at the Capitol Thursday February 20, 2025. Survivors of violence and advocates with The Texas Council on Family Violence and The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault rallied to push for policy and funding items during the 89th Legislative Session.]()
Credit: Jay Janner/American-Statesman/USA TODAY NETWORK via REUTERS -
A Texas boy needed protection from measles. The vaccine cost $1,400.
Because their insurance did not cover the cost of vaccinations, the family qualified for a variety of options to help lower the cost, but they were not offered assistance. Full Story
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![As the West Texas measles outbreak spread, Thang Nguyen of Galveston worried about his 4-year-old son, Anh Hoang, who had received only the first of the measles vaccine’s two doses. Nguyen took his family to a primary care clinic, where his son got his second shot. He was surprised when his insurer did not cover the vaccine — and its $1,400 price tag.]()
Credit: Scott Dalton for KFF Health News -
Texas medical marijuana industry to push for hemp age restrictions and delta-8 ban
Medical program leaders want a ban on synthetic delta-8 THC, which makes up the bulk of consumable hemp products. Full Story
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![Texas Original Director of Cultivation Jason Sanders gives a tour of the business’ facility on Sept. 26, 2024. Texas Original is Texas’ first licensed medical cannabis distributor.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Judge dismisses Ken Paxton lawsuit challenging State Fair of Texas gun ban
Texas’ attorney general alleged the City of Dallas and the fair were violating state law and the second amendment with the ban, which was adopted after a 2023 shooting. Full Story
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![Crowds attend the State Fair of Texas in Dallas on Oct. 14, 2024.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
GOP state Sen. Brian Birdwell says he won’t seek reelection
Soon after Birdwell announced his retirement, state Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, said he was running for the seat. Full Story
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![Senator Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, during a Texas Senate meeting on March 25, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Texas capital murder case attempts to severely punish abortion pill use by treating a fetus as a person
A North Texas man charged with capital murder after slipping mifepristone into his girlfriend’s food signals another attempt to rein in abortion pills. 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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Texas lawmakers have gotten used to state budget surpluses. That era may be ending.
As federal pandemic aid ends and sales tax revenues cool, analysts say it could constrain the Texas Legislature in coming years. But they don’t see an immediate budget crisis on the horizon. Full Story
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![Dense fog blankets the dome of the Capitol in Austin on March 12, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott sets Nov. 4 special election for open state Senate seat
The contest coincides with the state’s November uniform election, when voters across Texas will already be at the polls to decide local offices and ballot measures. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick presides over the Senate on July 14, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune