The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Their vacation does not affect the lack of quorum that the House has in Austin that prevents the chamber from passing an elections bill. But it is at odds with Democrats’ insistence that they would use their time away to advocate for federal voting rights legislation in the nation’s capital. Full Story
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Gender-affirming care, which leading health care organizations in Texas say is the best way to provide care to transgender children, is emerging as a top target of state Republicans and lies at the heart of brewing political and legal battles. Full Story
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For some energy experts, the increase in donations for the officials at the close of the session looks like a reward for not passing more stringent regulations and raises questions about whether lawmakers let the oil, gas and the broader energy industry off easy for its massive failures. Full Story
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Abbott has promised to call a second special session to pass the GOP’s priority voting bill, but the exact timing is uncertain. And House Democrats have not yet revealed what they have planned after the session ends this week. Full Story
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The U.S. Justice Department sued Abbott and Texas after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the order “dangerous and unlawful.” Full Story
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Reynolds is among the Texas House Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C., last month to block a state voting restrictions bill. Full Story
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In what some people call an affront to the families of the 2019 shooting victims, Texas Republicans expanded gun rights earlier this year when the state Legislature passed a permitless carry bill. Full Story
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Educators who spoke to The Texas Tribune overwhelmingly denounced the new social studies law going into effect Sept. 1. These are the provisions they say could cause problems for them — and Texas students. Full Story
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Jay Hartzell said the switch to the Southeastern Conference was the best thing for UT-Austin’s student athletes and the university. Texas senators expressed disdain for the move and questioned how it came about. Full Story
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A lot of the news from the last few days — about the Legislature, about COVID-19 and about immigration — has a real déjà vu quality to it. And there’s a good reason for that. Full Story
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Republicans believe they have already compromised enough on the legislation, while Democrats are distrustful of both the policy driving the bill and their GOP colleagues after seeing how they have managed the process around the proposal so far. Full Story
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In the first phase of funding from the federal government for emergency rental assistance, Texas received about $2 billion. Now the state has to get those funds in the hands of Texans. Full Story
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Texas Democrats have been in the nation’s capital for more than two weeks, seeking the support of as many high-profile politicians as they can. Full Story
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As the safety net for Texas tenants behind on rent begins to disappear, a 19-year-old Houston organizer helps Hispanic residents apply for emergency financial assistance. Full Story
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A partial shutdown of state government wouldn't do anyone in state politics any good. Lawmakers still have time to erase the governor's veto of the Legislature's budget — but not a lot of time. Full Story
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The executive order allows DPS troopers to reroute vehicles back to their origin point or a port of entry. Immigration rights advocates say the governor's action is an invitation for racial profiling. Full Story
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Both Republicans in Austin and Democrats in D.C. have engaged in the political drama over the past two weeks, with the two camps battling it out on cable news interviews and social media over the quorum bust and who is to blame for it. Full Story
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The bill is largely symbolic, as the Legislature is currently at a standstill, unable to move any legislation because House Democrats broke quorum two weeks ago when they fled to Washington, D.C., to block GOP voting bills. Full Story
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In a letter to the major general of the Texas National Guard, Abbott said “more manpower is needed” at the border. Full Story
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Nothing offers a better distraction from nasty political fights over serious subjects than nasty political infighting over Texas college sports. Full Story
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