Five firms being considered for design and construction of Texas-Mexico border wall that Gov. Greg Abbott promised
One of the companies being considered previously built a 3-mile barrier that is at risk of falling into the Rio Grande. Full Story
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![A storage lot for border wall fencing on Oct. 16, 2021 in Pharr. The Biden administration canceled all border wall contracts prompting a lawsuit from Ken Paxton.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House committee to investigate school districts’ books on race and sexuality
State Rep. Matt Krause, a candidate for state attorney general, asked school superintendents to confirm whether any books on a list of 850 titles are in their libraries and classrooms. Full Story
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![Books at McCallum High School in Austin on Jul. 31, 2013.]()
Credit: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez for The Texas Tribune -
Texas reaches $290 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson in nationwide opioid case
“We’re not done going after these other companies,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said. Overdose deaths related to opioids increased by 30% nationally in 2020. Full Story
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![Johnson & Johnson company offices in Irvine, California, on Oct. 14, 2020.]()
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Search the newly updated Government Salaries Explorer
The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation has been updated to represent salaries as of Sept. 30. This update also includes new job descriptions and salary ranges for many positions. Full Story
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![Government Salaries Explorer]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Ben Hasson / Texas Tribune -
Restrictions on transgender student athletes’ participation in school sports signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott
House Bill 25 will require student athletes who compete in interscholastic competition to play on sports teams that correspond with the sex listed on their birth certificate at or near their time of birth. Full Story
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![Supporters and activists gather at the front of the Governor's Mansion for the Lights in Darkness demonstration on Oct. 12, 2021. The demonstration was in opposition to anti-trans legislation.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott signs off on Texas’ new political maps, which protect GOP majorities while diluting voices of voters of color
Texas lawmakers drew new maps for the state House and Senate, congressional delegation and State Board of Education. Here’s what Texans should know about the 2021 redistricting outcomes. Full Story
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![2020 Census data and redistricting maps at The Texas Tribune office in Austin on Oct. 7, 2021. The state population grew by nearly 4 million and was mostly driven by people of color.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
Delta-8 in Texas remains classified as "illegal" after judge denies request from hemp firm
Another hearing on the matter is scheduled for Nov. 5. Full Story
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![Products containing Delta 8 THC on the counter at GR8 Vapes in San Marcos on Oct. 20, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas universities with federal contracts are caught between Greg Abbott and Joe Biden over COVID-19 vaccine mandates
While some universities in other states that hold federal contracts have mandated vaccines for all employees, many Texas universities, which collectively have billions in federal contracts, are still reviewing the executive order before it goes into effect Dec. 8. Full Story
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![Social distancing markers at the LBJ Student Center at Texas State University in San Marcos on August 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Are lawmakers trying to make Texans more confident in elections, or less?
After conservative complaints about the national results in the 2020 election, Texas Republicans have tried to anticipate everything that might play against them in 2022, right down to who’ll be at the helm. Full Story
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![Voters still in line after the closing of the polls wait to enter the McCreless Library in San Antonio to cast their vote on Election Day.]()
Credit: Clint Datchuk for The Texas Tribune -
Enrollment at Texas’ public universities inches ahead of community colleges for the first time since 1990s
Preliminary data shows Texas college enrollment is down about 4% statewide since 2019, mostly due to an 11% drop in community college enrollment. Full Story
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![ACC Riverside campus on Feb. 27, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas has new political maps. See which districts your home is in.
This year’s elections will take place using newly redrawn political maps for the state’s congressional, House, Senate and Board of Education districts. Search your address to see how the new districts will affect your community. Full Story
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![Illustration showing Texas congressional districts and a search box.]()
Credit: Emily Albracht/The Texas Tribune -
Appeals court allows whistleblower lawsuit from former employees who accused Ken Paxton of bribery to proceed
The state 3rd Court of Appeals rejected the attorney general’s argument that the Texas Whistleblower Act doesn’t apply to him. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 27, 2021.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott’s pick for top Texas election post worked with Trump to fight 2020 results
As secretary of state, Fort Worth attorney John Scott would oversee election administration in Texas. Full Story
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![A Texas Historical Commission plaque on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas says popular cannabis extract, delta-8, is illegal, sending retailers scrambling
The federal farm bill in 2018 made the substance legal because of its low THC content. Full Story
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![Products containing Delta 8 THC on the counter at GR8 Vapes in San Marcos on October 20, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Oil industry helped handpick members of Texas advisory group for electric grid reliability, emails show
Oil and gas industry groups provided a list of names to the Railroad Commission for appointment to a council formed in response to the February power crisis. All four of the industry's top choices were selected. Full Story
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![Smoke from a power plant in San Antonio on Aug. 4, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Texas state Sen. Kel Seliger, a Republican willing to buck his party leadership, will not seek reelection
Seliger has served in the Senate since 2005 and led the higher education committee. He was seen as a champion of public education and local control but was derided as too soft on social conservative issues near the end of his tenure. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, speaks to his colleague on the Senate Floor on April 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Gov. Greg Abbott should call lawmakers back for a fourth special session
In a tweet, Patrick said he supported Abbott calling lawmakers back to Austin to increase the penalty for illegal voting and approve a “forensic audit bill.” Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks from the podium in the Senate on the first day of the special session on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas legislators set the table for the 2022 elections
The controversial issues you’ve heard Texas lawmakers debate for most of the year aren’t going away; many of them will be argued all over again during the 2022 elections. Full Story
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![State Representatives on the House floor debate over amendments to HB 1 on Oct. 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
Five takeaways from Texas’ third special legislative session
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office says there’s no plan for a fourth special session at this time. If this was the final special session of the year, what did we learn from it? Full Story
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![The north side of the Capitol building on Oct. 6, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
White House calls Texas’ bill targeting transgender student athletes “hateful”
The comment further hints at a possible fight between the state and the Biden administration over transgender rights. Full Story
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![Transgender rights activists gather outside the entrance to the House floor in Austin on May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune