Analysis: A $5.5 billion shift in who pays for public education in Texas
It's an old and bittersweet story in Texas: Property values rise, local property tax revenue rises and the state government spends less on public education. Full Story
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![Students walk with their desk barriers to their next class on the first day of in-person classes at Highland Village Elementary on Sept. 8, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texans sue Attorney General Ken Paxton, accuse him of violating First Amendment for blocking them on Twitter
The lawsuit argues that being blocked from viewing the attorney general's tweets is a violation of the First Amendment because it limits the right of people to participate in a public forum and access Ken Paxton's statements. Full Story
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![Ken Paxton at the inauguration ceremony of Judge Michelle Slaughter at the state capitol. Jan. 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Texas rushes to get more residents vaccinated
On this week's Tribcast, Matthew talks to Karen, Patrick and Ross about the race to reach herd immunity in Texas and the early maneuverings in the 2022 election cycle. Full Story
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![Dr. Annamaria Macaluso Davidson holds a COVID-19 vaccine registration card at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Medical Center in Houston on Dec. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Senate Democrats support conservative-backed Texas bill requiring pro-sports teams with state contracts to play national anthem
10 of the 13 Texas Senate Democrats voted in favor of the "Star Spangled Banner Protection Act," which Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick named a legislative priority after the Dallas Mavericks stopped playing the national anthem before games. Full Story
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![Fans stand during the playing of the National Anthem before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Atlanta Hawks at the American Airlines Center on Feb 10, 2021, in Dallas.]()
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Court says Ken Paxton's case against Austin and Travis County for issuing New Year's curfew is moot, dismisses case
While it’s been months since New Year’s, Paxton argued the case wasn’t moot and asked the court to prevent Austin and Travis — or other local authorities — from issuing similar orders in the future. The court refused. Full Story
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![A sign outside of Hotel San Jose asks customers to wear a mask inside the South Austin business on March 3, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House committee advances bill that would make it a crime for election officials to send unsolicited vote-by-mail applications
Like other Republican proposals, the measure would target Harris County’s initiatives from the 2020 general election, including a shift to proactively send out vote-by-mail applications. Full Story
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![A polling location in the Performing Arts Center at Texas State University in San Marcos during early voting on Oct. 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers want to ban dangerous radioactive waste. The proposal would give a nuclear waste company a big financial break.
A bill advancing in the House seeks to ban spent nuclear fuel, one of the most dangerous types of radioactive waste, from coming to Texas. Full Story
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![The entrance to the Waste Control Specialists site, where radioactive and hazardous waste is being stored on Jan. 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune -
Texas investigating allegations that unaccompanied migrant children are being abused, sexually assaulted in San Antonio
The governor did not know the identities of those who alleged assault, nor did he provide many details. He said he was concerned more than one child may have been assaulted. Full Story
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Texas’ rent relief program has been plagued by problems that slow payments and could prompt evictions
According to a legislative report, of the 176,000 people who have begun applications for rental assistance, just over 1,000 have had their applications approved. And only 250 of payments have been sent. Full Story
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![Carl Nickerson shows his eviction papers outside of of Harris County Courthouse in Houston, Texas on Aug. 21, 2020.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Republican state House speaker backs expanding Medicaid to cover mothers for a year after they give birth
The number of reported maternal deaths has increased nationwide in recent decades. Health experts and advocates say giving low-income moms Medicaid coverage for a year after delivery, rather than two months, could save lives. Full Story
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![Patients wait to be seen at the People's Community Clinic in Austin, which provides state-subsidized women's health services to low-income women on July 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A Texas state budget — minus $38.6 billion in federal stimulus money
The state budget approved by the Texas Senate on Tuesday is just the start: Lawmakers still have to decide what to do with billions in federal COVID-19 relief money. Full Story
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![Levi Pedrick peaks out of his kindergarten class window on the first day of in-person classes at Highland Village Elementary on Sept. 8, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues in effort to force Biden administration to deport more people convicted of crimes
The suit is the latest in a series of legal challenges Paxton has brought against the Biden administration since January. Full Story
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![Immigrants are escorted by border patrol agents near the Paso del Norte International Bridge in El Paso on June 15, 2019.]()
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Texas Senate approves a $250 billion state budget — but questions remain about how federal aid will be used
The budget does not factor in over $35 billion in federal aid. Senators said they don't yet know when that money will come in and what strings could be attached. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott bans state agencies and state-funded organizations from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination
This comes as vaccine credentials, often referred to as vaccine passports, are being developed around the world as a way to quickly prove someone’s vaccination status, particularly with private companies. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott holds a press conference in Dallas on unaccompanied minors crossing the southern border on March 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Carly May for The Texas Tribune -
Point of Order: Democratic leaders on a challenging year for their party
In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Chris Turner and Carol Alvarado, the chairs of the Democratic Caucuses of the Texas House and Texas Senate, about a challenging year for their party. Full Story
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Texas Republicans have long pushed to allow “constitutional carry” of guns. Proponents say this year is their best chance.
The momentum follows a shake-up in House leadership and comes as the practice is gaining traction in statehouses across the country. Meanwhile, gun control advocates are sounding the alarm about making it easier to carry guns after recent mass shootings. Full Story
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![Terry Holcomb waits to ask a question while open carrying at the Texas Republican Convention in San Antonio on June 14, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott publicly slammed Facebook. Privately, he’s courting the social media giant to build a second data center in Texas.
The effort comes as Abbott and some Texas legislators are pushing a proposal to punish social media companies for “canceling conservative speech.” Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott holds a press conference in Dallas on unaccompanied minors crossing the southern border on March 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Carly May for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Corporations aren’t buying what GOP leaders are selling in voting debate
Corporations generally stay out of legislative fights that don’t directly affect their business, but some are weighing in against proposed Republican restrictions to voting laws. Full Story
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![American Airlines jets fill Terminal A at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in April of 2019.]()
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After saying he has “no plans” to run for governor, Beto O’Rourke quick to clarify he might
“Nothing’s changed and nothing I said would preclude me from considering a run in the future,” he told the Tribune. Full Story
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![Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke delivers a campaign address in El Paso on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2019. The speech marked his return to campaigning, suspended after the mass shooting in El Paso.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas’ proposed voting restrictions have more to do with 2018 than 2020
New voting restrictions working their way through the Texas Legislature have more to do with the 2018 election cycle than the one in 2020. Full Story
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![Cars lined up to vote in the drive-thru line at NRG Stadium in Houston during the first day of early voting on Oct. 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune
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