Analysis: A virus unfettered among the unvaccinated
Texas and other states are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, one that’s preying disproportionately on unvaccinated people. Full Story
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Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas has seen nearly 9,000 COVID-19 deaths since February. All but 43 were unvaccinated people.
Preliminary data shows 99.5% of COVID-related deaths in Texas were among unvaccinated people, according to the Department of State Health Services. Full Story
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![Long lines of drivers wait for hours to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the Fair Park vaccination site in Dallas. Feb. 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott says he won’t impose new mask mandate despite increasing COVID-19 cases
Abbott reiterated Tuesday that Texas schoolchildren will not face mask requirements as they return to school later this summer. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott holds a border security briefing with sheriffs from border communities at the Texas Capitol on July 10, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Sixth Texas Democrat in Washington, D.C., tests positive for COVID-19
The Texas House Democratic Caucus, which has said it plans to not identify lawmakers who test positive, has started additional precautionary measures, such as providing daily rapid tests. Full Story
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Texas House Democrat Michelle Beckley announces run against Republican U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne
Beckley unveiled her plans in a video filmed inside a hotel room in the nation’s capital, where state House Democrats fled earlier this month to break quorum in protest of Republicans’ priority elections bill. Full Story
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![State Rep. Michelle Beckley, D-Carrollton, speaks to reporters at the General Investigation committee hearing at the Capitol. Beckley was one of the state representatives mentioned during the June 12 meeting between House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Michael Quinn Sullivan.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
T-Squared: What you can expect at this year’s Texas Tribune Festival
Nearly 150 speakers (including 20 more biggies revealed today) across more than 50 sessions. Four days of virtual programs. Two jampacked days of in-person programs. Everything streamed. Everything on demand. Are you as excited as we are? Full Story
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Texas Supreme Court extends state program to help tenants avoid eviction until Oct. 1
The extension comes as the federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire on July 31. Full Story
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Surgery kept one longtime Democratic lawmaker from fleeing Texas. He fears missing a moment in history more than arrest.
Houston state Rep. Garnet Coleman has been at the forefront of voting and social justice battles for decades and helped lead the 2003 flight of Democratic legislators to Oklahoma. Not being with his colleagues who went to Washington, D.C., has been agonizing, he says. Full Story
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![State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Texas foster care crisis worsens, with fast-growing numbers of children sleeping in offices, hotels, churches
Increased oversight and lack of funding mean hundreds of children spend their nights in hotels and churches and on office floors. Full Story
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![Prince Hayward outside of his apartment in Houston on May 23, 2021. Hayward, who grew up in the foster care system, now advocates for positive changes within the system.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas Democrats may find themselves in the wilderness of wandering public attention
The legislative Democrats who decamped from Texas to Washington, D.C., to block a voting bill need public attention to pull the argument their way — and that's going to be harder to get after last week’s first news of their quorum-busting. Full Story
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![Democratic members of the Texas House and Texas Senate gathered for a joint press conference at Washington Plaza Hotel in Washington, D.C., on July 14, 2021.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Five Texas House Democrats who traveled to Washington, D.C., have tested positive for coronavirus
Three lawmakers tested positive on Saturday and two more on Sunday. All of the lawmakers are fully vaccinated. Full Story
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![At least 50 House Democrats that Texas left the state held a press conference in Washington D.C. The democrats broke quorum and stopped Republicans from taking up GOP priority bills on July 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Extra money for retired teachers in a “13th check” at center of Republican-Democrat shouting match
On Tuesday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 7, which would provide retired teachers, counselors and school staff a one-time payment of up to $2,400 through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Full Story
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![Jessica Lemmer went over a fraction problem with her third grade math class on Jan. 14, 2018 at Edward Titche Elementary School in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas.]()
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Texas Senate advances bills limiting education about race, access to abortion-inducing medications. The House is still sidelined.
It's largely symbolic, but the Texas Senate is nearing the end of its work on Republican priorities for the special legislative session after passing bills limiting "critical race theory" and abortion access Friday. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick presides over the Senate on July 14, 2021.]()
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George P. Bush outraises Attorney General Ken Paxton in primary challenge debut, though Paxton has bigger war chest
Bush started his Paxton challenge with a fundraising lead of $2.3 million to $1.8 million, but Paxton easily maintains the most cash on hand in a primary that also includes Eva Guzman, the former state Supreme Court justice. Full Story
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![Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush speaks to members of the media after announcing his candidacy for Texas Attorney General at an event inside Buford's Bar in Austin on June 2, 2021.]()
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Can Greg Abbott actually build Trump's border wall?
The governor wants to finish the wall that Donald Trump began on the Texas-Mexico border, but he'll have to overcome the same hurdles that impeded the ex-president's efforts. Full Story
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![Segments of the first border wall construction in Texas since President Trump took office near Donna in 2019.]()
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Texas House Speaker offers Democrats free plane ride home to return to state
The plane will be on standby at Dulles International Airport, and Dade Phelan’s team said his political campaign, not taxpayers, will pay for the flight. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan behind the dias on July 13, 2021.]()
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El Paso Democrat Joe Moody stripped of leadership position in Texas House after leaving state with Democrats
Moody, one of House Speaker Dade Phelan's closest Democratic allies, is the first Democrat to suffer political backlash after the quorum break. Full Story
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![State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, speaks with colleagues on the House floor during session at the state capitol on May 25, 2021.]()
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Who is footing the bill for Texas Democrats’ weekslong exodus to block the voting bill?
With over 50 House Democrats in Washington — along with 12 paid staff — the costs are quickly mounting and the party's funds are not unlimited. Full Story
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![Private charter planes at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on July 12, 2021. Democratic lawmakers booked charter flights to leave the state in protest of Republican-led voting restriction legislation.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Behind the partisan drama lies a profoundly serious struggle over who gets shut out under Texas voting laws
Whose voices will be heard in Texas halls of power? That question beats at the heart of the Democratic quorum break that has brought the Legislature to a halt and focused national attention on GOP efforts to make voting in Texas harder. Full Story
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![Tevin English holds signs in front of the Texas Capitol at a Voting Rights Advocacy Day rally held by various voting rights advocacy groups on July 13, 2021.]()
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Texans, where’s your Democratic lawmaker?
Here’s a list of the Texas Democrats who left the state in an effort to block GOP voting legislation. Full Story
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![An empty House floor the day after Texas Democrats left the state to break quorum over a Republican-led voting restrictions bill. July 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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