In a pandemic and an election year, Texas Democrats look for the right tone
The party, which has high hopes in the state in 2020, is looking to offer contrast without politicizing a crisis. Full Story
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![Democratic Party signage and logos at the Texas Democratic Party office in Austin.]()
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Texas tax breaks help in disasters — just not public health disasters
Property tax exemptions and sales tax holidays only offer savings for events like hurricanes or floods. Full Story
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![A man walks through floodwaters after surveying his property in Rockport, which was hit by Hurricane Harvey, on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017.]()
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How coronavirus impacted Texas: Hospitalizations, vaccinations, cases and deaths
From April 2020 to August 2022, the Texas Tribune used data from the Texas Department of State Health Services to track coronavirus hospitalizations, vaccinations, cases and deaths. We stopped updating these numbers in August 2022. Full Story
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![Illustration showing the state of Texas, a medical cross symbol and a chart.]()
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Federal appeals court allows medication abortions in Texas during coronavirus pandemic
The appeals court's latest ruling comes after abortion providers and state officials have battled over what access to the procedure should be allowed during the public health crisis. Full Story
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![A women's health clinic in Texas.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Senator Kirk Watson talks reopening the Texas economy and his impending retirement from politics
We sat down for a live virtual event with Watson, D-Austin, to discuss the path to reopen the Texas economy during the coronavirus pandemic and to look back at his time in the Senate. Full Story
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Watch Gov. Greg Abbott discuss new plan to help small businesses harmed by coronavirus-related closures
As much of the Texas economy remains at a standstill to minimize the spread of the new coronavirus, Abbott will lay out a new program aimed at helping small businesses. Watch it live at 11:30 a.m. Central Time. Full Story
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![A shuttered store front on El Paso Street in downtown El Paso during the the COVID-19 pandemic.]()
Credit: Emily Kinskey for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Is voting in person during a pandemic the best we can do?
Texas lawmakers are historically resistant to changing voting practices — and the current coronavirus-inspired push for voting by mail is no exception. But this isn't just about voting anymore. Full Story
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![Dallas voters in line to vote on March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
Federal appeals court once again allows Texas to block many abortions, but allows some pregnant women to proceed
Abortion providers said the latest ruling from the federal appeals court leaves abortion "largely inaccessible" in Texas. Full Story
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![A nurse practitioner consults with a patient at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Austin.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas has scant data about the pandemic, leaving a lot of questions
State officials have a lot more data about the new coronavirus than they did just days ago. But Texas remains behind the curve when it comes to critical information about the spread of the disease. Full Story
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![Nurse Kristen Howell, left, and Medical Lab Tech, Amanda Hernandez, administer a COVID-19 test at the Austin Regional Clinic drive-up testing site in Kyle on March 31, 2020.]()
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Citing social responsibility, many churches and businesses deemed essential are closing anyway
“This is the only way to be sure that we’re not making everybody sicker,” said one restaurant general manager. “We wanted to be able to be an example.” Full Story
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![Memorial Church of Christ in Houston.]()
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State-run homes for Texans with developmental disabilities aren’t ready for coronavirus outbreaks, some workers warn
Officials say they're ramping up support by providing more testing across Texas and additional personnel for facilities where the virus has been detected. But people close to the facilities have reported that the state is responding too slowly to the emergency. Full Story
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![An exterior view of the Denton State Supported Living Center in Denton on March 22, 2020.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill for The Texas Tribune -
Impacts of coronavirus on Texans of color clouded by incomplete data
The emerging national picture shows black Americans disproportionately getting sick and dying from COVID-19. The same trend may be playing out in Texas' black and Hispanic communities, but sparse data has been collected. Full Story
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![Harris County Health Department nurse Harriet Lewis administers a test at a Harris County testing site located at Stallworth Stadium in Baytown on March 21, 2020.]()
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Analysis: A fast drop for the Texas economy — and for the state budget
The pandemic's impact on the Texas economy is a full-on recession, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Tuesday. And hard financial decisions will mark the next session of the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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![Shuttered businesses on South Congress during the coronavirus pandemic. April 2, 2020.]()
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Texas can enforce abortion ban during coronavirus pandemic, federal appeals court rules
Republican state officials have said barring the procedure in almost all cases is essential for preserving hospital resources during the pandemic. Abortion providers call it political opportunism — and unconstitutional. Full Story
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![A Planned Parenthood examination room in Austin on Jan. 14, 2020.]()
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Texas Democrats again sue to ease vote-by-mail rules during coronavirus pandemic
The Texas Democratic Party is asking both federal and state courts to rule on whether any voter in upcoming elections should be able to ask for an absentee ballot to mail in and avoid possible infection at polling places. Full Story
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![Mail-in ballot envelopes at the Travis County Elections division headquarters.]()
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Analysis: What makes a business essential depends on where you sit
Nonessential businesses in Texas (and elsewhere) have been told to close — a measure intended to increase social distance and to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. But every business is essential to someone. Full Story
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![Book People book store in Austin.]()
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Analysis: It’s still religion even if you’re not congregating in person
To help keep the new coronavirus at bay, Gov. Greg Abbott wants us to stay away from each other, but he made an exception for church services. That was a critical mistake during the 1918 flu pandemic. It still is. Full Story
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![The interior of St. Mary Cathedral in downtown Austin on Jan. 30, 2019.]()
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Despite coronavirus risks, some Texas religious groups are worshipping in person — with the governor's blessing
COVID-19 has spread rapidly in Texas, and many congregations closed their doors and moved religious services online. But there are some religious groups who say it’s their right to remain open because they believe they provide an essential service to their communities. Full Story
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![Worshippers arrive for a church service at City on a Hill Church in Houston. Rubber gloves were handed out as people arrived and a sign on the door asked people to sit six feet apart as a precaution. April 1, 2020.]()
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The number of Texans filing for unemployment has soared 1,600% in two weeks
Last week alone, 275,597 out-of-work Texans filed for unemployment relief. Full Story
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![Closed businesses in the Deep Ellum area of Dallas on March 31, 2020.]()
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Coronavirus in Texas 4/2: More than a quarter million Texans file for unemployment relief in one week
Our staff is closely tracking developments on the new coronavirus in Texas. Check here for live updates. Full Story
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![The streets of downtown Houston during the coronavirus pandemic.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune