The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Even some Democrats who are dissatisfied with the president give good marks to Texas' Republican governor, according to a University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll of the state's voters. Full Story
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Smaller communities have also struggled to get tests because they were not prioritized by the government or are too cash-strapped to buy them from the private sector, which runs the majority of tests in Texas. Full Story
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President Donald Trump leads Democrat Joe Biden by 5 points in the race for president in Texas, but voters give the president mixed grades on his handling of the pandemic and the economy. They think Gov. Greg Abbott is doing a better job. Full Story
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In rural areas where the presence of the virus has yet to be confirmed, testing has been scarce — raising questions about whether the virus is lingering undetected. Full Story
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The high court did not weigh in on the arguments that Gov. Greg Abbott's order went beyond his executive powers in a disaster. Instead, it ruled that the Harris County judges were the wrong plaintiffs. Full Story
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Bonnen raised the idea in a letter earlier this month to Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Full Story
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Residents' families, restricted from visiting in an effort to stop the spread, are pleading for information. Even they aren’t being told how severe the outbreaks are where their loved ones live. Full Story
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GOP officials called it "tyranny" and "government overreach," taking issue in particular with the $1,000 fine associated with violating the mask requirement. Full Story
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A new order from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott that took effect Wednesday allows more procedures to resume in health care facilities that agree to reserve a certain number of beds for coronavirus patients and refrain from seeking scarce protective equipment from public sources. Full Story
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This week's drop in crude oil prices signals trouble for state and local government budgets. Energy isn't the biggest source of tax money in Texas, but the big one — the sales tax — is already falling. Full Story
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A day after oil prices crashed, The Texas Railroad Commission opted against taking action to impose limits on oil producers. Full Story
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Colleyville Mayor Richard Newton appears to be the first mayor in Texas to move ahead with plans to relax stay-at-home orders aimed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Full Story
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Tuesday's news conference comes a day after the governor announced plans for the Texas National Guard to mobilize more than 1,200 personnel for COVID-19 mobile testing teams. Watch Abbott's live update from the state Capitol starting at 2 p.m. Central time. Full Story
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Patrick went on Fox News on Monday evening to defend comments he made last month where he said he would rather die from the widely spreading coronavirus than see the economy destroyed for his children and grandchildren. Full Story
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In March, Gov. Greg Abbott barred all procedures not “immediately medically necessary,” and the state’s attorney general declared that the restriction applied to abortions — sparking a weekslong court fight and prompting some women to seek abortions out of state. Full Story
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The 2020 election year was already momentous, and then a pandemic broke out, demanding the full attention of the voters whom politicians depend on. Everything from how we vote to when we vote is now in question. Full Story
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State data indicates that Donley County in the Panhandle has the highest coronavirus infection rate in Texas. But county Judge John Howard — also the only local doctor — believes that's because he's testing far more than other counties. Full Story
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Concerns that Texas hospitals would be unable to accommodate a surge of COVID-19 patients seem to have been assuaged in recent days. Full Story
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Abbott's original ban was intended to preserve medical resources. On Friday, he said Texas had ample hospital bed space and a strong supply chain of personal protective equipment. Full Story
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The coronavirus pandemic swiftly swept Texas into an economic recession, prompting millions to seek unemployment aid and complicating the state budget. Here’s a look at how the recovery is going. Full Story
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