The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Although there are fewer people in prison than there were a decade ago, costs have surged along with the share of inmates who are older — and sicker. Full Story
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Two University of Texas/Texas Tribune pollsters say top state officials edging into slightly tighter gun control laws are taking their cues from the changing electoral climate — not from changing attitudes among voters. Full Story
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Abbott has set a Dec. 1 deadline for agencies to tell his office how they plan to limit regulations, reduce fees and, "where appropriate," remove licensing barriers for people with criminal records. Full Story
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Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded the new rules, saying they would make Texans safer. The Obama-era regulation was meant to improve chemical safety practices and prevent tragedies like the deadly 2013 fertilizer plant explosion in the tiny Central Texas town of West. Full Story
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Bloomberg is the fourth person to file for the Democratic presidential primary in Texas. Full Story
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Several nonprofits, local governments and philanthropy organizations have formed Texas Counts, a coalition aimed at ensuring an accurate census count in 2020, which could affect representation in Congress and billions in federal funding. Full Story
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Spending on each of the last two inaugurations eclipsed that of any other in Texas for at least 40 years, even when adjusted for inflation. A spokesman for the governor has said no state dollars were spent on the festivities. Full Story
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Chancellor J.B. Milliken said 2.6% is the rate of inflation in the higher education sector. UT institutions have increased tuition between 0.1% and 8.5% in recent years. Full Story
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The depth of the bench for non-marquee statewide races, like the state’s two high courts and the Railroad Commission, is a measure of how high Democratic hopes have soared ahead of the 2020 election. Full Story
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A toxic algae bloom in Austin that killed five dogs caught officials by surprise, but despite how dangerous the blooms are, there's almost no way for cities to combat them. Full Story
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Trump will tour a new Apple manufacturing plant in Austin on Wednesday with Apple CEO Tim Cook. Full Story
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His campaign is suggesting that it no longer sees having a national platform as a must. Instead, it’s staking its hopes on a strong finish in Iowa, Nevada and Castro’s home state of Texas. Full Story
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Texas has a history of deadly mass shootings. Many have sparked public debate about what legislation should be passed to prevent another one. Full Story
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Miller, Texas' Agriculture Commissioner, has a history of making inflammatory, offensive and false posts on social media. Full Story
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Amid confusion over the state’s mandatory retirement law, a state official confirmed to the Democratic Party months ago that the race for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 6 would appear on the 2020 ballot. It probably won't. Full Story
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Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced he would not seek reelection a week after the release of an infamous recording of a conversation between him and a political activist. It's not the first time that secret recordings caused a stir in Texas politics. Full Story
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Ever since Nov. 8, 2000, someone has been killed in a Texas wreck each day. The state's transportation department is spending an additional $600 million on safety — and trying to end all roadway deaths by 2050. Full Story
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James Dannenbaum, president and CEO of the high-powered Dannenbaum Engineering, was charged with a scheme to get employees to donate to three congressional candidates in 2017. Full Story
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Turnout in odd-numbered years has always been historically low. While this year’s turnout is higher than in 2017, it's still overwhelmingly low. Full Story
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Texas voters approved nine amendments to the state constitution, including a proposal making it harder to enact a personal income tax. One amendment was rejected. Full Story
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