State government

The bill aims to slow rising property tax revenues and make it easier for Texans to understand how their tax bills are determined. The House and Senate both approved it Saturday, and it is expected to soon be sent to Abbott for his signature.

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Sen. Lois Kolkhorst's office said Saturday that she "is still evaluating all options available to save SB 1804."

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The bill would prohibit such partnerships, even for services not related to abortions. Abortion rights advocates worry that the bill's broad language could even halt privately funded programs held on government property.

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The final version of the bill is expected to require cities, counties and emergency service districts to hold an election before raising 3.5% more property tax revenue than the previous year. Community colleges and hospital districts would need to do so at 8%.

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After opposing leadership — and mouthing off — the second-most senior Republican in the Texas Senate is the only senator who was not recognized to bring up a bill for a vote on the floor.

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State Rep. Garnet Coleman suggested that the newly released video showing some of Bland's confrontation with a state trooper before her death may have been buried in a “data dump” of information given to lawyers and lawmakers.

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Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said a bill that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana was "dead on arrival" in the Senate. But his party's platform supports marijuana decriminalization. So what gives?

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A proposal on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott would make it easier for pickled beets, carrots and other produce to be sold at farmers markets alongside pickled cucumbers.

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The "Big Three" spoke to news outlets as the Texas legislative session neared its end.

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In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Reps. Ina Minjarez and Matt Krause about the issues that have divided an otherwise unified House in the last weeks of the session, including abortion and religious liberty.

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Angry that the Legislature failed to overrule local ordinances requiring private employers to offer paid sick leave, many business groups are hoping the courts will finish the job for them.

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A bill to kill one program that critics say traps low-income drivers in a cycle of debt, is nearing the governor's desk, but bills to reform the similar Omni program look all but dead as the legislative session winds down.

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The upper chamber added those changes to a broader bill that must pass for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to continue functioning. The House has already signaled it would let breweries sell beer to go.

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Although it cut some provisions from the Senate version, the House committee substitute to Senate Bill 421 keeps public meeting requirements and protects against low-ball offers for landowners facing eminent domain actions.

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On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Ross, Emma and Patrick about the Texas House's resident bomb-thrower, the most controversial bills still moving in the Legislature and Beto O'Rourke's attempted presidential reboot.

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If the House approves changes made by the upper chamber, the bill will head to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

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The bill needs a final stamp of approval from the Senate before it can head to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk for his signature.

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Tentative approval of the bill comes days after the one-year anniversary of a shooting at Santa Fe High School that left 10 dead and another 13 wounded.

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In their effort to make a future state income tax all but impossible, Texas lawmakers used terminology that experts believe could inadvertently gut the state’s franchise tax.

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Consideration of the bill comes more than a year after a gunman killed 26 in a Sutherland Springs church.

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