With major policy differences emerging, state leaders continue to project unity
Halfway through the legislative session, lawmakers say they're getting along. But they have a long way to go to achieve their goals this year. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen hold a joint press conference on the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion on Jan. 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
After new admissions scandal, former Regent Wallace Hall says University of Texas' rules are a "joke"
Hall led a heated battle to reform the school's admissions procedures, which led to reforms in 2015. But after a UT tennis coach was accused of taking a bribe to help a student gain admission, Hall says more needs to be done. Full Story
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![UT Regent Wallace Hall on April 28, 2014. Lawmakers admonished and censured Hall, who was waging a personal investigation into lawmaker influence in the UT-Austin admissions process.]()
Credit: Charlie Pearce for The Texas Tribune -
Property tax proposal piles one more worry on Texas' rural hospital districts
Hospital leaders say restrictions on their property tax revenue growth could force them to scale back services. Full Story
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![The wound care center at Eastland Memorial Hospital.]()
Credit: Gary Rhodes for The Texas Tribune -
Texas senator proposes moving all youth in state lockups to shuttered adult jail
After shrinking the population at state-run juvenile lockups, state Sen. John Whitmire wants to move the remaining youth at five facilities to one recently closed adult jail. Full Story
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UT System to slash 65 jobs in second round of layoffs
The announcement, made in an internal email, is part of a new but expected wave of cuts aimed at trimming the system's overhead. Full Story
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![The University of Texas System building in Austin, Texas. Photo by Shelby Knowles]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
A fight over paid sick leave is turning into a fight over LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinances
A now-erased provision in Senate Bill 15 explicitly said a potential new state law would not supersede local nondiscrimination ordinances. Without that language, many LGBTQ advocates fear Texans could be exposed to some discriminatory employment practices. Full Story
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![State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, explains parts of House BIll 214 to Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, on August 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Trump to nominate Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Brown to the federal bench
If the U.S. Senate confirms Brown, the state's highest civil court would see its second vacancy in a period of months. Full Story
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![Justice Jeff Brown listens to Philip Durst during the Texas Supreme Court hearing for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice v. Maurie Levin, et al. case on Jan. 23, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate leaders unveil $1.8 billion package of disaster relief bills
In the first session since Hurricane Harvey, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and three top senators are pushing a legislative package aimed at preparing the state for natural disasters. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Senators Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham and Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, hold a press conference to announce the filing of Senate bills 6, 7, and 8. Mar. 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Santa Fe official testifies in somber committee hearing on school safety bills
The proposals that earned the support of lawmakers of all political stripes included ones that strengthen security and beef up mental health initiatives in schools. Full Story
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![Senate Education Committee Chariman and state Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, during a committee meeting on Mar. 5, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
Broad Texas school safety bill proposes threat assessment teams, expanded emergency training
It’s unclear how much it would cost to implement all of Sen. Larry Taylor’s proposals. Senate Bill 11 appears to take an unspecified amount from the rainy day fund to help cover the costs. Full Story
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![After an extended evening recess, Sen Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, begins an explanation of the committee substitute to House Bill 21, the school finance bill on Aug. 14, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Will Texas decriminalize marijuana this year? There is growing support.
The repercussions Texans face for possessing small amounts of pot — something several states no longer consider criminal — can all depend on where in the state they live. Some lawmakers want an across-the-board relaxation of criminal charges. But stigma fuels lingering opposition. Full Story
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![Sydney Sigler, 26, holds her daughter in her home in Robinson, Texas on Feb. 26, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
In the House, the property tax bill is being handled with a different speed — and tone
State Rep. Dustin Burrows, author of the House bill, said the House Ways and Means Committee is "not just trying to get something across the finish line as quick as we can." Full Story
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![Members of the House Committee on Ways and Means listen to testimony on HB 2 on Feb. 27, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate panel advances bill banning cities from adopting sick leave ordinances
The bill would also nullify mandates some local city councils in major Texas cities have already tried to put in place. The measure is now eligible to be taken up by the full Senate. Full Story
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![The Senate Committee on State Affairs listens to testimony on SB 15 at a hearing at the State Capitol. Feb. 28, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Watch: A conversation on school segregation
On Feb. 26, we sat down for a conversation about the impact of school segregation on public education in San Antonio, moderated by the Tribune's Aliyya Swaby. Full Story
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Texas' highest criminal court strikes down a key provision of the Open Meetings Act
The ruling only pertains to a slice of the law, but open government advocates say the decision “removes a powerful disincentive” put in place to keep public officials from hiding public business. Full Story
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![Judges of the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals Court at the state Capitol. Jan. 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers have tried to end daylight saving time for years. Can they do it this session?
State lawmakers are again trying to abolish daylight saving time in Texas, arguing it's antiquated. But supporters of the practice argue it gives Texans a crucial extra hour of light in the evenings during the summer months. Full Story
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Federal judge directs more counties to halt voter citizenship review efforts as lawsuits proceed
After state officials conceded that at least a quarter of a list of nearly 100,000 Texas voters flagged for citizenship review should never have been questioned, a federal judge said, "I wish all of this could've been done back as the original effort." Full Story
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![Voters cast their ballots in midterm elections in Houston, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Beto O'Rourke is days away from a 2020 decision. Here are six questions that loom over him.
O'Rourke, an El Paso Democrat, said he'll decide before the end of the month whether he'll join a growing list of Democrats hoping to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Full Story
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![Beto O'Rorke speaks during a counter protest right across the street from where President Trump is holding a campaign rally, Monday, February 11, 2019, in El Paso, TX. Photo by Ivan Pierre Aguirre]()
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In Texas, property tax levies can be as individual as homeowners themselves
State lawmakers are trying to reform a complicated taxing system where everything from suburban growth to gentrification and a homeowner’s age influence how much Texans pay their local governments. Full Story
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![A home in Austin, Texas. Feb. 21, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Houston judge tosses same-sex marriage benefits challenge, but plaintiffs pledge to appeal
A newly elected Democratic judge issued the decision in the latest turn of a 2013 legal challenge to Houston's policy extending benefits to municipal employees' same-sex spouses. Full Story
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![Herbert Clayson Cloete and Mark Chavez smile as they watch Jodie Flint, who officiated the "Big Gay Wedding" ceremony, sign their marriage license on July 4, 2015 in Austin.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune