The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
“It’s going to take us a while to get out of this backlog that we’re in, but we’re doing the things necessary to help more consumers,” a state official said. Full Story
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The Senate panel's vote came despite fierce pushback from city and county leaders, who say a lower election threshold on increased property tax revenues could hamstring their budgets. Full Story
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A Texas Senate committee is moving rapidly to require voter approval for local property tax increases over 2.5 percent. But some want to see the Legislature's school finance bill before they vote on property taxes. Full Story
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Some lawmakers had fretted that sending the preliminary, faulty list to the state's top prosecutor would intimidate voters. Full Story
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An appointment to the high court would require a two-thirds confirmation vote, potentially handing Texas Senate Democrats an important bargaining chip in the contentious legislative debates to come. Full Story
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Donations to the inauguration are not deemed political contributions under state statute. And the inaugural committee, whose creation is mandated by law, is not required to make financial disclosures before this summer. Full Story
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After last year's massacre at Santa Fe High School, survivors told lawmakers the school safety measures they want to see enacted during this year's legislative session. How many of them will become law? Full Story
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In the wake of a midterm election that saw four major state appeals courts flip on partisan lines, Hecht called on lawmakers to consider changing Texas to a system of merit selection and retention elections. Full Story
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What Texas Gov. Greg Abbott didn't say in Tuesday's State of the State speech was important. School finance and property taxes were the big issues before the speech — and Abbott didn't stray from those subjects. Full Story
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The Texas governor made the declaration during his annual State of the State address. Full Story
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The governor focused on bread-and-butter policy in a forum that has often featured a lot of red meat. Full Story
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Abbott stayed on message about education and taxes, and touched on school safety, disaster response and mental health programs. Full Story
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Paxton's office has asked lawmakers for millions more in funding and expanded jurisdiction to go after certain crimes. Critics say the requests are aimed at political gains. Full Story
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Amid what some call an eye care crisis, Texas optometrists are hoping the Legislature will give them more power to help patients without needing other doctors. But ophthalmologists say allowing optometrists more power would put patients' vision at risk. Full Story
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Atascosa County resident Julie Hilberg — a naturalized citizen whose registration was flagged by the state — is joining a lawsuit against top Texas officials. Full Story
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The leaders of both legislative chambers say they will be united this year — even if cities and counties push back — and that local officials should come to Austin with solutions in hand if they don't like new proposals. Full Story
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Steve Munisteri is headed home to help Texas' senior U.S. senator in his 2020 re-election bid. Full Story
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Bonnen, who married into a beer distributing family, says he doesn't need to recuse himself on alcohol issues and won't name the lobbyists who own a piece of his bank — a list that is much longer than previously reported. Full Story
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In this episode of our documentary series "Under the Dome," House and Senate leaders make their highly anticipated committee assignments — and one longtime lawmaker ends up in the doghouse. Full Story
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Two employees of the influential conservative group Empower Texans have been granted media credentials in the upper chamber. In the past — and in the House — they were rejected. Full Story
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