The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
During the first legislative session since Hurricane Harvey, state lawmakers are poised to make an investment in storm recovery and flood mitigation that some have described as unprecedented. But it's more complicated than that. Full Story
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After a key Republican holdout agreed to bring a priority bill to the floor, the upper chamber increased an election trigger on revenue increases from 2.5% to 3.5%. But now both chambers must reconcile how they want to tackle rising school district taxes. Full Story
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This week is one of the busiest shopping seasons on the border, but after hundreds of federal agents were diverted from international bridges to help with a surge of migrants, retailers and other businesses are fretting about how hours-long wait times will impact them. Full Story
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"I respect our Senate rules, but I do not intend to let a procedural motion stop the Senate from passing this important bill," the lieutenant governor said. Full Story
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LGBTQ advocates and business groups have warned that the measures could imperil municipal rules that outlaw discrimination. Full Story
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Texas State University administrators and the student body president blocked the student senate's attempt to ban the conservative group Turning Point USA from campus. Full Story
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House leadership plans to hold a floor vote on Monday. Meanwhile, the Senate is looking for one more vote to bring the priority measure to the floor. Full Story
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As Confederate monument supporters said history shouldn't be erased, Democratic state Rep. Jarvis Johnson of Houston asked if markers depicting slaves hanging from trees should be erected. Full Story
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The Senate on Monday passed a bill that would remove a cap on the number of school personnel that can carry firearms at schools. It is the chamber's latest tweak to the marshal program since last year's mass shooting at Santa Fe High School. Full Story
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A little-known and ill-defined provision in state statute offers big tax breaks to landowners who host university research on their property. Two lawmakers are trying — again — to close the "loophole." Full Story
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"I refuse to act like it is still a possibility and continue to provide false hope to my constituents," state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, said in a statement. Full Story
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The "Tax Man," a Republican senator from Houston, has his best chance yet to shake up Texas' property tax system. But it's going to be an uphill battle. Full Story
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In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Mike Wilson, editor of The Dallas Morning News, and Debbie Hiott, general manager of Austin public radio station KUT, about the romantic ideal and precarious reality of the Capitol press corps. Full Story
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Some business groups who thought they had a slam dunk bill on employment benefits are now worried that LGBTQ opposition they tried to prevent could kill one of their priorities. Full Story
Although Texas Central isn't planning on using state funds for its Dallas-Houston line, it says language in the spending plan could impede the project until a court definitively affirms the company's ability to use eminent domain. Full Story
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Eliminating the lockbox requirement for school marshals was one of many suggestions Gov. Greg Abbott outlined for the Legislature in a 43-page plan released weeks after last year's deadly shooting at Santa Fe High School. Full Story
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The two-year plan, which must still pass the full Senate, includes a $9 billion infusion for public schools and property tax relief and up to $900 million in cuts to Medicaid. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers want to fix school finance, but they can't avoid looking for voter-pleasing side dishes, like property taxes and teacher pay raises, that could undermine the public education fixes. Full Story
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Republican state senators passed a resolution that would declare a crisis at the Texas-Mexico border and request Congress to fully fund border security measures. Democratic senators say they never saw the measure until it hit the floor. Full Story
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The bill passed on a 19–12 vote, with one Republican voting against it and one Democrat voting for it. It requires one more approval in the Senate before it heads to the Texas House. Full Story
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