The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
This freshman class of female legislators is young, diverse and — thanks to the women who came before them — treated as equals in the traditionally male-dominated chambers. Full Story
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After passing through the House Appropriations Committee, House Bill 1 now goes to the full Texas House. Full Story
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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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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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Hospital leaders say restrictions on their property tax revenue growth could force them to scale back services. Full Story
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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