The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
"Some of these people say they want responsible Republicans," Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said during a speech in Austin on Thursday. "A responsible Republican is a conservative Republican." Full Story
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How do I know if I’m registered to vote? What am I voting on? How do runoffs work? We've got answers to the basic questions about how to cast a ballot in the March 6 Republican and Democratic primaries in Texas. Full Story
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CJ Grisham, a candidate challenging state Rep. Hugh Shine in the Republican primary, wrote Facebook posts suggesting violent responses to excessive force by police. But Grisham told The Texas Tribune he would "take a bullet for good cops." Full Story
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Did Sen. Bob Hall's starring role in an ad "paid for by Texas Right to Life Committee, Inc." violate campaign finance law? Depends on who you ask. Full Story
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Participants in party conventions set rules, elect leaders and set the platform. Party leaders say getting involved is easy. Full Story
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It might deflate your confidence in the state of Texas to find that the people protecting your access to government information have their thumbs on the scale. That they’re playing favorites. That they put requests from their enemies on the slow track. Or that they advise the agencies who come to them for advice to act that way. Full Story
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One of the state's most prominent Tea Party activists needled the one-term incumbent agriculture commissioner over a variety of perceived missteps at a debate Tuesday night. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced a sweeping proposal aimed at better protecting people from human trafficking as well as tackling sexual misconduct allegations at the Texas Capitol and throughout state government. Full Story
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Julián Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio and a major fixture in Texas Democratic politics, said this week he has "every interest" in running for president in 2020. Full Story
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State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, went almost two years without filing any campaign or personal financial reports, racking up more than $50,000 in fines. He still hasn't paid anything and it's unclear whether any state agency has the power to make him. Full Story
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State Sen. Carlos Uresti's criminal fraud trial has entered its third week. The case could hinge on the testimony of one of Uresti's former legal clients. Full Story
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State Rep. Poncho Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass, violated campaign finance regulations in four semiannual reports he filed to the Texas Ethics Commission between January 2013 and January 2015. Full Story
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The state has approved three dispensaries to provide cannabis oil to seizure patients. But with only 18 doctors able to prescribe it, the oils still can be tough to secure. Full Story
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Rising property taxes are a legitimate political issue, driven by what elected officials and aspiring officeholders hear from their angry constituents. Local governments are on the other side of this, however, hearing from those same voters about deficiencies in schools and roads, crime protection and whatnot. Full Story
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After Tryon Lewis said on Thursday that he's leaving the five-person board that oversees the Texas Department of Transportation, a Dallas magazine reported Friday that Victor Vandergriff is also planning to leave the commission. Full Story
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The Texas General Land Office, led by Republican Land Commissioner George P. Bush, signed a contract with Horne LLP for Harvey disaster recovery services on Oct. 30, 2017. Three days later, Bush received $27,500 in campaign money from Horne executives. Full Story
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Texas filed suit in 2013 over an Obama-era policy aimed at making it easier for convicted criminals to find work. In 2012, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission advised employers to use criminal background checks during job screenings only when job-related or necessary for the business. Full Story
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A new U.S. Department of Labor proposal, which could change how Texas service workers receive tips, is facing greater scrutiny. Full Story
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Four former and current Texas Juvenile Justice Department employees were arrested Thursday as part of a Texas Rangers investigation into alleged misconduct at state-run youth lockups. Another suspect remains at large. Full Story
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A young Texan on Thursday became the first person in the state to receive a legal delivery of medical cannabis — more than two years after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law legalizing the sale of a specific kind of cannabis oil to Texans with intractable epilepsy. Full Story
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