The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
225,000 Texan service members have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, and more than 600 have sacrificed their lives. A monument to be installed Dec. 2 on Texas Capitol grounds will pay tribute to them and their families. Full Story
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As state officials vie for limited federal disaster dollars, housing advocates fear Texans with destroyed homes may fall through a patchwork of government agencies. Full Story
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More than four years after Texas lawmakers approved a law allowing for the drug testing of certain out-of-work Texans applying for unemployment, supporters blame the Obama administration for keeping the program from getting started. Full Story
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A state representative launched an anonymous Facebook page to lobby against a parks bond in his hometown of Fredericksburg. The bond lost by 100 votes. The city's mayor called the campaign "totally wrong." Full Story
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Texas' special education director is facing allegations from her old job in a small Oregon school district that she tried to cover up sexual abuse of a special education student. A civil suit was filed against her last Tuesday. Full Story
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Sexual misconduct accusations are piling up against powerful men across the country. If you live in Texas and have been the subject of workplace sexual harassment, here’s what you can do. Full Story
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Late Thursday, transportation officials released a statement saying they were dropping several toll projects from long-term plans due to public response. Full Story
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A state lawmaker has asked the attorney general to weigh in on whether the state's transportation agency can use voter-approved funds to rebuild or expand highways that will also include toll lanes alongside them. Full Story
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A new law will require certain cities to get the consent of a majority of property owners before annexing their land. Full Story
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Homeless youth in Texas are inadequately supported due to a spotty system of programs and resources, according to a new report released Wednesday. Full Story
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We've updated compensation data for employees of the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UT Southwestern Medical Center in our Government Salaries Explorer. This update reflects state agency payrolls for 2017. Full Story
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No dollar amount is going to secure a win when it comes to running for office. In fact, some of the most expensive campaigns were run by people you have probably never heard of. Full Story
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Sharon Keller, the longtime presiding judge of Texas' Court of Criminal Appeals, has tried to move on from several past ethical controversies — including blocking the last-minute appeal of a 2007 execution. A primary challenger hopes voters will reconsider them. Full Story
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Officials from battered towns and counties — including one who said he's had suicidal thoughts — told lawmakers that too many residents are sleeping in tents and hotels more than two months after Hurricane Harvey. Full Story
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In an interview with The Texas Tribune, Kim Grabert, the state's first director of human trafficking prevention, discussed how the state plans to recover and rehabilitate runaway youth who are sold for sex. Full Story
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Texas voters were in favor of all seven constitutional amendments on the statewide ballot, according to early voting results released Tuesday evening by the Texas Secretary of State’s office. Full Story
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It was round two in New Orleans on Tuesday for attorneys for the state of Texas and opponents of the state’s anti-“sanctuary cities” law, Senate Bill 4. Full Story
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Attorneys for the state of Texas are set to head back before the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Tuesday to defend the state’s new immigration enforcement law. Full Story
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State officials want as few parameters as possible on federal disaster relief funds, but housing advocates say that could lead to public works projects getting federal funds over Texans who lost everything. Full Story
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A new law will require insurance companies to cover 3-D mammograms for Texas patients. The advanced screening technology allows for early detection of cancer and reduces false positives. Full Story
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