The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
A special election doesn't play out like normal elections. For starters, there are no primaries. Every candidate who files for the seat – regardless of party affiliation – will appear on one ballot. Full Story
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If history is any guide, candidates that earned first place in their primary race are likely to win their runoff — especially if they finished with a lead of more than 10 percentage points. But there are instances when second-place primary finishers come out on top. Full Story
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Despite rising numbers, it's still not known whether the number of women accessing such services has returned to the levels that preceded massive budget cuts during the 2011 legislative session. Full Story
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Andrew Oldham, a nominee for an influential federal appeals court, asserted during a U.S. Senate committee hearing Wednesday that the positions he took on behalf of Texas would not influence his work as a judge. Full Story
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The Texas Health and Human Services Commission's Office of the Inspector General is investigating how a former agency employee was mailed a box full of private client information. Full Story
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As the U.S. Supreme Court took up Texas' redistricting case, several justices questioned whether they even had the authority to pick up where a lower court left off. Full Story
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Under pressure to keep up with rising expenses, colleges in Texas and across the country have turned to outside groups to underwrite certain initiatives. But bringing in outside funders can lead to questions about whether their donations come with strings attached. Full Story
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The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday in a Texas redistricting case that has flagged two congressional districts and nine Texas House districts. Here's a closer look at one of the districts in question: U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett's curiously shaped 35th Congressional District. Full Story
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A nonbinding opinion issued Monday by Attorney General Ken Paxton continues a battle between lawmakers, restaurants and the Texas Department of Agriculture over the regulation of scales used to measure food. Full Story
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Republicans said the Democratic county chair never signed the candidates' ballot applications. Democrats called the suit a frivolous partisan attack. Full Story
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For Texans with severe epilepsy, a new treatment recently became legal: medical cannabis oil. As the state’s first dispensaries open, we followed two families trying the medication to reduce seizures. Watch our video documentary, “Out of Options.” Full Story
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Ron Pigott, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's deputy executive commissioner for procurement and contracting services, is the latest person to leave the agency amid a shake-up over contract mismanagement. Full Story
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Benefits for Texas teachers have been a point of contention between educators and lawmakers for years — and often a hot topic at the Legislature. But where does Texas fall nationally when it comes to teacher pay, health care and retirement benefits? Full Story
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This time, the fight is happening in the courts after attempts to overturn short-term rental ordinances failed in the Legislature. Full Story
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Last month's bombing spree "would have overwhelmed any major city police department," Austin's interim police chief told a congressional committee as he thanked state and federal agencies for their help in tracking down a serial bomber. Full Story
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Heather Griffith Peterson, chief operating officer for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, resigned amid continued criticism from auditors over mismanagement of state contracts. Full Story
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The State Auditor’s Office released a 30-page report on Monday showing the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Department of State Health Services bungled a contract with Genesis Systems Inc. Full Story
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No Green Party candidate got enough votes in 2016 to guarantee the party a place on the November ballot. As it prepares for its convention, the party isn’t optimistic that it can collect the signatures it needs to be a player in this year’s election. Full Story
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Damage from heavy trucks has battered local roads in and around the state's oil fields, and many counties want the state to help pay for repairs and maintenance. Will lawmakers take action? Full Story
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A study published this week in a medical journal revealed that a new state methodology drastically reduced the count of maternal deaths in Texas for 2012. What will that mean for state policy on maternal mortality? Full Story
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