The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The Texas Senate endorsed a bill allowing for property tax rate elections if revenues would exceed 4 percent of what what was taken in the year before. The House is slated to take up that matter and nearly three dozen other property tax and appraisal bills. Full Story
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Texas senators tentatively approved bills that would require physicians and facilities to do more detailed reporting on abortions — and fine those who do not comply. Full Story
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This summer's special session is a little like this spring's regular session, only in miniature. The Senate has big plans and is in a hurry. The House? Not so much. Full Story
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Texas has a history of being a predominately red state, but Jeffrey Payne wants to change that. That’s why the Dallas Democrat is running for governor against one of the most popular and well-funded incumbents in recent memory. Full Story
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Senate Bill 15 would pre-empt local ordinances on mobile phone usage, effectively rolling back provisions in more than 40 Texas cities that currently post hands-free ordinances stricter than the statewide texting ban. Full Story
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They were unlikely to sway a committee of Republicans considering bathroom restrictions for transgender Texans, but a transgender 7-year-old and her mother waited for their two minutes. Full Story
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When state senators revive legislation on Saturday that could require voter approval of city and county property tax rates, lawmakers will also consider something new: limiting how much money local governments spend. Full Story
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For the third time this year, state lawmakers on Friday held a marathon hearing on measures to restrict bathroom use for transgender Texans. Full Story
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A Texas governor can tell lawmakers what subjects to work on in a special session but can't tell them exactly what to do. The session that started this week is now in the hands of the Texas Legislature — not the governor. Full Story
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Donning an apron, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick offered senators dinner for coming back in the early morning hours Thursday to vote out two special session bills that would extend the life of five state agencies. Full Story
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If judges ultimately agree that Texas’ current political boundaries discriminate against minority voters, we could see new maps ahead of the 2018 elections. Judges could also impose a more consequential penalty. Full Story
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The national Episcopal Church is urging Texas House Speaker Joe Straus to remain "steadfast" in his opposition to legislation to restrict bathroom use for transgender Texans. Full Story
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Here’s a look at the state-vs.-local fight over bathroom regulations, the legislative debate on the issue and how some Texans feel about the proposed measures. Full Story
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The chair of a House oversight committee wants more information about potential "misconduct" that occurred at the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Full Story
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With the beginning of the special legislative session, opponents of construction permitting rules in Austin that require more worker protections in exchange for a faster process have the chance to overturn local regulations like Austin's. Full Story
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The governor has identified the issues he wants lawmakers to work on during the special session. He says he'll keep score to track friends and foes. But he hasn't publicly made his positions clear — so how do they know how to vote? Full Story
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Both proponents and opponents of a Texas "bathroom bill" are steeling themselves once again as a special session kicks off in which Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to add the hot-button issue to the agenda. Full Story
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The coming weeks will reveal whether the ongoing hostility between Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus has paralyzed state policymakers as they take up the 20 items on Gov. Greg Abbott's agenda. Full Story
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The special session starting Tuesday is expected to be the costliest to date. But as government spending goes, a special session is actually pretty cheap. Full Story
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Democrats in the Texas Legislature outlined their priorities for the upcoming special legislative session on Monday, focusing on several issues that did not appear on Gov. Greg Abbott's agenda for the session. Full Story
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