Dallas' failing pension fund poised for overhaul as bill heads for Abbott's desk
The House unanimously approved a Dallas pension bill aimed at preventing first responders' retirement fund from becoming insolvent within a decade. Full Story
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![Dallas police officers and firefighters protest their failing pension fund outside City Hall in Dallas on April 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott signs crackdown on inappropriate student-teacher relationships
The bill Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law on Thursday requires principals and superintendents to report cases of teachers having inappropriate relationships with students or face a state jail felony or a fine of up to $10,000. Full Story
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![After signing it into law on May 25, Gov. Greg Abbott displays Senate Bill 7, which toughens the penalties for inappropriate student-teacher relationships. In the background: Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath, State Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, State Rep. Tony Dale, R-Cedar Park and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Abbott: There is still time to avoid a special session of the Legislature
Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday there is still time for a deal to be struck to avert a special session of the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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![Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to the Convention of States gathering at the Texas Capitol on Dec. 6, 2016]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Uber, Lyft returning to Austin on Monday
Uber and Lyft are returning to Austin on Monday, the same day Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign ride-hailing legislation passed by Texas lawmakers. Full Story
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![Uber and Lyft, two San Francisco-based transportation networking companies, have launched services in several Texas cities.]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Texas Senate approves bill tweaking A-F school grades
The Texas Senate approved a bill that would tweak a plan to grade school districts — well past a midnight deadline for passing legislation. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor walks across the Senate floor on May 24, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Former child bride lobbies for bill to save others from her nightmare
At 14, Trevicia Williams was forced to marry a 26-year-old ex-convict. Nearly 40,000 children were married from 2000 to 2014 in Texas, but a bill that made it to the governor’s desk Tuesday seeks to stop this practice. Full Story
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![Trevicia Williams was 14 years old when her mother forced her to marry a man 12 years her senior.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Trevicia Williams -
Another top TABC honcho departing amid controversy
Steven Weinberg abruptly quit this week as commissioner of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which has been roiled by reports of extravagant spending, mismanagement and heavy-handed regulation. Full Story
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![Commissioner Steven Weinberg attended the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's quarterly meeting via video conference on May 23, 2017. Weinberg quit the day of the meeting. Chairman Kevin Lilly, left, alongside Commissioner Ida Clement Steen, right, recognized Carla Thompson with a promotion to Captain.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding -
Houston pension bill heads for governor's desk, but firefighters are still mad
The House passed a controversial Senate version of a Houston pension bill, angering firefighters. But in Dallas, leaders appear to have coalesced around a bill that once divided the mayor and first responders in that city. Full Story
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![Retired Houston firefighters and their supporters watch from the state House gallery on May 6, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
House backs Giddings measure targeting "lunch shaming"
After several failed attempts and compromises during the legislative session, Rep. Helen Giddings finally succeeded in getting the House to pass a measure that targets "lunch shaming" in schools. Full Story
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![State Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Desoto, holds up a sample of a piece of cheese given to students who lack money to pay for school lunches in Dallas area schools during a personal privilege speech on the House floor May 9, 2017, where she chastised House Freedom Caucus members for killing her bill on school lunches for poor kids.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Killing Texas ethics legislation without leaving fingerprints
It's hard to get tougher ethics laws for politicians and officeholders through the Texas Legislature. It can be even harder to figure out exactly who killed them. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, leads a discussion on House Bill 501, an ethics bill, on May 3, 2017. The bill passed, 147-0.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Bills exempting tampons from Texas sales tax went nowhere this session
Despite state lawmakers filing several bills exempting tampons and other menstrual products from sales taxes, the measures didn't draw serious attention from the legislature this session. Full Story
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![Texas would be the first southern state to provide tax exemptions on female hygiene products related to menstrual cycles.]()
Credit: iStock.com -
Conference committee approves convention of states-related measure
A Texas legislative committee reinstalled a Senate provision in a bill that would only allow state lawmakers to serve as delegates in a convention of states to amend the U.S. Constitution. Full Story
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![People interested in the convention of states process listened to Gov. Greg Abbott speak on Texans' role at the state Capitol on Dec. 6, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate will reject House's "bathroom bill" compromise
The legislative wrangling over where transgender Texans can use the bathroom isn’t over yet. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, on the floor of the Senate on Sunday, May 21, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Texas legislators pass bills aimed at maternal mortality, postpartum depression
Both chambers passed bills on Tuesday aimed at curbing postpartum depression and the alarming rise in Texas mothers dying less than a year after giving birth. Full Story
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Credit: Bas Silderhuis -
House votes to end jail time for being too poor to pay fines
Senate Bill 1913, by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, would allow courts to ask defendants if they are too poor to pay for traffic tickets, fines for other low-level and fine-only offenses or court costs. Full Story
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![Inmates in the Harris County Jail in 2011.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House backs voter ID overhaul, with changes
The 95-54 vote followed a six-hour debate that saw fierce pushback from Democrats, who argued the legislation wouldn’t go far enough to expand ballot access and might discourage some Texans from going to the polls. Full Story
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![State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, asks questions about Senate Bill 5, the voter ID bill, which has been declared an emergency item by Gov. Abbott, on May 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Grieving mom “humbled” and “relieved” after Senate passes autopsy bill
Lara McDaniel was devastated when her 7-year-old son died in an accident. An investigator didn't allow her to see her child's body until three days after his death — after an autopsy had been conducted. Full Story
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![Wyatt McDaniel died in an accident while playing in a sand pile with his little brother on Jan. 25, 2013. His mother, Lara McDaniel, was not able to view his body until after his autopsy and is advocating for Texas lawmakers to adopt "Wyatt's Law."]()
Credit: Facebook page/used with permission -
Dozens of Abbott appointees surpass donor threshold targeted by stalled "pay for play" bill
At least 71 of Gov. Greg Abbott's nearly 800 current state board and commission appointees appeared to have donated more than $2,500 to the governor's campaign account since 2013. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaking on Sept. 19 at a conference hosted by the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Workforce Commission.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Even under Trump, state budget writers deliver big on border security funding
Texas budget writers plan to spend another $800 million for border security over the next two years, matching what lawmakers allocated in 2015. Full Story
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![Bundles of marijuana seized by Border Patrol and DPS agents near Roma, TX, on Mar. 8, 2016.]()
Credit: Martin do Nascimento -
Watch as House debates voter ID legislation
Watch the Texas House debate legislation that would change the state's voter ID law. Full Story
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![Voter ID regulations posted at a south Texas early voting location on Oct. 26, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich