The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Gov. Greg Abbott has made hundreds of appointments since he took office in January 2015, but is still working his way out of a backlog to replace people whose terms expired as long as five years ago. Full Story
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Declaring that "this fight is just beginning," Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Tuesday escalated his battle against guidelines in Texas and across the country that allow students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity. Full Story
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Some disability rights activists say state contracts paying people with disabilities well below minimum wage is exploitative and inhumane. Full Story
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In a reversal, state Rep. Wayne Smith is now pursuing a recount in his narrow loss in Tuesday's Republican primary runoff. Full Story
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Full video of our 5/26 conversation with state Sen Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, the chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, and state Senator Kirk Watson, D-Austin, a member of the committtee and its former vice chairman. Full Story
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Former state Rep. Wayne Christian won the Republican nomination late Tuesday in the race for Texas railroad commissioner, edging out Houston-area real estate mogul Gary Gates in a race that turned heated in its final stages. Full Story
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Two new Republicans are poised to claim seats in the Texas Senate: Travis County eye surgeon Dawn Buckingham and state Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola. Full Story
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Throughout Tuesday night, Tribune reporters will keep you updated on the results of Texas' Republican and Democratic primary runoffs, from the first early voting totals through the last ballots counted. Full Story
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Amid reports that Baylor University President Kenneth Starr was fired this morning over the university's handling of sexual assault allegations against football players, university officials said the results of an internal inquiry are forthcoming. Full Story
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Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller warned the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Tuesday that “all voting laws could be in jeopardy" if Texas' voter ID law is struck down. Full Story
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Tuesday's primary runoffs will determine the party nominees for key seats in the Texas Legislature, on the Texas Railroad Commission and on the State Board of Education. Here are five things to watch for on election night. Full Story
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In the latest step in a lawsuit that may end up at the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas’ five-year-old voter identification law will face a fresh round of probing in New Orleans Tuesday. Full Story
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Full video of our 5/19 conversation with Rice University's Vivian Ho, Med2You's Thomas Kim, Jonathan Macclements of the Dell Medical School and Elena Marks of the Episcopal Health Foundation. Full Story
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Members of the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday vowed to "tighten it up" when it comes to granting emergency leave to state employees. Full Story
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Check out the full video of our May 17 conversation with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath. Full Story
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A Texas Supreme Court decision saying the state’s school funding system is a big, stinking mess — but not an unconstitutional one — might be just the medicine to keep things just the way they are. Full Story
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Members of the University of Texas System Board of Regents expressed concern about their schools’ proposed rules for handguns on campus and signaled plans to attempt to change some of those policies before they go into effect on Aug 1. Full Story
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Revealing Texas' supplier of execution drugs could have a harmful effect on the provider and as a result leave the state empty-handed, a lawyer for the state suggested Wednesday during an appeals court hearing. Full Story
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Three years after a West, Texas, fertilizer plant explosion killed 15 people, including 12 firefighters and first responders, state and federal officials said Wednesday that someone set that fire, committing a criminal act. Full Story
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Members of the Texas House Higher Education Committee said they were worried about the rising cost of college in Texas, but stayed away from the criticism and dramatic calls for action heard from the Senate in recent weeks. Full Story
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