Here are four key criminal justice issues in the Texas Legislature
Texas lawmakers are likely to take a close look this legislative session at how law enforcement and civilians interact with each other. Full Story
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![Austin Police Department Senior Patrol officer S. Boughton uses radar to monitor vehicles along stretch of Austin highway in 2011.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Human Rights Campaign to open Texas offices to fight “bathroom bill”
The prominent LGBT civil rights organization is opening three offices in Texas for the legislative session to fight Texas' "bathroom bill" and other anti-LGBT legislation. Full Story
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![An all-gender restroom at The University of Texas at Austin.]()
Credit: Qiling Wang / The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas leaders posturing in public for legislative advantage
Texas state leaders are debating several important issues in a very public way, delivering their messages to one another through rallies, press conferences, trade association meetings and the media. Get your popcorn ready. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a rally at the Capitol for school choice January 24, 2017. Both Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick spoke in favor of expanding school choice options. Students, educators, activists and parents marched on the south lawn to show their support for expanding school choice options during National School Choice Week.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Amid "sanctuary" standoff, Abbott asks agencies to list Travis County funding
Gov. Greg Abbott's office is asking state agencies to take stock of their funds to Travis County as he further escalates his standoff with the county's sheriff, Sally Hernandez, over her new "sanctuary" policy. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott and Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera/Martin do Nascimento -
Price and Moody on the state of mental health in Texas (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 1/26 conversation about mental health policy in Texas with state Reps. Four Price, R-Amarillo, and Joe Moody, D-El Paso. Full Story
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Senators slam UT System, say communication has been lacking
At a Texas Senate committee hearing Thursday, new UT System regent appointees got a friendly reception. But there was criticism of those running the system. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pans Texas House budget proposal
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Thursday panned the Texas House's budget proposal, suggesting it is fiscally irresponsible because it exceeds Comptroller Glenn Hegar's biennial revenue estimate. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during January 11, 2017 Tribune Conversation]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Meet the new members of the Texas Legislature
Twenty-two new faces have taken their places in the Texas Legislature this year — 21 of them in the House and one in the Senate. All but seven of them are Republicans. Full Story
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Texas university leaders warn of dire consequences if Senate budget is implemented
In a day-long hearing, university presidents and chancellors said their schools might have to lay off faculty and cut classes if hundreds of millions of dollars worth of "special items" aren't put back in the budget. Full Story
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![Happy Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, watches passage of SB 1 budget bill on a 30-1 vote April 14, 2015. Lone no vote was Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Texas Senate's ethics reform plan unveiled, targets revolving door
Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, unveiled his ethics reform plan on Wednesday. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Republican Senate leader, was on hand for the unveiling and announced that there were enough votes to pass the proposal out of the 31-member chamber. Full Story
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![Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, details his plan for passing ethics reform during a press conference at the Texas Capitol on Jan. 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Straus seeks to publish efficiency report that Patrick wanted scrapped
House Speaker Joe Straus has asked a state agency to release its ideas for improving government efficiency. The request came on the heels of news that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had directed the board to do the exact opposite. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus (left) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
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Abbott proposes removing any officeholder who "promotes sanctuary cities"
Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that he and state lawmakers will pursue legislation that would "remove from office any officeholder who promotes sanctuary cities." Full Story
![Gov. Greg Abbott and Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera/Martin do Nascimento -
Analysis: A Senate budget that takes more off the top than it first appears
The Texas Senate's proposed budget, with one exception, is a carefully assembled conservative start to a 20-week legislative spending negotiation. But they finished off their work with a chainsaw. Full Story
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![September 15, 2016 Senate Finance Committee hearing at the Texas Capitol]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas dispute with feds leaves coastal community in housing limbo
More than a year after Texas and the federal government settled a civil rights complaint from residents of the Corpus Christi neighborhood of Hillcrest, both sides are at an impasse, potentially leaving hundreds in the lurch. Full Story
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![A refinery at the end of a residential street in Corpus Christi's Hillcrest neighborhood on January 24, 2017.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune -
With Senate moving quickly on UT regent confirmation, Hall asks for more time
One day after Gov. Greg Abbott appointed three new University of Texas System regents, the Senate has scheduled a confirmation hearing. One of the regents being replaced, Wallace Hall, is asking the Senate and Abbott to slow the process down. Full Story
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![University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall at a 2014 Texas Tribune event.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Austin Democrats gearing up for possible House District 46 special election — if Dukes steps down
Four Austin Democrats pitched ideas for representing House District 46, even though state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, abruptly decided not to step down from her seat. Full Story
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![(L-R) Greg Harrington, Sheryl Cole, state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, Nnamdi Orakwue and Chito Vela.]()
Credit: Harrington: Facebook/Cole: professional website/Dukes: Tim Park/Orakwue: professional website/ Vela: professional website -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls for House, Senate vote on school choice this session
At a "National School Choice Week" rally Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott urged the Legislature to take a vote on school choice legislation this session. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks during a rally at the Capitol for school choice January 24, 2017. Both Gov. Greg Abbott and Patrick spoke in favor of expanding school choice options. Students, educators, activists and parents marched on the south lawn to show their support for expanding school choice options during National School Choice Week.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Decision on budget tactic could affect millions in university funds
Schools say they rely heavily on "special item" appropriations for higher education. The Senate hasn't appropriated any so far, but it could add them later. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Gov. Abbott demands Travis County reverse new "sanctuary" policy
Gov. Greg Abbott is formally demanding that Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez reverse her new policy on cooperation with federal immigration authorities or lose state dollars, further escalating a showdown over "sanctuary cities" that have been in the crosshairs of Republican officials. Full Story
![Gov. Greg Abbott and Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera/Martin do Nascimento -
Watch our video series on community concerns coming to the Capitol
In our six-part "State of Mind" series, we looked at various issues being discussed across Texas as state lawmakers debate bills during the 85th Legislative Session. Watch all of the videos here. Full Story
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