State government

A Border Patrol official told a state lawmaker that the agency doesn't accept donations for facilities where children are reportedly being held in substandard conditions.

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Lawmakers praised a bill for protecting victims of human trafficking, but the governor said it it would have "unintended consequences" and could provide an incentive for human traffickers to use underage prostitutes.

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Texas made it easy for rent-to-own companies to press criminal charges against people who fell behind on their payments for household goods. A new law, passed after a Texas Tribune and NerdWallet investigation, gives broad new protections to their customers.

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Starting Sept. 1, Texans who take items from mailboxes and porches face tougher penalties for their crimes. But some say punishments are too extreme since they're not based on the value of what's taken.

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Since his criminal indictment in July 2015, the Texas attorney general has seen delay after delay in his case, including a side dispute over prosecutor pay that has derailed the prosecution for well over a year.

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Texas' highest criminal court reiterated that a six-figure payment to the prosecutors fell outside legal limits. The prosecutors have indicated they may withdraw if they cannot be paid.

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The bill would have made it a crime to repeatedly use social media to harass or torment someone. It was aimed at protecting children from some indirect forms of cyberbullying.

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The Legislature designated the funding for the Amarillo campus over objections of Texas A&M University, which currently runs the only veterinary medicine school in the state.

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Abbott said the measure "is an unnecessary invasion of parental rights and an unfortunate example of over-criminalization."

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Critics say a bill awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott's signature would mark an expansion of lawmakers’ ability to wall off their records from public scrutiny.

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The legislation includes framework that provides more than $1.6 billion for flood control projects and repairs across the state.

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The bill, which goes into effect Sept. 1, prevents cities and neighborhood associations from prohibiting or regulating children who sell nonalcoholic drinks on private property.

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The conservative groups who made a feast of former House Speaker Joe Straus for 10 years have a new target: Straus successor Dennis Bonnen.

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A Texas Tribune study analyzed 560 cases from four Texas counties to shine a light on how the controversial practice of civil asset forfeiture is used by law enforcement.

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The bills would, among other things, strengthen mental health initiatives available to children, abolish the cap on how many school marshals can carry guns on public school campuses and allot money to school districts that can go toward “hardening” their campuses.

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Some gun rights groups want Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a line item in the Texas budget that puts $1 million toward a public safety campaign on gun storage. But one powerful bloc isn't actively opposing the measure: the National Rifle Association.

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In this edition of the TribCast, Emma talks to Ross, Alexa and Patrick about the latest at Gov. Greg Abbott’s office and upcoming mayoral elections in Dallas and San Antonio.

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Gov. Greg Abbott added David Whitley to his state staff after Texas Senate Democrats refused to confirm Whitley as secretary of state. Whitley's handling of a botched voter citizenship review undermined his Senate support. But isn't the hiring a sign that the governor didn't mind?

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The bills aim to create a "hostile environment" for human trafficking in Texas and address sexual assault, said Gov. Greg Abbott at a bill signing ceremony Tuesday in Dallas.

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Whitley had resigned as secretary of state just before he would have been kicked out of office without a confirmation vote.

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