The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
A state lawmaker is pushing to make all financial disclosure statements filed with the Texas Ethics Commission available online so the public can easily find them. In that spirit, the Tribune presents the disclosures filed by scores of state agency heads, regents and others that you can't get online now. Full Story
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If state budget writers can't get a deal on the budget during the regular session, they'll have to come back to finish. And with the state economy slowing down, going into overtime could mean less money for tax breaks and state programs. Full Story
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The criminal records of one-time offenders who stay out of trouble would be sealed and hidden from the public under a bill that cleared the Senate Tuesday. Supporters call it a second chance, but critics fear unknowing employers will pay the price. Full Story
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The Texas Senate on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a measure that would prohibit health insurers from covering abortion. Full Story
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Dallas and Houston leaders may want a super-fast train connecting their cities, but folks in between aren't as sold on the idea. Some have formed Texans Against High-Speed Rail, and they're hiring lobbyists and courting allies in a bid to kill the plan. Full Story
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The sharper the speech — the harder it pokes at something dear to someone else — the greater the chance of a strong reaction. Full Story
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At our 5/4 symposium on health care, state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Denton, the chairman of the House Public Health Committee, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, the chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, talked about how the issue is playing out in the 84th session. Full Story
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For some gay rights advocates, a bill in the Texas Legislature that would allow clergy to refuse to marry same-sex couples would be acceptable if it just included four more words. Full Story
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May is the final full month of the 140-day regular legislative session, which concludes June 1. And the deadlines that start in a week form a bottleneck that will ultimately block most proposed legislation. Full Story
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Texas' top elected officials on Monday offered an absolute defense of free speech in the wake of a Garland shooting that left two gunmen dead outside a contest featuring cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Full Story
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A bill to let Texans register to vote online is dead, its sponsor said Saturday, five days after a small but vocal group of Harris County officials voiced their opposition to it during a committee hearing. Full Story
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State Rep. Jonathan Stickland's ejection from a House Transportation Committee hearing aside, activists devoted to purging Texas of red light cameras say they aren't thrilled with the bills under consideration this session. Full Story
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Voters in Tarrant County's House District 92 have sent two very different types of politicians to Austin recently — and both the new guy and the old one made news this week. Full Story
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At our 5/1 conversation, Julián Castro, the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, explained why he doesn't like Gov. Greg Abbott's plan for pre-K. Full Story
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The chairman of the House Committee on General Investigating and Ethics said he plans to investigate allegations that witnesses were signed up improperly to speak at a meeting from which state Rep. Jonathan Stickland was escorted out. Full Story
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You can slow down or even kill a piece of legislation with a single word or phrase, if it's poisonous enough. Full Story
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State Rep. Dennis Bonnen has become a go-to mouthpiece for House leadership, and the votes for his legislation are indicative of how closely in step with him his colleagues are. If he were out of line, someone would yank his leash. Nobody has. Full Story
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As state lawmakers enter the last month of the 84th Legislature, they advanced a number of measures that would further restrict abortions, drug test political candidates and facilitate engagement with constituents on social media. Full Story
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The Texas House gave initial approval Thursday to a major boost in transportation funding from sales taxes, setting the stage for a showdown with the Senate over the best way to pay for Texas roads. Full Story
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At our 4/30 conversation, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and a candidate for Houston mayor, talked about the work of the budget conference committee. Full Story
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