More than 500,000 voter applications were held up by an error in a Department of Public Safety software update.
State Government
Stay informed on Texas state government with The Texas Tribune’s in-depth coverage of the governor, Legislature, state agencies, and policies shaping the future of Texas.
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Data Centers in Texas
Despite tough talk from Abbott and Paxton, Texas penalties for data center violations are light
Texas officials are promising tougher enforcement on data centers, but the existing law may offer limited leverage over the industry that has largely failed to report its water use.
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2026 Texas Elections
Texas sued for failing to process more than 500,000 voter registrations
Voting rights groups are asking a judge to enforce a 2021 settlement aimed at providing reliable online registration through DPS.
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Health care
Texas woman uses state law to sue anti-abortion group that allegedly ordered abortion pills online
Unable to abort two unplanned pregnancies because of the law, the woman is suing Students for Life for the cost of raising the children. The group posted about buying the pills undercover.
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2026 Texas Elections
On the issues: A Q&A with U.S. Senate candidates James Talarico, Ken Paxton and Ted Brown
Ken Paxton and James Talarico are in a close race for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat, with Ted Brown also on the ballot. See where they stand on THC, data centers and Flock cameras. Talarico and Brown answered our questions; Paxton did not, so we used his past public statements to describe his positions.
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Health care
Texas health agency proposes eliminating children’s autism program
The proposed elimination of the program, aimed at serving lower-income families, comes as Texas leadership has called on agencies to reduce budgets by 3%.
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Public Education
Houston Democrats push for guardrails on school takeovers
A commission led by area lawmakers recommended raising the bar for when the TEA chief can intervene and setting guardrails for state appointees during a takeover.
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Texas affordability crisis
How Texas candidates plan to lower the cost of gas, groceries and housing
From groceries to childcare, Texans are spending more to live here. Here’s how much costs have risen, why it’s happening and what candidates are proposing to fix it.
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State Government
Texas agency sues to stop release of data center records that it says could aid terrorists
A lawsuit will test whether Texas officials can withhold data center location details under the state Homeland Security Act.
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TribCast
TribCast: Are Texas’ voter systems ready for a contentious election?
Votebeat’s Natalia Contreras joins TribCast to explain the state of Texas’ voter rolls one month before election day.
