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The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.

  • The Mother Lode for Redistricting Nerds

    By Ross Ramsey

    The Texas Legislative Council has a terrific redistricting section on its website, with full statistical reporting on all of the new maps, including geography, demographics, incumbencies, and election results all the way back to 2002. Full Story 

    Texas Capitol
    Credit: Muliadi Soenaryo

  • Court Increases Minority Districts in Texas Legislature

    By Ross Ramsey

    A panel of federal judges in San Antonio ordered the state to conduct its 2012 House and Senate elections using political maps drawn by the court and not those drawn by the state, issuing final maps that give minority voters — and Democrats — more power. The state's top lawyer will move immediately to stop the new maps. Full Story 

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  • Pins and Needles

    By Ross Ramsey

    Holiday redistricting stories, not unusual things if you've watched this for a while, always start with three wise persons in the guise of federal judges. It's super-sized this year, with six wise men, three in San Antonio and three in Washington. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Updated: Courts Revise Maps for Legislative Elections

    By Ross Ramsey

    Federal judges in San Antonio ordered the state to conduct its 2012 House and Senate elections using political maps drawn by the judges and not those drawn by the state, issuing final maps that give minority voters — and Democrats — more power. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Chris Chang

  • Court Releases Congressional Maps

    By Ross Ramsey

    A panel of three federal judges in San Antonio proposed new congressional districts for Texas today. Among the headlines: It looks like U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, and state Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, won't be running against each other. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Rep. Joe Driver to Get Five Years Probation

    By Jay Root

    The Garland Republican pleaded guilty in court Tuesday to felony abuse-of-office charges after illegally pocketing state travel money. The humbled legislator agreed to five years probation and said he was thankful that the issue was finally resolved. Full Story 

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    Credit: Justin Dehn

  • TribLive: El Paso's Freshmen on the 82nd Session

    By Evan Smith

    At our TribLive conversation at the University of Texas at El Paso on 11/16, state Sen. Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso, and state Reps. Naomi Gonzalez, D-El Paso, and Dee Margo, R-El Paso, discussed cuts to public and higher education and other byproducts of the 82nd Session. Full Story 

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  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Aaronson on the sharp rise in the number of Texans on food stamps, Aguilar investigates the Black Market Peso Exchange, Grissom on the humbling of John Bradley, Hamilton on the tweet heard round the world, Ramsey and Murphy on the newest redistricting maps, Ramsey on why Formula 1 screeched to a halt, Ramshaw and Tan scrutinize Rick Perry's attack on congressional insider trading, Root on Perry's plan for a "part-time citizen Congress" and M. Smith on already ugly State Board of Ed races: The best of our best content from November 14-18, 2011. Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • Texas Unemployment Rate Drops in October

    By Becca Aaronson

    The Texas unemployment rate dropped only slightly this month from 8.5 percent to 8.4 percent, according to statistics released by the Texas Workforce Commission today. But the state's economy is not performing as well as it was this time last year. And as the national economy has improved, the Texas economy has lagged. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / www.sxc.hu