Taxes, state parks, infrastructure: What you need to know about the Nov. 7 constitutional amendments election
Early voting begins Monday in the Nov. 7 elections. Here’s a breakdown of the 14 constitutional amendments on the ballot. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/363237efed836addd4cda2917d21c442/San%20Marcos%20Election%20Day%20JV%20TT%2023.jpg)
-
![Voters wait to cast their ballots at the Dittmar Recreation Center in South Austin on March 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Reps. Jodey Arrington, Roger Williams decline House speaker bid
Only one Texan, Rep. Pete Sessions, remains in the race for House Speaker. Republicans will hear from the candidates Monday night as they try to fill the job following U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s failure to win a majority. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f449c8727af7894b69eab912a5513fe6/DC%20Capitol%20Hill%20Jan%206%20SH%20TT%2012.jpg)
![The U.S. Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2022.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
House, Senate bills at odds over power to boost future funding for Texas school voucher program
The Senate’s Republican bill would let state leaders grow the program by taking money from other agencies without the Legislature’s approval. The House bill would bar the practice. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/149c8b9c08df282b6fdbd2829062d0c6/0913%20Odessa%20School%20Tours%20EH%2018.jpg)
![Nimitz Middle School students take part in a class activity Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Jim Jordan is out. Here are the three Texas Republicans who helped keep him from the speaker’s gavel.
Reps. Kay Granger, Tony Gonzales and Jake Ellzey were firm in their opposition to Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5c237853fbd28ded28051dcc6b8afe85/Granger%20Gonzales%20and%20Ellzey%20TT%2002.jpg)
![From left: U.S. Reps. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and J.K. "Jake" Ellzey, R-Waxahachie.]()
Credit: Tom Williams/Pool/Sipa USA via Ruters | The Texas Tribune -
Voucher proposal spurs mix of excitement, wariness in Texas home schooling community
Parents of Texas’ growing population of home-schooled students are split over whether education savings accounts would give them much-needed financial help or represent an unwanted government involvement in their kids’ educations. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b0728f50232e0536846dbf6adbf44a37/1012%20Harris%20family%20Homeschool%20Portrait%20TT%20JS%2001.jpeg)
![The Harris family works on homeschool curriculum in a study space Oct. 12, 2023 at the Austin Central Library.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Two of Ken Paxton’s top deputies depart attorney general’s office
Emails obtained by The Texas Tribune show the attorneys were expected to return to work after the impeachment trial ended and their extended absence raised concerns internally about the offices’ ability to function properly. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/de6bc0f9093a3dba52c42b05f98dc096/Chris%20Hilton%20and%20Judd%20Stone%20TT%2001.jpg)
![Chris Hilton and Judd Stone, former lawyers at the Office of the Attorney General.]()
-
Texas needs water workers. Will high school students answer the call?
Nearly two-thirds of the state’s water and wastewater agencies say they need more workers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4fee1afe07f1f4650a8d7b525f7099da/Consolidated%20Water%20MF%20TT%2018.jpg)
![Consolidated Water Supply Corporation employees patch a broken pipe on April 19, 2023 in Crockett.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
How Texas lawmakers are trying to deter illegal immigration and secure the border
Two Texas House members and an immigration lawyer sat down with Matthew Watkins, the Tribune’s managing editor of news and politics, to discuss the current state of Texas’ border and immigration bills that lawmakers are weighing during the special session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5e71309c4edea2c682a8d9971844218f/10-25_BorderSecurity-Lead-Title-01-v1.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Llano River communities fight former oil executive’s plan for a private dam
Texas has thousands of private dams, but a former oil executive’s application to build one on the South Llano River would be the first in the watershed for recreational use. Opponents fear it would harm the river’s health and encourage more private dams. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5948219e9bf468093f8be0b2323b148f/1017%20Llano%20River%20Dam%20EH%20TT%2008.jpg)
![Linda Fawcett stands in front of her painting “Water Witch,” in her dining room Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, in Junction. Named after the moniker used to describe a person who used dowsing rods to search for water underground, the painting depicts Fawcett’s biggest fear of the Llano River going dry.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
After fighting for Uvalde residents, Roland Gutierrez struggles to break through crowded field to challenge Ted Cruz
The Democrat has dedicated significant energy to probing law enforcement’s response to the Uvalde school shooting. But he faces a fundraising deficit against U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3fec91c8246a8b3492cc2629fc586110/0214%20Uvalde%20Gun%20Bill%202%20EL%20TT%2015.jpg)
![State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, holds a press conference to go over legislation on gun safety laws at the state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 14, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas quietly moves to formalize acceptable cancer risk from industrial air pollution. Is it strict enough?
Without public hearings, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is proposing to adopt its 17-year-old standard that scientists and public health officials say fails to account for cumulative air pollution. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/151a32f96fa33cf5d3ba50b3694b709c/0226%20ITC%20Scene%20Setters%20MF%2003.jpg)
![A playground at San Jacinto Elementary School, located in Deer Park a few miles from the highly industrialized Houston Ship Channel. On March 31, 2019, air quality inspectors from the Environmental Protection Agency recorded extremely high levels of benzene in the air as they drove past the elementary school. Residents were not warned about the pollution present in the community that day.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune/Public Health Watch -
Texas’ main voucher bill seeks to avoid other states’ mistakes but keeps ideas that attracted criticism
Like in Texas, voucher programs in other states sparked vigorous debates, came with the same promises and faced similar concerns. Not all predictions came true. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9ab2f461a5a521b8c264cb1700a10f2f/Chapa%20Middle%20School%20JV%20TT%2012.jpg)
![An empty classroom at Chapa Middle School in Kyle on Aug. 24, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott says he’ll add teacher pay to the special session — but only if lawmakers pass school voucher bill
Though lawmakers have drafted a bill to increase public school funding and teacher salaries, it cannot pass during the special session unless Abbott adds those issues to his agenda. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f5a7dc79116abbc41f500cb3de684483/0602%20Abbott%20TPPF%20Lege%20Recap%20EL%20TT%2003.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
School voucher bill gets initial approval in the Texas Senate, heads over to a more skeptical House
The Senate also approved Senate Bill 2, which would infuse $5.2 billion to school districts to help them with teacher raises and rising costs. Gov. Greg Abbott said he would add those items to the special session’s agenda once lawmakers approve a voucher program. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2367173c5d626a1dc6a11a5c95681d28/Blanco%20Vista%20Elementary%20JV%2016%20TT.jpg)
![Students work at their desks at Blanco Vista Elementary School in San Marcos on Monday August, 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune -
Here’s who gets money from Defend Texas Liberty, the PAC whose leader met with white supremacist Nick Fuentes
The group has funded candidates and groups like the Texas GOP who have pushed fellow Republicans to take a harder line against things like illegal immigration and transgender people. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e7fd0c9b625ffa5e29db99f620cfa566/Jonathan%20Stickland%20MG%20TT%2001.jpg)
![Former state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, on the House floor on May 25, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Looking for an economic rebound, an East Texas town looks to the arts — and is rebuffed by the state
A town of 34,000 people, Lufkin sits deep in the Piney Woods, a region dotted with rural towns. Local civic leaders hope a long list of efforts can revitialize the city’s downtown and reboot its economy. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c3f219134f042b4f9c1632e30fc28a87/0127%20School%20Choice%20Lufkin%20CO%2012%20TT.jpg)
![A flag flies as cars drive downtown in Lufkin, Texas, U.S., on Friday, January 27, 2023. Public school officials in rural areas like Lufkin face budget challenges because of proposed school choice legislation, which provides taxpayer-funded alternatives to sending a child to a local public school.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
Rep. Andrew Murr took on Ken Paxton and lost. He has no regrets.
The five-term House member, and his mustache, gained notoriety during the high-profile impeachment of Paxton. He warned tolerating corruption could hurt Republicans in the long term. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e3876d46c793ad75e7c06751857fd579/1003%20Andrew%20Murr%20EH%20TT%2001.jpg)
![State Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in Junction.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Book bans in Texas spread as new state law takes effect
As Texas enters its third straight school year of coordinated book banning activity, a growing number of districts are targeting library books. Caught in the dragnet: books featuring a “naked” crayon and one with a cartoon butt. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b7698e76ed85a78aeaa4597883ac81e2/RTSITCDN_maxWidth_3000_maxHeight_3000_ppi_72_quality_95_embedColorProfile_true.jpg)
![A reflection of an American flag is visible as a Little Free Library, which was designed to look like a prison, invites residents to take books that the library says have been challenged by schools across the state of Texas, in Houston on May 3, 2023.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare -
Disability advocates argue against school vouchers in Texas Senate hearing
The Senate’s main “school choice” bill would prioritize vouchers for children with disabilities, among other underprivileged groups. But advocates and parents raised concerns that voucher recipients who choose private school would no longer be protected by federal law. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/884e273feba106f3fd0a628e97c1f6fd/Blanco%20Vista%20Elementary%20JV%20TT%2005.jpg)
![Students backpacks hang off the back of their chairs in an empty classroom at Blanco Vista Elementary School in San Marcos on Monday August, 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers again try to prohibit private businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccines
A Senate panel on Tuesday advanced such a measure. The debate centered largely around the safety of the vaccine and whether doctors’ offices and health care facilities should be exempt. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/cda0200745abb334b9163858f99bfa1a/Arlington%20Vaccination%20BT%20TT%2007.jpg)
![Arlington Fire Fighter Samuel Rochin, right, administers a COVID-19 vaccine to healthcare worker Vannia Atao at the Esports Stadium in Arlington on Jan. 05, 2021.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune