State Sen. Roland Gutierrez “very likely” to challenge Ted Cruz in 2024
Gutierrez has served in the Texas Senate since 2021 after previously serving over a decade in the House. Full Story
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![From left: State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Amid Slaton scandal, Texas Legislature moves to crack down on lawmakers who give alcohol to minors
The House passed a bill with a late amendment to make it a state jail felony for a “public officer” to give alcohol to a minor under any circumstances. Slaton voted for the amendment. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, sits at his desk on the House floor in Austin on April 18, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Solar and wind companies are coming to rural Texas. These residents are trying to keep them out.
In Franklin County, a group of locals are concerned about potential environmental harm from renewable energy facilities and support a bill that would impose more regulations on solar and wind. The industry says it’s being unfairly singled out. Full Story
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![Solar panels near Cunningham on April 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Bills to create new Texas courts would likely reverse Democratic gains, restore GOP dominance
Supporters say the proposals would increase efficiency and expertise, but opponents argue the attempts are political and probably unconstitutional. Full Story
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![The Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas House approves sweeping limits on local regulations in GOP’s latest jab at blue cities
City officials say the full scope of the legislation advanced Tuesday is still unclear, but it would limit their ability to issue worker protections, water restrictions and more. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, on the House floor on May 14, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
T-Squared: Tribune wins Texas Managing Editors awards for investigative, freedom of information and feature reporting
Texas Tribune journalists were also finalists or honorable mentions in numerous other categories. Full Story
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![Impact, Recognition and Awards]()
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After years of little progress, Texas gun control and safety advocates see some small openings for dialogue at the Capitol
Many bills that would limit access to firearms or ammunition likely won’t become law anytime soon. But people who advocate at the Texas Capitol see emerging signs that there’s appetite for finding some middle ground. Full Story
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![Families of the victims of the Uvalde and Santa Fe school shootings gathered with state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, to show their support for legislation on gun safety laws at the state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 14, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House committee debates firearms bills filed in response to Uvalde shooting
The House Select Committee on Community Safety is scheduled to hear testimony on bills that would change how people buy firearms and how authorities report those purchases. One of these bills would raise the minimum age to 21 years old to purchase certain semi-automatic rifles. Full Story
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![Patrons of the SAXET Gun Show look at handguns at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds in Robstown on Feb. 26, 2023.]()
Credit: Blaine Young for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate seeks increased penalties on polluters as it renews state’s environmental agency
The bill would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to focus enforcement on repeat violators and increase public outreach. Full Story
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![State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, chairs the House Committee on Environmental Regulation during a hearing for a sunset bill for the TCEQ at the Capitol in Austin on March 23, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate passes $308 billion budget plan, kicking off high-stakes negotiations with the House
There are $5 billion and several political wedges standing between the House and Senate plans, which now move into conference committee with less than five weeks before session ends. Full Story
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![Lt. Governor Dan Patrick presides over the Senate at the Capitol in Austin on April 06, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Tarrant County’s lauded elections chief resigns, citing differences with new county executive
Heider Garcia, like many other election officials across the country, faced death threats that stemmed from lies about the outcome of the 2020 election. Full Story
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![Election Administrator Heider Garcia looks at his phone while working Election Day at the Tarrant County Election Administration building in Fort Worth on November 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Senator’s bill would fine Texans for multiple environmental complaints that don’t lead to enforcement
The bill would impose fines when residents make more than three complaints to the state environmental agency in a year if they don’t result in enforcement action. Critics warn the bill would discourage people from reporting pollution. Full Story
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![Linda Hunter sits in the dining room of her home in Gunter, TX where concrete batch plants can be seen through the windows on March 21, 2023. Since the first plant was built in 2017, Hunter and her husband’s quality of life has been impacted by the persistent air, noise, and light pollution generated. “These are 9 feet of windows. They were placed out here so that I could see outside in the country.”]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Law enforcement says no explosives detected after bomb threat called in to state Capitol
The Texas Department of Public Safety did a sweep of Capitol grounds with K-9 dogs and found no explosive devices. Full Story
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![The Texas State Capitol on Mar. 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune -
Terrified and angry, LGBTQ Texans and allies rally at Capitol to protest bills targeting queer community
With six weeks remaining in the legislative session, advocates implored Texans to join the “resistance” against fast-moving efforts to curb health care, drag queens, education, trans athletes and more. Full Story
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![Hundreds joined the Queer March on the Capitol in Austin on April 15, 2023.]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune -
Staffer alleged in complaint that state Rep. Bryan Slaton had sex with Capitol intern
The new details about the allegation stem from the complaint filed against Slaton to the House General Investigating Committee. Full Story
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![State Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, waits to speak from the back podium on the House floor on Monday, August 9, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House investigating committee issues four subpoenas, days after allegations against Bryan Slaton emerge
The committee would not say who was being issued the subpoenas or for what purpose. Full Story
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![The state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: A major Texas abortion case and a potential Gov. Greg Abbott pardon in a murder trial
In this week’s episode, we discuss an attempt to use the courts in Texas to restrict the use of an abortion drug and Gov. Greg Abbott’s potential pardon of an Army sergeant found guilty of murdering a protester in Austin. Full Story
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![Andrea Gallegos sorts through abortion pills that they’re now no longer able to administer at the Alamo Women’s Reproductive Services abortion clinic since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in San Antonio on June 24, 2022.]()
Credit: Kaylee Greenlee Beal for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House panel advances bills banning puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender kids
Under the legislation, minors currently receiving certain gender-affirming care would have to taper off their treatments. A majority of Texas lawmakers in each chamber has supported previous versions of the legislation. Full Story
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![Demonstrators march for Trans Day of Visibility in San Antonio on March 31, 2023.]()
Credit: Blaine Young for The Texas Tribune -
The eyes of LGBTQ Texans are upon Dade Phelan and the House
Spurred by a groundswell of far-right support, the Texas Senate has passed all of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority LGBTQ bills — and then some. What the House does next will impact queer Texans’ lives and could determine Speaker Phelan’s future. Full Story
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![People line the railing on all three levels of the outdoor rotunda of the state Capitol in Austin, and wave signs during the "Fight for our Lives" rally in opposition of anti-LGBTQ bills on March 27, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate approves $15 million bill to expand local mental health treatment options for children and families
The proposal would offer hospitals and nonprofits grant funding to expand child and family mental health services. Full Story
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![State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, speaks to her colleagues in honor of Texas Independence Day on the Senate floor on March 2, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune