Inmates say the policy unfairly punishes them — and note that prison staff also bring in contraband.
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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Public Education
Texas’ discipline push sends kids to ‘jail-like’ campuses
Lawmakers increasingly view disciplinary alternative programs as a solution to behavior problems. Critics say they harm students.
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2026 Texas Elections
Tala-freak-o vs. Ken the Criminal: Texas candidates sharpen attacks as U.S. Senate race locks in
Texas’ Ken Paxton and James Talarico focus their energies — and attack ads — on each other as the fight for U.S. Senate narrows to two.
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Texas affordability crisis
Gov. Greg Abbott to Texas colleges: Don’t increase tuition, fees
The governor said undergraduate tuition and fees should stay frozen after some public university systems weighed increases.
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Hill Country floods
Camp Mystic chief health officer barred from direct patient care by Texas nursing board
Mary Liz Eastland failed to develop proper emergency plans or properly respond to the flood that killed 25 campers and two counselors last year, the order states.
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Environment
Hill Country ranch with caves, cliffs and lake will become Texas’ second-largest state park
The 54,000-acre Silver Lake Ranch, straddling Kinney and Edwards counties, has a 30-acre spring-fed lake. An opening date hasn’t been determined.
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2026 Texas Elections
Incumbent Rep. Hubert Vo defeated in Democratic runoff
Alief school board President Darlene Breaux defeated Vo, who spent more than two decades in the Texas House. Dallas state Rep. Venton Jones held off Amanda Richardson.
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2026 Texas Elections
Vikki Goodwin defeats Houston union leader in lieutenant governor Democratic runoff
The Austin lawmaker now faces an uphill battle against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the state’s second-highest executive, in November.
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2026 Texas Elections
Paxton-backed Thomas Smith defeats Alison Fox in GOP runoff for Texas’ highest criminal court
The all-Republican Court of Criminal Appeals has undergone extensive turnover since AG Ken Paxton began targeting incumbent judges.
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2026 Texas Elections
Texas 2026 primary runoff election results for U.S. Senate, attorney general and more
Follow The Texas Tribune’s coverage of election results for the 2026 primary runoffs for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, attorney general, the Texas Legislature and other races.
