Between cracking down on abortion pills and restricting transgender restroom use, lawmakers also tackled flood safety and the STAAR test. Left untouched: Texas’ hemp industry.
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.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Texas Legislature approves stiff penalties, fundraising limits for lawmakers who leave state to block bills
House members who freeze future legislation by fleeing Texas will face steeper fines, loss of seniority and committee posts, and limits on political fundraising.
Posted in
Hill Country floods
Texas kids’ camps must remove cabins from floodplains, operate warning systems under new laws
The parents of children who died at Camp Mystic advocated for the new legislation, which now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Bill shielding some police complaints from public again dies in Texas House
The measure failed after the two chambers disagreed on whether to include a carveout that would have let parents access records from the 2022 Uvalde school shooting.
Posted in
Economy
Texas sued over its lab-grown meat ban
Two California-based companies accuse the state of government overreach for banning the sale of their products for the next two years.
Posted in
State Government
Only one restaurant in Texas sells lab-grown meat. Lawmakers banned it anyway.
Starting Sept. 1, cultured meat sales will be banned for the next two years even though the product isn’t ready to be sold at a large scale.
Posted in
2025 Legislative Recap
Texas bans the sale of THC vape pens
The law does not specifically ban the possession of THC vape pens, but those who sell them face up to a year in jail and a $4,000 penalty.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Rep. Alma Allen, longtime Houston Democratic lawmaker, to retire from Texas House
Allen, known for her focus on public education issues, announced her retirement after 20 years in the House. She endorsed her son, Lawrence Allen Jr., to succeed her.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Texas lawmakers scrap new measure allowing late voter registration changes
Lawmakers passed a bill earlier this year allowing voters to update their address at the polls and immediately vote on elections tied to that new residence, as long as the move was within the county. This bill walks it back.
Posted in
TribCast
TribCast: Sid Miller’s THC entanglements
In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor speak with Texas Tribune reporter Kate McGee about her recent investigative reporting in to Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and his staff.