Lawmakers added $100 million to a child care scholarship program but failed to expand access to free preschool for children with disabilities.
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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Health care
Rural Americans more likely to live with chronic pain than urban peers, UT-Arlington study finds
More than 3 million people call rural Texas home, and many lack access to a primary care doctor.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Gov. Greg Abbott orders special legislative session after vetoing 26 bills
Abbott will call lawmakers back to Austin to tackle Senate Bill 3, a proposed ban on THC products that he vetoed, as well as five others from his veto list.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Gov. Greg Abbott vetoes THC ban, calls for regulation instead
The move infuriated Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the powerful head of the Senate, who had called the ban among his top five bills over 17 years in the Legislature.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas will require public school classrooms to display Ten Commandments under bill signed by governor
Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 10, even though a similar Louisiana law was deemed unconstitutional. Supporters say Christianity is core to U.S. history.
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Environment
New federal-state environmental pact aims to speed up Texas highway projects
The agreement targets the environmental review process and cuts down the time it takes for new highways to be approved.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas Legislature approves making vaccine exemption process easier
Instead of waiting for the state to send them one, parents would be able to print out vaccine exemption forms at home if they want to skip school-required shots. Critics believe the bill would increase infections.
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2025 Legislative Recap
Here are the new Texas laws that will affect trans and LGBTQ+ people
Of the more than 100 bills aimed at LGBTQ+ people in the state, less than 10 were approved by lawmakers this session.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Trans Texans brace for life under strict sex definition law
Texas has strictly defined man and woman, leaving trans Texans in legal limbo.
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Health care
Texas is illegally keeping people with disabilities in nursing homes, federal judge rules
A federal judge determined the state illegally institutionalized severely disabled people for decades, often in poorly run facilities.