The Texas House voted Tuesday to use $212 million from the Rainy Day Fund, a savings account largely fed by oil and gas production taxes, to decrease premiums and deductibles for retired teachers in the state-run health insurance program. Full Story
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The House and Senate are trying to agree on how to pump $212 million into an unfunded health insurance program for more than 1 million retired teachers in the state. Full Story
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In East Texas, 86-year-old Clara Crawford shuttles kids to a summer meal program at the local community center. In the Panhandle, Kay Calvert and a group of volunteers want to revive a similar program in tiny Quitaque. Full Story
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The House and the Senate are figuring out whether they can compromise on exactly how to put $212 million into an underfunded health insurance program for retired teachers. Teachers say they'll take their frustration to the polls. Full Story
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As he escorted fellow congressmen across West Texas this week, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway was laying the groundwork for passing a massive piece of legislation next year that thousands of farmers in his district are counting on. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Aman talks to Evan, Ross and Patrick about how the special session might end now that we're at the halfway point and reports that Rick Perry might be Trump's next head of Homeland Security. Plus, an update on Dawnna Dukes' corruption case. Full Story
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A bipartisan group of lawmakers called on Gov. Greg Abbott Wednesday to add ethics reform to the agenda of the special session. The governor’s office, in a rare rapid response, quickly attacked the effort as “showboating.” Full Story
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There's not much room in federal law for the U.S. Department of Justice to target Texas schools for the use of affirmative action, but a lawsuit pending in state court could spell trouble for race-conscious admissions at the University of Texas at Austin. Full Story
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Gina Ortiz Jones, a former Air Force intelligence officer, is launching a bid against U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, who is widely viewed as the most vulnerable Republican member of Congress from Texas. Full Story
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A new report says Rick Perry is in consideration to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Full Story
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Texas has more kids than ever who are eligible to receive free summer meals — so why is the state feeding fewer kids? Full Story
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After peaking in 2013, the number of students who received free summer meals at Texas schools dropped last summer. No one seems to know exactly why, but one possible reason is lack of transportation. Full Story
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Texas legislators would love to lower your property taxes, but none of the proposals they're considering in the special session would do that. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick marked the halfway point of the special session Tuesday by calling for "better communications" with the House, which has moved much slower on Gov. Greg Abbott's agenda than Patrick's Senate has. Full Story
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A congressional panel looking into whether U.S. Rep. Roger Williams improperly benefited from legislation he supported said its review found nothing that could lead to "a reasonable inference of improper conduct." Full Story
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The Travis County District Attorney's office on Tuesday said its offer to drop all corruption charges against state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, in exchange for her agreeing to resign immediately had expired. Full Story
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Representatives from Texas’ business, local government and higher education sectors argued Tuesday that the state’s new immigration-enforcement law could do billions of dollars in damage to the Texas economy. Full Story
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Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price talked about their Tuesday meeting with Gov. Greg Abbott about several local control issues he put on the agenda for the special legislative session. Full Story
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The Texas Tribune wants to know more about how rising property tax rates are affecting people across Texas — and who should have the final say. Full Story
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From national and state politics to top-shelf media, the lineup of our seventh-annual ideas weekend is filled to the brim and beyond with star power and smarts. You won't want to miss it. Full Story
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