Texas can schedule Robert Roberson’s execution — but lawmakers still expect his testimony first
Roberson was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter in a “shaken baby” case that many say led to an innocent man’s death sentence.
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Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes office
With Donald Trump returning to the White House, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both recently signaled new openness to winding down the state’ border security operation.
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2024 Texas Elections
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Latest News
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Texas names new higher education chief
Wynn Rosser will be in charge of guiding the state’s postsecondary education policies. He currently leads a foundation focused on rural East Texas and previously worked at Texas A&M. Full Story
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![Wynn Rosser, then CEO of the Greater Texas Foundation, during a symposium on higher education at Baylor University in 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Roberson’s execution
The state’s highest civil court ruled that legislators can’t use subpoenas to block death row inmates’ executions, but suggested there’s still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel. Full Story
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![Former Detective Brian Wharton testifies during a Criminal Jurisprudence hearing on death row inmate Robert Roberson on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 in Austin, TX. Wharton was an investigator in the case of the death of Nikki Roberson and has expressed his doubts of Roberson's guilt and agrees with stopping his execution. With his scheduled execution drawing closer, a hearing debating the certainty of Robreson's guilt and there is a bipartisan push to stay his execution. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune
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Brazos County election officials feel the strain of unrelenting scrutiny from right-wing skeptics
Voting went well in the presidential election, but Trudy Hancock and her staff are still fielding questions. And the answers don’t seem to matter. Full Story
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![BRYAN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 5: Central county station workers aggregate election results at the Brazos Center in Bryan, Texas on November 5, 2024. Photo by Montinique Monroe for Votebeat]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for Votebeat -
“Actually innocent”: Judge recommends overturning death row inmate Melissa Lucio’s conviction, sending case to Texas high court
The Cameron County judge also found the state relied on false testimony during her capital murder trial, according to court documents. Full Story
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![State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, speaks at a rally organized at Dallas City Hall to free Melissa Lucio on April 7, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune
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Why Democrats’ abortion messaging failed to resonate in Texas, despite unpopular bans
Texas’ strict abortion bans made it “ground zero” for Democrats hoping to rile up their base, but voters prioritized economic issues. Full Story
![Protesters marched from the federal courthouse to the Texas Capitol in opposition to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, in Austin.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 session
Tuesday marked the first day lawmakers could file bills for next year’s legislative session. Full Story
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![Members vote to approve an anti-voucher amendment brought by state rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, during a marathon session on the House floor to approve HB-1 at the Capitol in Austin on April 06, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ uneven population boom is creating ghost towns in many rural counties
Local leaders and rural revitalization experts say Texas’ smallest towns can survive — despite a shift to urban and suburban counties — but it will take investments. Full Story
![Cornudas, Texas with a population of less than 20, hosts a chili cook-off hoping to draw over 1,000 visitors on September 28, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune
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Texas colleges pitch quick credentials as a first step toward higher wages. But students often fall off the path.
Short-term certificates can only take a few weeks to get but don’t always lead to better earnings or higher degrees. Full Story
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![Angela Ramirez poses for a portrait in Austin on Nov. 13, 2024.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
How Ted Cruz pulled off a decisive win and kept his White House hopes afloat
Cruz won over Latino voters and targeted Colin Allred’s support of transgender rights to win a third term. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a debate for the U.S. Senate with U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, hosted by WFAA on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Dallas, Texas.
Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune via POOL]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune via POOL -
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to freeze tuition at Texas colleges and universities for another two years
The governor’s directive extends a tuition freeze for Texas’ public universities that was approved in the last legislative session. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune
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U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul briefly detained after appearing intoxicated at airport
A nervous flier, the House Foreign Affairs chief said he made a “poor decision” to mix Ambien and alcohol before his flight home to Texas on Nov. 4. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, speaks to reporters outside a House Republican Caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Oct. 12, 2023.]()
Credit: Julia Nikhinson for The Texas Tribune -
John Cornyn loses longtime bid to be next Senate majority leader to John Thune
Cornyn has for years signaled he wanted to succeed his close ally GOP leader Mitch McConnell. He lost in a vote decided by the Republican members of the Senate. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn speaks to reporters after a briefing on Ukraine and additional funding requests at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
Watch the second day of the Tribune’s “Future of Rural Texas” symposium
Focused on “Small Towns, Big Possibilities,” our full day of programs begins at 8:30 a.m. CT Full Story
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A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workers
Texas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional. Full Story
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![Tammy Thompson, left, and Katherin Youniacutt, right, pose for a portrait the night before filing a lawsuit against the state of Texas to try and reverse the 2019 law that prevents convicted felons from becoming licensed social workers.]()
Credit: Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Texas Tribune -
Trump taps former Texas congressman John Ratcliffe to lead CIA
Ratcliffe represented Texas’ 4th Congressional District until Trump picked him to serve as director of national intelligence in 2020. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Heath, testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. on May 5, 2020.]()
Credit: Gabriella Demczuk/Pool via REUTERS -
John Cornyn spent years preparing to run for Senate majority leader. Will it be enough?
John Cornyn is running to succeed Mitch McConnell after years waiting in his shadow. But the far-right, in Texas and Washington, are putting up a fight. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via Reuter
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Texas’ 90,000 DACA recipients can sign up for Affordable Care Act coverage — for now
Those enrolled in the federal program shielding them from deportation can enroll through Jan. 15, but a lawsuit and Trump’s anti-immigration stance threaten to eliminate eligibility. Full Story
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![Victoria Elizondo, a DACA recipient and chef-owner of Cochinita & Co., poses for a portrait at he restaurant on November 8, 2024, in Houston, Texas.]()
Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune -
A growing and aging population is forcing Texas counties to seek state EMS funding
Although Texas counties are not required to provide ambulance services, many are digging deep to pay for their own fleet or to contract out services. Full Story
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![The interior of a CareFlite ambulance vehicle outside the Johnson County County Commissioners office in Cleburne on November 8, 2024.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
U.S.-Mexico water agreement might bring relief to parched South Texas
The amendment to a 1944 treaty will help Mexico catch up with its water deliveries to the U.S. and might help Rio Grande Valley farmers devastated by low rainfall. Full Story
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![A resaca near agriculture fields near Los Fresnos, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The Rio Grande Valley is facing a drought, greatly affecting farmers in the region.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune - More News