Past Contributions

• Video: Protesters Fill Capitol Rotunda With Song

  By Alana Rocha July 1, 2013

  Before lawmakers gaveled in for the second special legislative session on Monday afternoon, abortion rights advocates sang their own rendition of "Amazing Grace" in the Capitol rotunda. Full Story 

• Video: Davis Makes the Sunday Talk Show Circuit

  By Alana Rocha June 30, 2013

  State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, wrapped up a week in the national spotlight with appearances on the network affiliate Sunday talk shows. Full Story 

• Video: Protesters Credited, Cursed for Abortion Bill Defeat

  By Justin Dehn and Alana Rocha June 26, 2013

  As Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday called for a second special session on abortion restrictions, the drama of Tuesday night's explosive fight in the Texas Senate continued to reverberate. Full Story 

• Video: The Overnight Abortion Debate

  By Alana Rocha June 24, 2013

  With a packed gallery, and amid fierce debate, the Texas House took up Senate Bill 5 on Sunday — and early Monday. The bill would ban abortion after 20 weeks of gestation and impose stricter requirements on those who perform the procedure. Full Story 

• Video: West Texas Town Dealing With Water Shortages

  By Justin Dehn and Alana Rocha June 21, 2013

  This month, the sole public water well in Barnhart went dry for nearly three days. Residents in the Permian Basin community say that the area's thriving fracking industry is important but that a proper balance must be struck. Full Story 

• Redistricting Maps Draw Amendments in House

  By Aman Batheja and Alana Rocha June 20, 2013

  The Texas House went off script Thursday, adopting several amendments to political redistricting maps it initially intended to adopt without changes. Full Story 

• Video: Perry Confuses Libya With Lebanon in Speech to Conservatives

  By Alana Rocha June 15, 2013

  In his prepared remarks at the Faith & Freedom Coalition 2013 conference on Saturday, Gov. Rick Perry had another "oops" moment when he mistakenly said last year's deadly attack on the American consulate in Benghazi happened in Lebanon, not Libya. Full Story 

• Perry Signs Unemployment Drug-Testing Bill

  By Alana Rocha June 14, 2013

  Gov. Rick Perry has signed into law Senate Bill 21, a measure that will subject Texans applying for unemployment benefits to a drug test if their responses to a screening questionnaire indicate possible drug use. Full Story 

• Video: Push to Add Gun Bills to Special Session Unsuccessful

  By Justin Dehn and Alana Rocha June 13, 2013

  UPDATED: Some lawmakers and lobbyists had been pushing for gun-related bills to be added to the special session agenda. But Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday that with time ticking away, the agenda call could not be expanded. Still, gun advocates say the importance of their legislation hasn't withered. Full Story 

• State Chooses Study Over Money to Reduce Wait Times at Texas Ports

  By Alana Rocha June 6, 2013

  Lawmakers and local officials from the Texas-Mexico border wanted funding to train more inspectors and speed up commerce at land ports. Instead, they got a study. Full Story