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Alex Samuels was a reporter for The Texas Tribune from 2017 to 2021. She helped with national campaign coverage, wrote stories about the intersection of race and politics in Texas, and covered the hottest political news bubbling out of local communities. She was also one of the primary authors of The Blast, the Tribune’s subscription-only daily newsletter for political insiders. Alex began at the Tribune as a fellow in 2016. She graduated in 2017 from the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism. She originally is from Massachusetts and is the best pingpong player at the Tribune.
After a debate among lawmakers over the best way to regulate services like Uber and Lyft, the Texas Senate tentatively backed a proposal that would override local regulations concerning ride-hailing companies. Full Story
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Submit your questions to our new Texplainer feature and we may report the answer. Full Story
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A recent call from Texas lawmakers to “Buy American” iron and steel has upset some northern neighbors worried about the implications such a measure will have on Texas-Canada trade relations. Full Story
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Following the signing of a controversial “sanctuary cities” ban last week, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday the law would not open the door for people to get “pulled over and detained.” Full Story
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The proposal, Senate Bill 16 by state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, would reduce the first-time fee for a license to carry from $140 to $40 and the annual renewal fee from $70 to $40. Full Story
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House Bill 2583 would charge anyone who shoots a gun without an intended target with a Class A misdemeanor — or a first-degree felony if a serious bodily injury or death occurs as a result. Full Story
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A bill meant to regulate ride-hailing companies has now made its way to the Senate — and senators have revived controversial language that would define "sex" as "the physical condition of being male or female.” Full Story
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What the Legislature is doing to fix Texas’ controversial photo ID law — and what that means for the 2018 primaries. Full Story
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Senate Bill 1289 by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would increase “Buy America” provisions already in effect for the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Water Development Board to all state agencies. Full Story
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The Senate sponsor of a bill meant to create statewide regulations for ride-hailing companies said Thursday he had stripped a controversial amendment that would define "sex" as "the physical condition of being male or female.” Full Story
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