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James Barragán is a politics reporter for The Texas Tribune with a focus on accountability reporting. Prior to joining the Tribune, James worked as a statehouse reporter for The Dallas Morning News and had previous stints at the Austin American-Statesman and the Los Angeles Times. In 2021, he was a finalist for the Toner Prize for Excellence in Local Reporting for his coverage of Texas politics during the COVID-19 pandemic. James was selected as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard in 2023-24. A Southern California native, James received his bachelor’s degree in history from UCLA. He is based in Austin and is a native Spanish speaker.
Don McLaughlin isn’t shy about speaking his mind and has disagreed with victims’ families and fellow Republicans. Now he brings his direct style to the Capitol. Full Story
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The bill would require school districts and law enforcement to meet once a year to plan their response to an active shooter situation. It would also mandate annual multi-agency exercise drills on how to respond to an active shooter. Full Story
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The proposal sets a few possible points of contention between the House and Senate, including how much money should families get through the program. Full Story
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Supporters of voucher-like education savings accounts are trying to press their advantage early and build a sense of inevitability. Full Story
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There were only so many chair positions to go around, with 30 committees for 88 Republicans, making it inevitable that some would miss out on plum appointments. Full Story
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Republicans chair all committees, as promised, while Democrats will lead half of the newly created subcommittees. Full Story
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The aggressive Republican agenda’s success depends on how well the three leaders harmonize their tactics and goals for the legislative session. Full Story
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The gang discusses the major role that Texas plays in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in his second term Full Story
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The governor’s list of priority items includes issues important to social conservatives and to business advocates. Full Story
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The governor’s speech sets a broad agenda for the Legislature, including a nuclear renaissance and a Texas Cyber Command. Full Story
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