The latest Department of Public Safety news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas has a system in place to identify people with disabilities who will need extra help during a natural disaster. But it's unclear how many people actually received help through the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, or STEAR, during Hurricane Harvey. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Public Safety has reversed a controversial decision to lay off more than 100 older troopers employed under an agency program that allowed them to retire and then be rehired in order to collect retirement benefits and a salary. Full Story
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Four former and current Texas Juvenile Justice Department employees were arrested Thursday as part of a Texas Rangers investigation into alleged misconduct at state-run youth lockups. Another suspect remains at large. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Public Safety is feeling the heat over a budget-related decision to lay off 117 officers serving in a retire/rehire program. Full Story
Gov. Greg Abbott asked the Texas Department of Public Safety Friday to retract its plans to begin charging local agencies for forensic testing. Full Story
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Mandy Mann thought she had paid her dues for a 2009 traffic stop. But six years later, the Waco mom was stopped and arrested — for failing to comply with the state's troubled Driver Responsibility Program. Full Story
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A bill to end annual vehicle inspections died during the regular legislative session — but might come back during next month’s special session. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Public Safety surprised customers last week when the agency trimmed office hours to save money. Full Story
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A measure to repeal the widely unpopular program made it out of the House but died before hitting the Senate floor. Full Story
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Texas budget writers plan to spend another $800 million for border security over the next two years, matching what lawmakers allocated in 2015. Full Story
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Legislation that would crowdfund money from Texans to deal with a state backlog of thousands of untested rape kits has moved closer to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Full Story
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After failing by one vote on the House floor Wednesday night, a bill to penalize law enforcement agencies that don't report police shootings to the state was reconsidered and passed. Full Story
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Senate Bill 693 cleared the chamber in a 25-6 vote following strong pushback from one Republican who argued seat belts make buses less safe. Full Story
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After being stolen from the Patriots' locker room at NRG Stadium in Houston last month after the Super Bowl, quarterback Tom Brady's jersey was traced to Mexico, according to officials involved in the investigation. Full Story
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The state's “months-long delay” in producing documents “has been disruptive, time consuming, cost consuming” and has burdened plaintiffs in the voting rights lawsuit, the judge wrote. The order will run up Texas' legal tab. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asked the Texas Rangers and Houston Police Department to team up in finding New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's football jersey, which was stolen Sunday night. Full Story
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State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, has been placed under the protection of the Texas Department of Public Safety after getting death threats following his filing of a bill to criminalize abortion in Texas. Full Story
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Civil rights lawyers suing Texas over its voter registration practices asked a federal judge to sanction the state for allegedly blowing past deadlines and ignoring a court order to hand over documents. Full Story
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The so-called bathroom bill has drawn national attention to the Texas Legislature. But what would the proposed bill actually do? We've annotated the text to explain in plain English how the bill would impact communities across Texas. Full Story
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Art Acevedo, the newly hired head of the police force in Texas' largest city, acknowledged at a Tribune symposium on Saturday the difficulty of finding new funding for the effort but argued for its importance. Full Story
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