Gov. Abbott signs statewide ban on texting while driving
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday signed into law a bill that creates a statewide ban on texting while driving. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Abbott cites property tax "shortcoming" as potential special session looms
As speculation looms of a special session, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday that state lawmakers didn't adequately address the issue of property tax relief. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs a bill that cracks down on inappropriate student-teacher relationships on May 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott pushes back announcement on special session
An announcement from Gov. Greg Abbott on whether he will call a special session is unlikely to happen before next week. Full Story
![Gov. Greg Abbott signs a bill that cracks down on inappropriate student-teacher relationships on May 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A governor’s executive order doesn’t go very far in Texas
As Texas legislators began to speculate about whether and when they will be called into a special session for unfinished business, lawyers and others started looking for ways to avoid it. The simplest idea — an executive order — won't work. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 7 into law on May 25, 2017. The bill toughens penalties for inappropriate student-teacher relationships.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott signs bills aimed at addressing crisis in child welfare system
Two days after the end of the legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott held a public ceremony to sign four major child welfare bills into law. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs four bills aimed at reforming Child Protective Services, at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services headquarters in Austin on May 31, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Oversized tweets from a Texas trainwreck
It's the last Saturday of the legislative session — a day combining long, boring periods of inactivity with high levels of drama. In other words: perfect for a wandering mind. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker of the House Joe Straus on the dais in the House chamber for a joint session memorializing the nation's veterans, on May 27, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A test of negotiating skills for the state’s top three leaders
Texans will get a close look at the state's top leaders over the next three days — the end of the regular legislative session — as they try to unknot their differences over regulating restroom use and limiting local property tax increases. Full Story
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![From left: Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are shown on May 21, 2015.]()
Credit: Office of the Governor -
Gov. Abbott: There is still time to avoid a special session of the Legislature
Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday there is still time for a deal to be struck to avert a special session of the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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![Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to the Convention of States gathering at the Texas Capitol on Dec. 6, 2016]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Uber, Lyft returning to Austin on Monday
Uber and Lyft are returning to Austin on Monday, the same day Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign ride-hailing legislation passed by Texas lawmakers. Full Story
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![Uber and Lyft, two San Francisco-based transportation networking companies, have launched services in several Texas cities.]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Dozens of Abbott appointees surpass donor threshold targeted by stalled "pay for play" bill
At least 71 of Gov. Greg Abbott's nearly 800 current state board and commission appointees appeared to have donated more than $2,500 to the governor's campaign account since 2013. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaking on Sept. 19 at a conference hosted by the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Workforce Commission.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
El Paso County files lawsuit seeking to halt Texas "sanctuary" law
A lawsuit in federal court charges that Senate Bill 4, if enacted, would violate several provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Full Story
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![Monserrat Garibay of Education Austin speaks in front of the Texas Governor's Mansion on May 8, 2017, after Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 4, known as the "sanctuary cities" bill, the night before.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Patrick takes hostages — and control of legislative session
Amid rumors of a special session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick put out a short list of bills he wants the House to pass if he's going to let the Senate advance must-pass legislation. And he appears to have the upper hand in the last days of the session. Full Story
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![At a May 17, 2017 press conference at the Capitol, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warns he'll seek a special session if the House doesn't pass certain legislation.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
List of local governments planning to fight Texas over "sanctuary" bill growing
Leaders from El Paso County and the cities of Dallas and Austin plan to move forward with resolutions or litigation against Senate Bill 4, the state's controversial immigration law, as soon as this week, according to local officials. Full Story
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![Protesters against Senate Bill 4, known as the "sanctuary cities" bill, hold a noon rally at the Texas Capitol on May 16, 2017. Organizers say they're planning a "summer of resistance" against the measure.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Advocates call for more "sanctuary congregations" ahead of new Texas law
Before Senate Bill 4, a far-reaching immigration law, goes into effect on Sept. 1, opponents are mobilizing across Texas, including those hoping to see more Texas churches offer "sanctuary" to the undocumented. Full Story
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![Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in El Paso.]()
Credit: Julian Aguilar -
Powerful Abbott appointee's lobbying sparks blowback in Legislature
In an ironic twist for Gov. Greg Abbott, who has made ethics reform an urgent political priority, the Texas House is taking aim at what critics call a "pay to play" culture among his appointees. Full Story
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![Houston billionaire Dan Friedkin is chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.]()
Credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission -
State fraud investigator forced to resign over ties to Iraqi government lobbying
Stuart Bowen, inspector general for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, resigned amid revelations that he was moonlighting for a private firm that provided services for the government of Iraq. Full Story
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![Former state Health and Human Services Commission Inspector General Stuart Bowen stepped down May 10, 2017.]()
Credit: CSIS -
Houston Police Chief ready to reluctantly enforce "sanctuary" law
Once Senate Bill 4 goes into effect on Sept. 1, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said he's prepared to lead a police force that allows officers to inquire about the immigration status of people they detain. Full Story
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![Art Acevedo, chief of the Houston Police Department, speaking on the Race and Policing in Texas panel at A Symposium on Race and Public Policy on Jan 14, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: As the legislative session winds down, who will be king of the hill?
As the Legislature grinds its way through the final three weeks of the regular session, the state's top three leaders are pushing and shoving, figuratively speaking, to the finale and beyond — to the 2018 elections. Full Story
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![From left: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Joe Straus.]()
Credit: Patrick: Laura Buckman & Abbott/Straus: Bob Daemmrich -
Abbott: I urged pastors to pressure Texas House over "bathroom bills"
Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed Tuesday in a radio interview that he has urged pastors to pressure the Texas House to advance the so-called bathroom bills that have languished there for weeks. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott prays with event organizer Evelyn Davison at the 66th annual Texas State Prayer Breakfast in Austin on May 1, 2017. Davison has organized the event for the last 43 years.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
ACLU issues Texas “Travel Advisory” after governor signs “sanctuary" bill
One of the country’s largest civil rights groups is cautioning against traveling to Texas after Gov. Greg Abbott signed what critics have called an extreme state-based immigration bill. Full Story
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![U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Austin speaks at a protest in front of the Texas Governor's Mansion Monday May 8, 2017 after Gov. Greg Abbott did a private signing of SB 4 the sanctuary cities bill on Sunday.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune