Live updates: Texas lawmakers expected to elect a House speaker as 2025 session opens
A new, 140-day legislative session begins at noon. A contentious race to lead the Legislature’s lower chamber is expected to be decided. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Austin.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
The Texas Legislature is back. Here’s what we’re watching.
From debating school vouchers and improving the state’s water supply to reining in property taxes, the GOP-led body will look to pass its conservative priorities amid fighting within the party. Full Story
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![State Representatives and their families gather on the House floor on the opening day of the 88th Legislative Session at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Attorney General Ken Paxton files motion to block death row inmate Robert Roberson from testifying
The motion escalates a tense standoff between Paxton and a bipartisan Texas House committee, which had subpoenaed Roberson to testify at the Capitol on Friday. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP threatens House members who support Dustin Burrows in speaker race with attack mailers
This is the latest example of the Republican Party of Texas spending its resources attacking its own members. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, holds a press conference in the Speaker's Committee Room, on Dec. 7, 2024, announcing he has the votes to become Speaker of the House in the upcoming legislative session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
A school voucher program in Texas is more likely than ever. Can lawmakers craft a bill they agree on?
Some voucher opponents are ready to compromise; others are hoping supporters will fumble over the program's size, eligibility and accountability. Full Story
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![Opening Day action of the 88th Texas Legislature at the Texas Capitol showing Texas Governor Greg Abbott addressing the House chamber.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
A new Texas GOP rule could alter the House speaker’s race — and ban some Republicans from appearing in primaries
Republicans who vote against party leaders’ preferred candidate could be barred from running in primaries. Lawsuits could follow. Full Story
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![Delegates wait to hand in their ballots after voting on platform priorities on the last day of the Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on Saturday, May 25, 2024.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Dustin Burrows on bipartisanship, school vouchers and why he still thinks he’ll be Texas House speaker
In a Q&A, Burrows said he’s still confident he’ll win. But he says the leadership race is bigger than any one person and his supporters are trying to protect the integrity of the House. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, holds a press conference in the Speaker's Committee Room saying he has the votes to become Speaker of the House in the upcoming legislative session, on Dec. 7, 2024.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott signals support for David Cook over Dustin Burrows in GOP fight for House speaker
Days after the Texas House GOP caucus backed Cook, Abbott made clear that he expects Republican representatives to do the same. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to DPS Troopers and National Guard troops at a Thanksgiving dinner event in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Dustin Burrows says he has votes to be Texas House speaker after David Cook wins GOP caucus vote
Burrows claims the support of a coalition of Republicans and Democrats, while Cook has the endorsement of the GOP caucus. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, holds a press conference in the Speaker's Committee Room, on Dec. 7, 2024, saying he has the votes to become Speaker of the House in the upcoming legislative session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
The Texas House speaker race isn’t over. Here’s where it stands.
With Speaker Dade Phelan out of the race, Republican state Reps. David Cook and Dustin Burrows will now face off. Full Story
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![The Texas House floor on Aug. 31, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
What does the Texas House speaker do and why are Republicans fighting?
Texas Republicans are poised to pick the statehouse lower chamber’s next leader this weekend. Full Story
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![Speaker of the House Dade Phelan presides over the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Speaker Dade Phelan abandons bid for third term amid bruising leadership battle
Phelan, a Beaumont Republican, had previously insisted he had enough votes to thwart a challenge from the right led by state Rep. David Cook of Mansfield. Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan before gavelling in the House for the third-called special session on Oct. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Houston Rep. Gene Wu to lead Texas House Democrats through GOP-dominated legislative session
Wu defeated incumbent Trey Martinez Fischer on Thursday to become the next chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus. Full Story
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![Texas Rep. Gene Wu looks on during a press conference in opposition to Senate Bill 147 outside of City Hall on January 23, 2023, in downtown Houston, Texas.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
How David Cook went from Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan’s ally to lead the movement to replace him
The two-term Republican caught many Capitol observers off guard when he emerged as the standard-bearer for a coalition that wants to depose Phelan and reshape how the House operates. Full Story
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![State Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, takes the oath of office with his hand on a bible on the first day of the 88th Texas legislative session on Jan 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas can schedule Robert Roberson’s execution — but lawmakers still expect his testimony first
Roberson was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter in a “shaken baby” case that many say led to an innocent man’s death sentence. Full Story
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![Robert Roberson seeks a new trial for the 2003 conviction of the murder of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, in Palestine, Texas on August 14, 2018.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Roberson’s execution
The state’s highest civil court ruled that legislators can’t use subpoenas to block death row inmates’ executions, but suggested there’s still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel. Full Story
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![Former Detective Brian Wharton testifies during a Criminal Jurisprudence hearing on death row inmate Robert Roberson on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 in Austin, TX. Wharton was an investigator in the case of the death of Nikki Roberson and has expressed his doubts of Roberson's guilt and agrees with stopping his execution. With his scheduled execution drawing closer, a hearing debating the certainty of Robreson's guilt and there is a bipartisan push to stay his execution. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Election Day updates: South Texas continues dramatic shift toward Donald Trump, GOP
Texas might not be a swing state, but many of its races will have major consequences to the national political landscape and on the lives of everyday Texans. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line at the Houston Community College Southeast voting location in Houston on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
See final results from Texas for the November 2024 election
Texans voted in several races, including for the President, a U.S. Senator, U.S. House members and more. Full Story
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State Rep. Jeff Leach asked Texas judge to consider a new Robert Roberson trial in apparent conduct violation
Leach, one of the driving forces behind the effort to stop Roberson’s execution, later apologized to the judge, who told the lawmaker there were still pending matters before the court. Full Story
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![From left: State Reps. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, listen to a testimony during a Criminal Jurisprudence hearing on death row inmate Robert Roberson on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 in Austin.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Roberson’s case
After the attorney general insisted on the death row inmate’s guilt in a graphic press release, four lawmakers issued a point-by-point rebuttal. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune