Special election runoff between John Wray and Brian Harrison for state House district in North Texas set for Sept. 28
The two Republicans are vying to replace former state Rep. Jake Ellzey, who is now in Congress. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol on June 10, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
How the quorum break got broken: Texas Democrats splintered during second session break
For House Democrats, the story of the second special session is much different from that of the first one. The excitement of leaving the state had worn off, the media spotlight had dimmed and the pressures to return home were mounting. Full Story
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![From left: Houston democratic state Reps. Ana Hernandez, Garnet Coleman, and Armando Lucio Walle on the House floor on Aug. 23, 2021]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Special Texas House election for former state Rep. Leo Pacheco’s San Antonio-area district will be Sept. 28
Gov. Greg Abbott set the special election date Tuesday. The race has already drawn several candidates from both parties, and Republicans are eager to make inroads in the San Antonio-area district. Full Story
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![Empty chairs on the House floor on Aug. 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature adjourns second special session after passing more of Gov. Greg Abbott’s priorities
The Legislature is expected to return soon for another special session focused on redrawing the state's political maps. Full Story
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![Speaker Dade Phelan presides over the Texas House of Representatives on Aug. 16, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
GOP bill targeting how race, slavery and history are taught in Texas schools heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk
Before the second special session ended, lawmakers sent the GOP-backed bill for the governor's signature. Full Story
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![Students work at their desks during a geometry class at Chapa Middle School in Kyle on Aug. 24, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Social media companies can’t ban Texans over political viewpoints under new law
The law requires social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram to produce regular reports of removed content and disclose their content regulations procedures. Full Story
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![Social media icons on an iPhone screen.]()
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto -
Texas House advances bill to restore money to pay salaries for 2,100 state workers after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed Legislature funding
The legislation will need another stamp of approval in the House before it heads to the Senate, which has not yet debated its version of the proposal on the floor. Full Story
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![The sun sets on the state Capitol in Austin, on May 27, 2021.]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune -
GOP's so-called critical race theory bill advances as bill to restrict transgender student athletes stalls in House committee
The committee action came less than 24 hours after Dutton had taunted Patrick, threatening to hold his prized legislation back amid rumors that the Senate was stalling a bill to restore funding to the Legislature. Full Story
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Former state Rep. John Wray vying for old seat in Tuesday special election
Wray is among eight candidates, including five Republicans, on the ballot Tuesday to fill a vacancy in his old House District 10. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Wray, R-Waxahachie, chats with state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst R-Brenham, on the House floor on May 22, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas is one step closer to funding virtual learning, but could leave out many students of color
The bill, which would provide funding through September 2023, will head back to the Senate before reaching Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Full Story
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![Sophomore Alexis Phan does her Algebra 2 homework remotely, from her home in Pflugerville on Nov. 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: The election restrictions bill passed the Texas House. What’s next?
In this week’s episode, Matthew, Alexa and Cassi look back at months of political fights after the elections bill made it out of the Texas House. Full Story
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![Voters cast their ballots at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston on Oct. 22, 2018.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
With a full plate of controversial bills to go, Texas House committee OKs funding for virtual learning
Public hearing on bill about teaching race and history draws a crowd. Full Story
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![A Texas elementary school student works on a laptop.]()
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Texas House speaker says “absolutely no deals made” to bring back absent Democrats
Navigating the quorum break, Speaker Dade Phelan said he was especially mindful of not doing “un-repairable harm” to the chamber, indicating that could have happened if members were physically detained and brought to the chamber. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan sits on an interview with The Texas Tribune at the Capitol on Aug. 24, 2021.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House solidifies quorum with burst of returning Democrats but has only two weeks left to pass jam-packed agenda
It’s unclear what the Legislature will be able to accomplish with just two weeks left on the 30-day clock. Key legislative deadlines are coming. Member relationships are frayed. Some Democrats warn the quorum could be broken again. Full Story
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![Roll call is tallied on the House Floor on Aug. 23, 2021]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas lawmakers have two contentious voting fights ahead — if they can stay in the same room
After a standoff that lasted more than a month, the Texas House appears to have enough state representatives in Austin to conduct business. The divisions are deep, relationships are frayed and redistricting lies ahead. Full Story
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![State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, leads a prayer on the House floor on Aug. 19, 2021. Democratic lawmakers Garnet Coleman, Ana Hernandez and Armando Lucio Walle returned to the House floor, giving their Republican members a quorum.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas House finally makes quorum, but Democrats say Republicans cheated to get there
There were 99 members registered as present Thursday evening, the exact number needed to end the 38-day Democratic quorum break over the GOP’s priority elections bill. But not all of those members were physically on the floor. Full Story
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![House members watch as roll call is tallied on Aug. 19, 2021. The House reached a quorum after weeks of absence by House Democrats who left the state in protest over a GOP elections bill.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
After a nearly six-week exodus over GOP voting bill, enough Democrats return to Texas House to resume work
Democrat Reps. Garnet Coleman, Armando Walle and Ana Hernandez were the latest to rejoin the House on Thursday, narrowly clinching a quorum. Full Story
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![Houston state Rep. Armando Lucio Walle pushes Rep. Garnet Coleman in a wheelchair on the House floor on Aug. 19, 2021. State Rep. Ana Hernandez walked behind the duo.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: How much worse will Texas’ current COVID-19 wave get?
On this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Karen, Cassi and James about whether the this pandemic wave will turn out to be Texas’ worst and why no Democrats have been arrested since their warrants were signed last week. Full Story
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![A nurse administers an antibody treatment to a COVID-19 patient at Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton on Aug. 3, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
The threats of state troopers arresting House Democrats have yet to materialize
As of Wednesday, there were no known cases of absent Democrats being arrested, and the chamber was still shy of the 100 members it needs for a quorum to conduct official business. That is despite its Aug. 10 vote to proceed with the arrests. Full Story
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![Texas Department of Public Safety vehicles outside of the state Capitol on Aug. 11, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court says House Democrats can be arrested and brought to the Capitol, siding with Republicans trying to secure a quorum
In a bid to block a voting restrictions bill, House Democrats for weeks have denied the lower chamber the number of present members needed to pass legislation. House Speaker Dade Phelan has already signed dozens of civil arrest warrants. Full Story
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![The Texas House Democrats held a press conference alongside U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, and grassroots organizers at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 6, 2021. Friday is both the anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act and the last day of the special session of the Texas Legislature.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune
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