Analysis: A rules fight, prelude to a Texas speaker’s race
The most liberal and the most conservative members of the Texas House might not matter much when it comes to electing a new speaker — if the decision is made on partisan grounds. Full Story
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![Texas House members huddled near the dais on Aug. 15, 2017. The House adjourned sine die one day before the Legislature's special session would have been forced to conclude.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Analysis: For Texas speakers, power doesn’t equal fame
If House Speaker Joe Straus decides he wants to run for statewide office, he's got a lot of work to do. Half of the state's voters don't have an opinion about the job he's been doing. Full Story
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Here's a look at who's interested in replacing Straus as House speaker
Despite all the focus on November, many in Texas politics are keeping a close eye on January. That's when the 150-member Texas House will pick its new House speaker. Full Story
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Analysis: The road to the Texas speaker’s office is longer than it looks
It's not hard to find predictions of what's going to happen in the race for Texas speaker now that Joe Straus is not running for another term. But nobody knows what's next — and they won't for at least a year. Full Story
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![The House Chamber at the Texas Capitol on August 16, 2017, the morning after the end of the special session.]()
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Analysis: The far-reaching political repercussions of Speaker Straus’ exit
For the first time since 1993, there will be an open race for Texas House speaker. With current Speaker Joe Straus announcing his exit, expect a clear turn in the fight between the state's business and movement conservatives. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus questions members during a break in debate of House Bill 214 on August 8, 2017. The bill would limit funding for elective abortions.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus says he will not seek re-election
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, a San Antonio Republican, announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election. He did not rule out running for higher office. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus announces to the Capitol press that he will not seek re-election in 2018, opening up the speaker's race to a number of candidates for the 2019 session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Patrick, Straus direct Legislature to research Harvey, Alamo ahead of 2019 session
Straus assigned nearly every House committee at least one issue related to Hurricane Harvey to research in addition to topics normally under their oversight. Full Story
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![Speaker Straus hits the gavel as members vote no on an amendment on Senate Bill 1, the property tax bill, on Aug. 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Prosecutors drop 1 of 13 felony charges against Rep. Dawnna Dukes
Prosecutors dropped one of their 13 felony charges against state Rep. Dawnna Dukes on Wednesday, acknowledging that their case against the Austin Democrat has weakened. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, has a laugh with state Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, during an afternoon budget debate on April 6, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Phil King declares candidacy for Texas House speaker
State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, announced Friday that he has filed paperwork to run to be the next speaker of the Texas House. Full Story
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![State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, brings up Senate Bill 5 — the voter ID bill, declared an emergency item by Gov. Abbott — on May 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Ahead of 2019 session, Speaker Joe Straus orders Texas House to research Harvey issues
"We know that this is not going to be a normal legislative interim," Texas House Speaker Joe Straus said Thursday as he directed House committees to research policy issues related to Hurricane Harvey. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus keeps watch on the chamber during debate on Senate Bill 6 on municipal annexation on Aug. 11, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Larry Gonzales not running for re-election
"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve HD52 and this great state," Gonzales wrote Wednesday night on Facebook. Full Story
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![State Rep. Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock, votes no on an amendment to the Texas Department of Transportation sunset bill in the Texas House in May 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Legislature ends special session without passing property tax measure
The Texas Legislature closed out the special session Tuesday night amid a stalemate on property tax reform, leaving unfinished Gov. Greg Abbott's top priority. Full Story
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![The Texas House abruptly gaveled out Sine Die – the formal designation meaning the end of a session – on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
White nationalist rally at Texas A&M University has been canceled
The white nationalist rally planned on the campus of Texas A&M University has been canceled, officials confirmed Monday. Full Story
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![White nationalist Richard Spencer speaks while protester holds sign at Texas A&M campus in College Station on December 6, 2016.]()
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Texas House calls on Texas A&M chancellor to halt white nationalist rally
After last weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Texas House members Monday called on the Texas A&M University System chancellor to stop a "White Lives Matter" rally from taking place on campus next month. Full Story
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![Rep. Helen Giddings D-DeSoto, asks her fellow House members to stand with her against racism after white nationalists announced a planned rally on the Texas A&M campus.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas House approves "compromise" city annexation bill
Legislation that would allow Texans to vote on whether cities in large counties can annex areas outside of their limits — a contentious issue that prompted a filibuster in May — got one step closer to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk Friday. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, listens as Rep. Matt Schaefer offers an amendment to Senate Bill 6 on August 11, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
House OKs reversing cuts to disabled children's therapy services
The Texas House gave tentative and unanimous approval Thursday to a measure that would partially reverse a controversial cut to disabled children’s therapy services that was ordered by the 2015 Legislature. Full Story
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![Rep. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, speaks to media regarding her request to add Ethics Reform to the special session on Aug. 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Analysis: A 2018 Texas legislative battle map, federal courts willing
Democrats have some chances to pick up seats in the Texas House next year, with a dozen Republicans defending seats in politically wobbly districts. But watch those redistricting judges in San Antonio before you make any bets. Full Story
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Analysis: The biggest prize in the Texas redistricting fight isn't a new map
Winning some more seats in the congressional delegation or the Legislature would make Texas Democrats happy, but the real prize at stake in the state's redistricting legislation is federal oversight of the state's Republican mapmakers. Full Story
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Check what happened to this regular session's most high-profile bills
After 140 days, what did Texas lawmakers actually accomplish? Here's our guide to what happened with the regular session’s most high-profile measures. Full Story
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Abbott vetoes 50 bills passed by Legislature
Gov. Greg Abbott has vetoed 50 bills that were passed during the regular legislative session, his office announced Thursday. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott lays out items for a special session at a press conference on June 6, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune
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