The latest Texas Senate news from The Texas Tribune.
The new political maps drawn by the Texas Senate don't just favor Republicans; that much was expected from a Republican majority. The maps help Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pick which Republicans he wants in the Senate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/32c7970cdadc3974d1244079024b77d4/Dan%20Patrick%20Presser%20SP%20TT%2002.jpg)
Texas lawmakers drew new maps for the state House and Senate, congressional delegation and State Board of Education. Here’s what Texans should know about the 2021 redistricting outcomes. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f7b4af74a5927b63bdc379e2f08ff090/Redistricting%20maps%20MGO%20TT%2001.jpg)
The redistricting process in the GOP-dominated Legislature made many political districts less competitive, which some experts believe might hurt civic engagement. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/58d768ad0c2cb5791dd7e954a6ee3d40/Salman%20Bhojani%20BT%20TT%2004.jpg)
As secretary of state, Fort Worth attorney John Scott would oversee election administration in Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c791566c829cdc8a0ad352e37d5bde0f/Texas%20File%20MG%20TT%2001.jpg)
The fast-growing region likely will see a considerable number of new state and federal lawmakers after the 2022 election. And in many cases, they will be representing districts whose boundaries have significantly shifted. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b13e51b6b4b369c3a645ff896028da4e/Capitol%20File%20Oct%2020%20EL%20TT%2002.jpg)
Seliger has served in the Senate since 2005 and led the higher education committee. He was seen as a champion of public education and local control but was derided as too soft on social conservative issues near the end of his tenure. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/bebe4a7dbe7f4bab9cba15cf9e56cf98/Senate%20Session%20April%2012%20JV%20TT%2017.jpg)
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office says there’s no plan for a fourth special session at this time. If this was the final special session of the year, what did we learn from it? Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a41432313d1e96355f5ea3a9c53adad6/Texas%20Capitol%20Oct%206%20MGO%20TT%2008.jpg)
Earlier this year, Huberty was arrested in Montgomery County after he crashed his car into another vehicle and failed a sobriety test. The lawmaker was driving home from the Capitol in late April. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4eb0e93f719785e820606b5a42a44d32/House%20Floor%20Huberty%20JV%20TT%2022.jpg)
Lawmakers approved new political maps and decided how to spend COVID-19 relief money. But they didn’t pass bills about vaccine mandates or the criminal penalty for illegal voting. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/76c4205fede56a86d2037062a7083edc/House%20Sine%20Die%20EL%20TT%2019.jpg)
If voters approve the measure next year, it will raise the state’s homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000 for school district property taxes, netting the average homeowner about $176 in savings. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7eaf54967fd9e1e99018c3430a2e7340/Aerial%20Suburbs%20JV%20TT%2002.jpg)
Members considered more than 50 amendments to the proposed map during debate that began Tuesday and ended early Wednesday. Some of the biggest changes focused on Dallas and Harris counties. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9baac39ebcb8723b7c8817a220695add/House%20Floor%20Sept%2023%20EG%20TT%2011.jpg)
Allocating those dollars, which the state received under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, was among the items on Gov. Greg Abbott’s special session agenda for the Legislature’s third overtime round of the year. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/41f1eae809f242558cc9ab482119ab20/US%20Capitol%20DC%20REUTERS%20TT.jpg)
When lawmakers find something in the law that they don’t like — or that their voters don’t like — they can always say they didn’t know what they were voting on. It happens more than you’d think. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2ffb3b1f7c48bd6a6e16d0215a5d852d/ATX%20Winter%20Storm%20JV%20Feb%2016%20TT%2036.jpg)
The bills reflect GOP efforts to further tighten voting laws, and pressure from former President Donald Trump on Texas Republicans to help advance his baseless election fraud claims. They are not expected to go far in the House. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/45bd92f40641585b8a994db6b9e20c8d/Election%20Day%20NRG%20PYH%20TT%2019.jpg)
Despite the objections of U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, the Senate committee voted out the redrawn congressional map Monday without addressing the district overlap. The map heads next to the full Senate for a vote. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e20b9193b37f419a2ce2d6666cde3ba4/Sheila%20Jackson%20Lee%20REUTERS%20TT.jpg)
Republican lawmakers in Texas are trying to make the most of their majority, drawing new political maps to preserve their political dynasty. The maps they’ve proposed would do that, but don’t represent the state’s population. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/64ab417757535c60e6d2d01b6c11aa41/Lege%202021%20Opening%20Day%20MG%20TT%2004.jpg)
The Texas Legislature is in the midst of its third special session, which is dedicated to redrawing political maps based on the latest census data that showed people of color fueled 95% of Texas’ population growth over the past decade. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c48e99f930025b14b70b33802d68d0eb/House%20Floor%20Sept%2023%20EG%20TT%2012.jpg)
The Texas Legislature is drawing new political maps to reflect the growth of the state recorded in the 2020 census. But their initial proposals don't look like the state demographically or politically. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/dc1551e2ee4c042de615212766192934/MLK%20Day%20JV%20TT%2029.jpg)
Dowd said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has focused on “culture war” issues to divide and hurt Texans. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/10/__BDP9294_dowd1CMS.JPG)
The initial drafts of both maps have so far attempted to strengthen Republican majorities by protecting incumbents and creating more GOP-friendly districts. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b6f5b38df3a857eb703cacd3c786261b/Senate%20Floor%20Jan%2013%20MG%20TT%2006.jpg)