Texas Sens. Charles Schwertner, Borris Miles silent after new accusations of sexual harassment in report
A Texas Monthly article revealed fresh allegations of sexual harassment against two senators with a history of scandals. Full Story
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![State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, leaves the Travis County Jailhouse in Austin on Feb. 7, 2023. Schwertner was booked the previous night for dangerous driving while intoxicated.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Abbott signs into law CROWN Act banning race-based hair discrimination
Gov. Greg Abbott over the weekend signed into law a bill prohibiting race-based hair discrimination in Texas workplaces, schools and housing policies. It goes into effect in September. Full Story
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![Dakari Davis, an officer in the DART Police Department in Dallas, speaks about the racial discrimination he faced in the workplace due to his hair style during a press conference advocating for the passage of the CROWN Act, in the state Capitol on Apr. 13, 2023.
“In 2019 I was recommended for termination,” Davis said. “Not because I violated the oath I took to protect Texans. Not because I violated the trust of the community, but solely due to this ethnic hairstyle that I wear all before all of you today.”]()
Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House approves bill to improve background checks on child-welfare workers
The action came after The Refuge, a Bastrop foster care facility, hired a caretaker without knowing her history of misconduct. Full Story
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![The Refuge in Bastrop on Apr. 12, 2022]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmaker again tries to block discriminatory hairstyle bans in schools and workplaces
Texas lawmakers could prohibit race-based hair discrimination at schools and workplaces. At least 20 states have already passed similar legislation, according to a group that champions the laws. Full Story
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![State Rep. Rhetta Andrews Bowers, D-Garland, speaks with colleagues in the House Chamber on March 5, 2019.]()
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Watch: How Texas lawmakers are conducting a session during a pandemic
The 2021 Texas legislative session will be unlike any other, as lawmakers work to get the people’s business done in the midst of a pandemic that shows few signs of slowing. Full Story
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![A temporary tent outside the north entrance to the Texas State Capitol offers complimentary rapid COVID-19 testing for all who may enter the building. Testing is not mandatory. Jan 4, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas to increase coronavirus testing — and study the virus’ impact — in black and Hispanic communities
The state’s data on the impacts of the pandemic on people of color has been incomplete. Full Story
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![Harris County Health Department nurse Harriet Lewis administers a test at a Harris County testing site located at Stallworth Stadium in Baytown on March 21, 2020.]()
Credit: Reggie Mathalone for The Texas Tribune -
New Texas law protects rent-to-own customers against criminal prosecution
Texas made it easy for rent-to-own companies to press criminal charges against people who fell behind on their payments for household goods. A new law, passed after a Texas Tribune and NerdWallet investigation, gives broad new protections to their customers. Full Story
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![SEPTEMBER 22, 2017: A Rent-A-Center in Newport News, Virginia. (Julia Rendleman for NerdWallet)]()
Credit: Julia Rendleman for the Guardian -
Despite bipartisan support, Texas bill tackling intellectual disability in death penalty cases fails
Negotiators in the House and Senate couldn't come to an agreement on a bill addressing how Texas handles capital murder defendants who may be intellectually disabled. In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing people with intellectual disabilities amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. Full Story
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![Interior of Death Chamber in Texas.]()
Credit: Jenevieve Robbins/Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
This Texas program lands poor people in jail. Getting rid of it has been too complicated — but that might be changing.
Lawmakers in both chambers and parties want to fix the controversial Driver Responsibility Program, but the program funds state trauma centers. Where will they find $144 million to fill the gap? Full Story
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![Law enforcement officials, at a traffic stop, filmed during a Peaceful Streets Project cop watch on Apr. 24, 2015. Photo: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez for the Texas Tribune]()
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Texas still doesn't have a law on intellectual disability and the death penalty. Will that change this year?
Nearly two decades after the U.S. Supreme Court said it was unconstitutional to execute those with intellectual disabilities, Texas still has no process on determining the condition — leaving life-and-death decisions in the hands of courts with very different methods. Full Story
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![Interior of Death Chamber by Texas Department of Criminal Justice.]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Houston-area Reps. Shawn Thierry and Garnet Coleman talk public education, the Texas primaries and sexual harassment
We livestreamed our conversation with Reps. Shawn Thierry and Garnet Coleman. Watch the full video, or check out our recap. Full Story
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Women's group urges Miles, Uresti to resign after sexual misconduct reports
Annie's List, a group that works to elect Democratic women in Texas, has called on state Sens. Borris Miles of Houston and Carlos Uresti of San Antonio, both Democrats, to resign following reports of sexual misconduct. Full Story
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![State Sens. Borris Miles, D-Houston (left), and Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera: Miles/Bob Daemmrich: Uresti -
Analysis: The shrinking marketplace for ideas
State Rep. Briscoe Cain's interrupted appearance at Texas Southern University is just the latest instance of a speaker being turned away from a college campus — a space that is supposed to be a shrine for competing ideas. Full Story
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![State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park (left), and State Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston.]()
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Rep. Briscoe Cain says he's open to rescheduling canceled Texas Southern University speech
After campus officials at Texas Southern University halted his planned speech Monday, state Rep. Briscoe Cain said later that evening that he would be "very open to revisiting the issue" of returning to campus to speak. Full Story
![State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park (left), and State Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera: Cain/Bob Daemmrich: Miles -
As University of Houston Rises, Black Student Enrollment Declines
At the University of Houston, enrollment is up 18 percent since 2009-10. But black enrollment is down 17 percent. Full Story
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![Inside the student center at the University of Houston campus.]()
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The Brief: April 8, 2015
Lawmakers are talking about giving taxpayers billions in tax relief this session. But in a state with 27 million residents, it turns out that even $4.5 billion doesn't stretch as far as the politicians would like it to. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Report: State Lawmaker Threatened Paxton's DPS Detail
State Rep. Borris Miles threatened to "beat up" a plainclothes DPS trooper while the lawman was guarding Attorney General Ken Paxton during a meeting at an Austin steakhouse, according to a report obtained by the Tribune. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Bill That Cuts Early-Voting Period Likely to Be Pulled
A bill that would slash the number of days allowed for early voting is likely to be pulled after scathing testimony Monday from opponents who said the bill was discriminatory and retrogressive. Full Story
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Defeated Candidates Ask Voters for Another Shot
They lost in 2010, but some candidates are hoping by now that voters have changed their minds. The 2012 ballot will be stippled with officeholders who were cast out by voters last election but want to try again. Full Story
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Video: "Pansexual" Amendment Debate
While you were sleeping last night, lawmakers in the Texas House were engaged in a passionate debate over "pansexual" politics that nearly killed the entire fiscal matters bill, which is pretty much the main reason they're having a special session. Trust us — this is must-see video. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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