The latest Craig L. Estes news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas has resisted recent attempts to change its vaccine laws, allowing parents to get their children exemptions for "reasons of conscience." Use our lookup tool to see how exemption rates have changed in school districts and private schools across the state. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/29b5afd7051df91f4ec49b8373b958ca/02%20Vaccine%20Nurse%20Doctor%20Clinic%20EK%20TT.jpg)
Even when the content of a political message is factual, the appearance of it can be deceitful, dumb or just plain risky. This year's Republican primaries are chock full of examples. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/25/_S3R6408Geren.jpg)
Watch state Sen. Craig Estes and his Senate District 30 Republican primary challenger, state Rep. Pat Fallon, virtually debate as the candidates compete in the North Texas district. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/SplitDecision-EstesFallon-Lead.jpeg)
State Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Frisco, confirmed he is challenging state Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls in next year's Republican primaries. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/pat-fallon.jpg)
Only one committee received a new committee chair in the Texas Senate. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, will chair the Senate Administration Committee. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Senate-Chamber.jpg)
Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed a bill Thursday that allows clergy members to refuse to conduct marriages that violate their beliefs, said that "pastors now have the freedom to exercise their First Amendment rights." Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/06/11/UP9A7997.jpg)
The so-called Pastor Protection Act, which aims to clarify a clergy member's right to refuse to conduct a marriage that violates his or her beliefs, tentatively passed the Texas House 141-2 Thursday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4003645e9aa60d0f7997c39738808c91/BD%20INC%20Sanford%20HCR63%202013)
The so-called Pastor Protection Act — a bill that clarifies clergy members' right to refuse to marry same-sex couples — tentatively passed the Texas Senate on Monday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/03/16/7C2A4061.jpg)
A shift in the public debate over the relationship between oil and gas production and earthquakes happened Tuesday with a new study in Texas and a turnabout by the Oklahoma government on the issue. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/InjectionWell-2.jpg)
A Tribune analysis of gun laws nationwide shows passing "open carry" legislation would make Texas an outlier among states with large urban populations. Many of the nation's biggest cities are located in states that prohibit it. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/04/16/MP3.jpg)
Legislative activity begins to ramp up in the two chambers this week with speculation rampant that the Senate might take up as early as today legislation that would allow permitted gun owners to carry handguns openly. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/12/UP9A0874.jpg)
As a key Senate committee prepares to hear public testimony on tax cut proposals Wednesday, senators expressed strong interest in repealing the state's unpopular margins tax on businesses, which has raised $4.7 billion annually. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/04/02/ExpandingBudget-MoneyBagInCapitol.jpg)
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is on his way out in a few months, but on Thursday he moved to fill some key Senate leadership slots to help the chamber prepare for the coming legislative session in January. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/05/27/7C2A7339.jpg)
UPDATED: As debates over gun control intensify across the nation, state senators on Tuesday tentatively approved a measure allowing Gov. Rick Perry to offer economic incentives to gun manufacturers that want to move to Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/28/txtrib-Guns-CCR002.jpg)
At our Hot Seat conversation at the University of North Texas in Denton on 2/28, state Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, and state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, discussed cuts to public and higher education and other by-products of the 82nd Session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/HotSeatStill_1.jpg)
At Monday's Hot Seat conversation in Denton, state Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, and state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, talked about their unwillingness to support a certain Texas congressman in 2012. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/HotSeatStill.jpg)
Gov. Rick Perry is not going down without a fight. He spent his last full day on the campaign trail in Iowa throwing furious punches at his rivals, rallying his Texas “posse” for support and pleading with voters to look past polls showing him in fifth place here. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/761a34800e3f0971b69ad072bbdeadac/BD%20INC%20Perry%20Sious%20188%202012)
With fewer than five weeks left in the regular session, none of Gov. Rick Perry's emergency items — voter ID, sanctuary cities, sonograms for women getting abortions, a federal balanced budget amendment, and eminent domain protection — have made it to his desk. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PerryStateofState.jpg)
Another bill on Gov. Rick Perry's emergency items list — eminent domain — tentatively passed in the House today, and it could further curb the government's right to take private property. Full Story
Public health officials have been trying for years to get dirty syringes and the diseases they spread off Texas streets with needle exchange programs that allow IV drug users to get clean ones — and always they've come up short. Given November's election results, they fear 2011 may be no different. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/needle_single.jpg)