Beto O’Rourke group gives $600,000 to Texas House Democrats’ stay in Washington, D.C.
Members left Texas about 10 days ago and have said they plan to stay out of state until after the special session ends Aug. 6. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, speaks at “Texans Rally for Our Voting Rights” at the Texas Capitol in Austin on May 8, 2021. Critics of SB 7 claim that the legislation suppresses voting rights by limiting and changing state voting procedures.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Sixth Texas Democrat in Washington, D.C., tests positive for COVID-19
The Texas House Democratic Caucus, which has said it plans to not identify lawmakers who test positive, has started additional precautionary measures, such as providing daily rapid tests. Full Story
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
After hours of impassioned testimony, Texas Senate panel advances bills limiting the school sports teams that transgender athletes can join
Gov. Greg Abbott added the legislation to the special session agenda after similar bills failed to pass during the regular session earlier this year. Full Story
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![A high school volleyball player gets ready to serve during a game.]()
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Texas House attempting to reset on contentious elections bill with new author, new committee in special session
The lower chamber, led by House Speaker Dade Phelan, is trying to start off on a new foot with a controversial election bill that blew up during the regular session. Full Story
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![A voting sign at the South Austin Recreation Center polling site on Oct. 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Democrats fear Texas Republicans will push even harder in second bid to pass new voting restrictions
As the Legislature's special session dawns, political developments have raised the stakes for how far Republicans might go in enacting new voting restrictions, and how they might impact voters of color. Full Story
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![Harris County residents waiting in line at the Bayland Community Center during the first day of early voting in Houston on Oct. 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers take Gov. Greg Abbott to court for defunding Legislature
The governor had vowed to veto the Legislature’s funding in the final hours of the regular legislative session in May after House Democrats broke quorum and left the chamber to prevent passage of a controversial elections bill. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3 at the Texas Capitol on June 8, 2021. The omnibus power grid bills will change the state’s power grid and the people who oversee it.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Business leaders on Texas-Mexico border say state politicians ignore community needs while calling for a wall
Many local officials and business leaders along the border say that the rhetoric is misplaced and that the broader needs of their communities can often get lost. Full Story
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![The site of a proposed development off of US Highway 83 and Pine Street in Rio Grande City. June 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick waffles over whether he still supports stronger gun background checks
In September 2019, he said he was "willing to take an arrow" and go against the National Rifle Association by pushing for Texas to extend background checks to gun sales between strangers. On Thursday, he sat next to NRA leader Wayne LaPierre as an expansion of gun rights became law. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at a press conference concerning the recently passed Election & Ballot Security Bill, also known as Senate Bill 7, at the Texas Capitol on April 7, 2021. "Senate Bill 7 is about voter security, not about voter suppression, and I'm tired of the lies and the nest of liars who continue to repeat them," said Patrick.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Critics denounce Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick’s “invasion” rhetoric on immigration, saying it will incite violence
“If people die again, blood will be on your hands,” U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, wrote in a tweet. Full Story
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Las Vegas Sands went all in on legalizing casinos in Texas. Here's why the multimillion-dollar effort did not make it far this session.
The legislation — which required voter approval — would have brought a monumental expansion of gambling to Texas, which has some of the most restrictive gaming laws in the country. Full Story
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![Gamblers play slot machines during the reopening of The D hotel-casino, closed by the state since March 18, 2020, as part of steps to slow the spread of COVID-19, in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 4, 2020.]()
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Analysis: Ken Paxton’s attractive troubles
The 2022 political season is just starting, but there are already three Republicans with statewide experience running for attorney general — including the incumbent. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 27, 2021.]()
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Texas House rallies behind Speaker Dade Phelan, even as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blames him for GOP legislative failures
Phelan has touted a list of conservative wins in his first session as House leader, such as passing legislation to let Texans carry handguns without a license and approving some of the strictest restrictions on abortion in the country. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with legislators on the House floor on May 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republican leaders promised action on gun safety after the El Paso shooting. Instead, they passed permitless carry.
The Legislature passed a bill allowing Texans to carry handguns without a license or training — an expansion of gun rights so divisive Republican leaders in previous years refused to touch it. Full Story
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![A M&P Shield handgun, small enough to be ideal for conceal carry, in Austin on April 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott could be upsetting balance of powers with threat to veto Texas Legislature’s pay
A governor targeting the Legislature’s budget would be unprecedented in Texas history. Full Story
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Texas’ GOP leadership already at odds over plans for special legislative session
Since House Democrats staged a walkout that killed Republicans’ priority elections bill for the regular session, the governor and the leaders of the state House and Senate have diverged notably in interviews about how they are approaching the overtime round. 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 -
Analysis: Regulating dangerous practices in the Texas Legislature
Lawmakers consider some things so safe that regulations can be loosened, while other matters get a tighter regulatory scheme. Consider guns and voting. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks with lawmakers on the house floor during the legislative session on Sunday, May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
With feelings raw over voting bill's demise, Texas Legislature wraps up — for now
Members celebrated the end of the session, but also acknowledged that they’ll be back sometime soon for at least one special session. Full Story
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![House members praised House Speaker Dade Phelan on Sine Die. May 31, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Democrats’ defeat of Texas voting bill adds an asterisk to Republicans’ “most conservative” legislative session
Republicans were assigning blame after the measure’s dramatic failure Sunday night, but were also already looking ahead to a special session. Full Story
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![The House Floor on May 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
After drastic changes made behind closed doors, and an overnight debate, Texas Senate approves voting bill
Senate Bill 7 includes provisions to limit early voting hours, curtail local voting options and further tighten voting by mail. The upper chamber suspended its own rules to approve it after debating it for hours overnight. Full Story
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![Voting signs at Dan Ruiz Branch Library in Austin on Election Day. Nov. 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
President Joe Biden says Texas voting bill is “part of an assault on democracy”
Senate Bill 7, a Republican priority voting bill, would limit early voting hours, curtail local voting options and further clamp down on mail-in voting, among several other provisions. Full Story
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![President Joe Biden speaks at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia on May 28, 2021.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
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