Lawmakers debate role of free speech at Texas’ colleges
Legislators are expected to take up a $360 million proposal that would change the landscape of financial aid in the state. Full Story
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![Students walk through Texas State University campus Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, in San Marcos, Texas.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House votes to repeal sales tax on menstrual products and diapers
The bill, which Democrats have been pushing for years, has become a top priority after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The Senate has already passed the bill, which would provide tax relief on the purchase of menstrual products, diapers and other child care necessities. Full Story
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![A diaper drive at the Texas Rally for Life event at the Capitol in Austin, Texas on January 28, 2023.]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for the Texas Tribune -
Speaker Dade Phelan endorses Medicaid expansion for new mothers, repeal of “tampon tax” in first batch of 2023 priorities
The leader of the state House also threw his support behind bills to crack down on how companies handle private data and to protect children from “addictive algorithms” by digital companies. Full Story
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![Dade Phelan begins his second term as Speaker of the House on the opening day of the 88th legislature on Jan 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
With full state coffers and bipartisan support, Texas teachers are hopeful they’ll get a raise this year
The COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and burnout have pummeled teachers in the last few years. Lawmakers from both parties agree they should get a pay bump — but it won’t happen without some negotiation. Full Story
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![Teacher Melissa Perry reads to her fifth grade class at Jacob’s Well Elementary School in Wimberley on September 4, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Wendy Davis and Donna Howard, defenders of abortion access, worry the worst is yet to come after Roe decision
In interviews, the two women expressed a sense of sorrow over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow states to ban abortions, adding even more enormous obstacles to what was already an uphill battle to protect reproductive rights in Texas. Full Story
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![Former State Sen. Wendy Davis speaks at a press conference outside the Capitol on Thursday, May 5, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Meet the Texas teens taking on the state’s “tampon tax”
A group of young women have teamed up with a prestigious Houston law firm to get the state to stop charging sales tax on menstrual products, arguing they qualify as “wound care dressings.” Full Story
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![Sahar Punjwani, a student at the University of Chicago, poses for a portrait in Jackson Park on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Punjwani is one of two young women taking on the Texas Comptroller after the legislature declined to remove the sales tax on menstrual products. April 29, 2022.]()
Credit: Anjali Pinto for The Texas Tribune -
Point of Order: The long goodbye
In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Rep. Donna Howard and state Sen. Kel Seliger about sniping and snark on the road to sine die. Full Story
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Half of Texas' nurses experience workplace violence. A Texas lawmaker says it’s time to protect them.
Now praised as heroes of the pandemic, nurses and other front-line medical workers have been routinely scratched, bitten or verbally abused by patients. Well over half of Texas' nurses reported being subject to workplace violence in their career, according to a 2016 state study. Full Story
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![Steven D. Powell is a nurse with the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Feb. 6, 2021.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas officials walk back $15 million proposed cuts to women’s and children's health services
The changes to the budget proposal come after lawmakers and advocates protested the previous plan would hurt vulnerable Texans. Full Story
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![A women’s health clinic in Texas.]()
Credit: Stephen Spillman for The Texas Tribune -
Michael Bloomberg promised to “help turn Texas blue.” Now some former employees and politicians are miffed that he’s fired his staff.
“Bloomberg was promising a long-term commitment to Texas regardless of who won the primary,” said one state representative. “It’s disappointing that with his defeat in the primary, the campaign has decided to reverse course." Full Story
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![U.S. 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg speaks at a campaign rally in Houston on Feb. 27, 2020.]()
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Texas is trying to limit public money from going to abortion providers. Some fear other health services could get cut.
Starting in September, government agencies will no longer be able to provide anything of value to abortion providers or their affiliates. Opponents of the law fear it could mean the end of some public health and education programs across the state. Full Story
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![Planned Parenthood advocates rally outside of the Capitol on April 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers look to the "cloud" for storing sensitive government data
In hopes of saving money on data storage, legislators are considering downsizing the state's data centers and relying more on private tech companies. Full Story
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Texas House votes to strengthen sexual harassment investigations
The chamber voted on a resolution that moves misconduct complaints to a committee with subpoena power. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dennis Bonnen presiding over his first votes as speaker of the house. Jan. 9, 2019. Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Austin-area Reps. Hinojosa, Howard and Rodriguez talk immigration, special education
Watch the full video of our conversation in Austin with state Reps. Gina Hinojosa, Donna Howard and Eddie Rodriguez. Or check out our full recap. Full Story
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Texas House revises sexual harassment policy following reports of flaws
The revised Texas House sexual harassment policy includes language that strengthens protections against retaliation and provides specific steps to report inappropriate behavior. It comes about two weeks after The Texas Tribune detailed flaws in the former policy that often left victims to fend for themselves. Full Story
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![State Rep. Charlie Geren, chairman of the House Administration Committee, talks to reporters on Friday, Dec. 1, 2017, after the committee voted on an updated sexual harassment policy for the Texas House of Representatives.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Hinojosa, Howard and Watson on public ed, taxes, CPS (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 4/10 conversation at Austin Community College with three state legislators from Austin: Reps. Gina Hinojosa and Donna Howard and Sen. Kirk Watson. Full Story
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Analysis: The state’s declining support for public education in Texas
Had the state kept its share of school funding constant for the past 10 years, voters might not be griping about rising property taxes. The state is spending more than it used to, but it's spending less per student. Full Story
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![Chairman of House Committee on Public Education Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, on April 14th, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Livestream: Post-election TribCast
We're livestreaming our live post-election TribCast recording in Austin. Full Story
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Video: A Conversation about the State Budget
At our 4/29 symposium on the Texas economy, Ross Ramsey talked about the state budget and spending with state Sens. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, and state Reps. John Otto, R-Dayton, and Donna Howard, D-Austin. Full Story
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Video: Is the Top 10 Percent Rule Working?
Full video of our 3/31 conversation about the Top 10 Percent Rule with Austin ISD Superintendent Paul Cruz, former UT-Austin President Larry Faulkner, and state Reps. Donna Howard, D-Austin, and John Zerwas, R-Richmond. Full Story
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