Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick diverge ahead of the legislative session on property taxes, power grid
The dueling approaches are coming into focus as lawmakers prepare to return to Austin for the session which begins Jan. 10. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick at a joint press conference on the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion on Jan. 9, 2019. Newly-elected House Speaker Dennis Bonnen was also present.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune. -
John Scott, Texas’ top elections official, to step down at end of year
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Scott as secretary of state in October 2021, and he served in an interim capacity pending Senate confirmation. He is stepping down right before the legislative session, in which his appointment would have come up for debate. Full Story
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![John Scott speaks to a reporter during an interview inside his office at the Texas State Capitol on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021 in Austin, TX. Scott was appointed last week by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and his appointment has been criticized by some after Scott's role in representing the Trump administration in a lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Feds often hand migrants over to state police rather than process immigration claims, complaint says
State police often rely on federal immigration officials to lock up migrants on state trespassing charges, according to a new complaint by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. The collaboration contradicts federal and Texas officials’ attacks on each other’s immigration policies. Full Story
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![A group of migrants walk off a pick-up truck after being apprehended by Department of Public Safety officers at a train depot in Spofford on Aug. 25, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
To combat opioid overdoses, Gov. Greg Abbott says he supports decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips
The announcement signals a shift in Abbott’s approach to fighting the opioid epidemic. He had previously pushed back against bills calling for the decriminalization of fentanyl testing strips. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during at Texas Rally for Life at the Texas Capitol on Jan. 22, 2022.]()
Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune -
A growing number of Texas rural counties are declaring local immigration “disasters”
The latest county to make a disaster declaration is an eight-hour drive away from the Texas-Mexico border, but local officials there say they’re under “invasion.” Full Story
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![Thousands of young cedar trees line rolling hills near Sulphur Springs. They were planted by the energy company, Luminant, as part of a beautification effort along where it once operated a coal mine. Nearby on the same site they left a mound of coal mine waste containing toxic materials that towers over the homes and businesses it shares property lines with.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
Republican requests recount after loss in battleground race for state Senate seat in South Texas
Adam Hinojosa finished 659 votes behind Democrat Morgan LaMantia in a race that garnered 175,415 total votes. Full Story
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![From left: Adam Hinojosa and Morgan LaMantia. Hinojosa, Republican candidate for Texas Senate District 27, has asked for a recount against LaMantia, his Democratic opponent.]()
Credit: Campaign websites -
In after-hours notice, Gov. Greg Abbott announces another leadership change for the Department of Family and Protective Services
Former DFPS commissioner Anne Heiligenstein was tapped by Abbott in June to serve as the agency’s executive deputy commissioner. Last month, she was out. Now she’s back. Full Story
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![The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services building in Austin.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Jewish Texans see surge in antisemitism as a precursor to fascism
Extremism experts and historians sound alarms as politicians, media personalities and celebrities amplify antisemitic conspiracies that have historically led to the killing of Jews. Full Story
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![Outside of the sanctuary at Congregation Beth Israel in Austin on Nov. 1, 2021. Late the night before, an unknown individual set a fire at the front doors of the synagogue. Franklin Barrett Sechriest, then a student at Texas State University in San Marcos, was charged with the crime.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
Houston boil water notice forces schools to shut down
Millions of Houston residents are expected to be under a boil water notice until Tuesday after a power outage at a water treatment plant. At least four school districts canceled Monday classes. Full Story
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![A notice that customers are limited to two cases of water at a Houston HEB on Nov. 28, 2022.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Amid fallout from the Uvalde shooting, Texas DPS wants $1.2 billion for academy and active-shooter training facility
DPS is asking lawmakers to approve a $467 million active-shooter facility as a “down payment” for the training academy. “You play like you practice,” Director Steve McCraw said. Full Story
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![Texas DPS Director Steven McCraw speaks at a border security briefing at Texas DPS regional headquarters in Weslaco on Jan. 27, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Second migrant bus from Texas arrives in Philadelphia
Immigrant advocates wonder if buses with migrants from the Texas border will keep coming this week during the Thanksgiving holiday. Full Story
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![Migrants transported from the U.S. border arrive on a bus from Texas and are taken by city officials to wait for relocation, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Nov. 16, 2022.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott embraces “invasion” language about border, evoking memories of El Paso massacre
In the days since Abbott was reelected for a third term, he has embraced the word like never before, using it in a letter to President Joe Biden, echoing the intensifying language many Republicans have adopted in recent years. Full Story
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![From left: Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan gave updates on their plan for Texas to build its own border wall at a press conference at the Texas Capitol on June 16, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
What Greg Abbott’s decisive win over Beto O’Rourke portends for his future
After defeating O’Rourke — Texas’ most promising Democrat in recent history — Abbott begins his third term in a strong position, with a rising national profile and a governing mandate in the eyes of fellow Republicans. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a Site Selection’s Governor’s Cup award announcement at the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin on March 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Volunteers welcome arriving migrants Gov. Greg Abbott bused to Philadelphia
Migrants began disembarking into the cold Philadelphia morning Wednesday as Pennsylvania leaders criticized Abbott. Full Story
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![Migrants transported from Texas get off their bus in Philadelphia on Nov. 16.]()
Credit: REUTERS -
Texas Republicans show mix of enthusiasm and reticence toward Trump’s run for president
Gov. Greg Abbott, who Trump endorsed for his reelection, has not commented about the former president’s announcement to run for the White House a third time. Full Story
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![Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Conroe on January 29, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Donald Trump said he won all of Texas’ border counties. He didn’t.
In announcing his third run for president, Donald Trump said Gov. Greg Abbott called to congratulate him for winning “every single area along the border.” Democrats won many of those counties in 2016 and 2020. Full Story
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![Former President Donald J. Trump speaks on Nov. 15, 2022, at his media event at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, where he announced that he will run for president again in 2024, on Nov. 15, 2022.]()
Credit: Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post via REUTERS -
Harris County’s election missteps fuel GOP lawsuit and calls for investigation
Scattered paper ballot shortages and late openings of polling places were among the glitches that prompted calls for scrutiny from statewide Republican officials. Full Story
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![Ballots and scanning machines arrive at central counting after polls close in Houston on Tuesday Nov. 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott expands Texas’ migrant busing plan to Philadelphia
Abbott said Philadelphia’s mayor has “long-celebrated and fought for sanctuary city status, making the city an ideal addition to Texas’ list of drop-off locations.” Full Story
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![Migrants transported from the U.S. border arrive on a bus from Texas and are taken by city officials to wait for relocation, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 16, 2022.]()
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Beto O’Rourke’s campaign reflects on failed governor race
In a press call Monday, O’Rourke’s team reflected on its failures during the election, but said Gov. Greg Abbott had the advantage with his ability to attract media attention and rely on” established narratives” that historically favor Republicans. Full Story
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![Beto O'Rourke gives his concession speech after being defeated by incumbent Greg Abbott in the race for Texas governor on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in El Paso.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
State leaders won’t commit to specifics about how much they might invest in children’s mental health
As public debate intensifies over how the state will divvy up billions in new money, community groups that treat children for mental illness fear they’re not a priority. Full Story
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![Students arrive at Morehead Middle School on Aug. 19, 2021, in El Paso. The school district, EPISD, as of today voted a mask mandate for all teachers, staff and students in school facilities, defying Gov. Abbott's order that restricted local entities from instituting mask mandates.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune