Texas Legislature 2019

It usually takes a court order to move Texas lawmakers to make big changes to major programs like school finance. But it's possible, if top leaders are united, to go big without a judicial push. Full Story 

After Hurricane Harvey inundated the Houston area with rain, scores of homeowners learned too late that their properties were designed to flood. Senate Bill 339 would require sellers to disclose that risk, as well as whether a home has previously flooded. Full Story 

Hurricane Harvey, school safety and teacher pensions all made the list of priorities likely to receive funding from the state's Economic Stabilization Fund. Full Story 

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been the biggest agenda-setter in state leadership in recent legislative sessions. With a narrower majority in the Senate, a closer result in his last election and a new House speaker in place, he's a bit quieter. Full Story 

Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, wants to restrain the practice of prosecuting people who default on rent-to-own contracts for household items like TVs and sofas. The proposal comes in the wake of an investigation of rent-to-own prosecutions by The Texas Tribune and Nerd Wallet. Full Story 

Here’s a look at the demographics of the 86th Legislature by lawmakers’ race, gender, age, education and religion. Full Story 

Texas' top three leaders are eager to show they're on the same page as the 86th legislative session begins. Full Story 

In 2017, Patrick pushed for the controversial measure that would have restricted the use of certain public facilities for transgender Texans, but it failed to become law. Full Story 

Watch live coverage of a news conference featuring Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, courtesy of KXAN-TV. Full Story 

Texas House members made Dennis Bonnen their speaker this week. When he names committees in the early days of the session, they'll get their first hard look at what kind of leader he is. Full Story 

The chamber voted on a resolution that moves misconduct complaints to a committee with subpoena power. Full Story 

Abbott discussed his agenda for the 86th legislative session during an interview Tuesday with The Texas Tribune. Full Story 

After besting Republican Cynthia Flores for his open Williamson County seat, the 29-year-old Democrat from Round Rock joined the Texas House on Tuesday amid plenty of jokes and words of wisdom. Full Story 

Check out our photographers' shots of the visitors, the speeches and the election of the new speaker of the House. Full Story 

Bonnen’s unanimous election marks a new era of Texas House leadership for the first time in a decade. Meanwhile, the leader of the Texas Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, was conspicuously absent on opening day. Full Story 

His office said he'll be back in Texas on Wednesday. Full Story 

Advocates for state workers are calling for increased pay after a State Auditor’s Office report released in December found that agency turnover was at 19.3 percent in the 2018 budget year. The top reasons employees said they left were retirement, better pay and benefits and poor working conditions. Full Story 

During the 86th legislative session The Texas Tribune is streaming the Texas House and Senate chambers and providing live analysis during select events. Tune in here. Full Story 

The 140-day sprint to the finish line will finally begin today, when state lawmakers convene in Austin for the Texas Legislature's 86th regular session. Full Story 

On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Patrick about the lead-up to the 2019 Texas legislative session, the state’s new arrivals to Congress and the latest presidential buzz out of Texas. Full Story