Texplainer

Previous home damage doesn't impact someone's ability to file a claim post-Harvey. And just to be safe, both state and federal officials encourage anyone who sustained home damages during Hurricane Harvey to apply for aid. Full Story 

Following Harvey, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested money from the federal government, which has sent nearly $1 billion since the federal disaster declaration issued by President Donald Trump on Aug. 25. Full Story 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is offering aid to people displaced by Harvey, but not everyone qualifies for their assistance. For those still in need of help, there are other options. Full Story 

Tapping the Rainy Day Fund has always been a political hot potato, but a debate has already started over how much of the $10 billion fund the state should use for Harvey disaster relief. Full Story 

You can request anything under the state’s Public Information Act. Whether that information is up for grabs, however, is a different story. Full Story 

Texas is a Republican stronghold, and that likely won't change anytime soon. Heading into 2018, however, several Democrats are pushing to unseat incumbents in several statewide races. Full Story 

If Texas A&M gets sued over canceling a "White Lives Matter" rally, it might be able to defend itself in court by proving the event posed a public safety risk and would have disrupted normal campus activities. Full Story 

It would be unconstitutional to impose a statewide property tax. Even if one was enacted, however, that wouldn’t solve the structural issues with the state’s school finance system. Full Story 

If judges ultimately agree that Texas’ current political boundaries discriminate against minority voters, we could see new maps ahead of the 2018 elections. Judges could also impose a more consequential penalty. Full Story 

The special session starting Tuesday is expected to be the costliest to date. But as government spending goes, a special session is actually pretty cheap. Full Story 

Under state law, lottery revenue — including ticket sales and money from unclaimed prizes — must contribute to Texas causes and programs. However, only 27 percent of that money goes toward Texas education. Full Story 

Allowing all mail-in votes for elections is legal in 22 states, but not in Texas, where only certain voters can mail in their ballots. The Legislature's special session will address mail-in ballot fraud but won't expand mail-in voting. Full Story 

Texas plans to comply with the a Trump-assembled panel's wide-ranging request for voting information, but it's only handing over records the state considers public. So what does that entail? Full Story 

During the five-month session, lawmakers expressed determination to change how abused and neglected children are cared for. Full Story 

A bill to end annual vehicle inspections died during the regular legislative session — but might come back during next month’s special session. Full Story 

There’s no rule on who foots the bill for rape kit testing across the country — it depends on the state and city you live in. Full Story 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced he was calling the Legislature back for a special session to address must-pass “sunset” legislation and 19 other measures. Here’s what Texans can expect ahead of July 18. Full Story 

Here's a look at the seven constitutional amendments on the statewide ballot for the November 7 election. Full Story 

Have a bill you want to check up on? Here's how to check the Texas Legislature Online website to see if a bill you were following this session survived. Full Story 

At this point in the session, there are a lot of bills on the Senate’s “intent calendar.” How can you tell which bills will be considered on a given day? Full Story