The latest 85th Legislative Session news from The Texas Tribune.
The U.S. Department of Justice argued in a legal filing Thursday that courts should drop any further action over the old version of Texas’ voter ID law. That story tops the Texas Political Roundup. Full Story
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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
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A Republican lawmaker fears a new Texas law that allows the hunting of wild pigs and coyotes from hot air balloons could lead to “future catastrophes” without increased oversight of commercial ballooning. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Patrick, Jay and Jim about Speaker Joe Straus' "bathroom bill" comments in the New Yorker, the TABC's war with Spec's and a top lobbyist's eight-year-old comments on young women drinking at Baylor. Full Story
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The Texas Tribune wants to learn more about how the “bathroom bill” debate is affecting people across Texas. Full Story
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During an interview on KUT's Texas Standard, Lawrence Wright talked about his latest piece in The New Yorker, including strong words from House Speaker Joe Straus on the "bathroom bill." Full Story
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Texas lawmakers will be back in Austin for a special session in just two weeks. They'd rather be elsewhere, on vacation or — in some cases — for much more tactical reasons. Full Story
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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
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Texas police officers and other first responders who have job-related mental health issues can soon be diverted into pretrial treatment programs if they commit a crime, but many large counties don't appear interested in creating the new specialty courts. Full Story
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Organizations representing hundreds of Texas cities and school boards unsuccessfully urged Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a bill aimed at restricting drone use around the state. Full Story
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The regular legislative session belonged to legislative leaders — primarily Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who aggressively set an agenda for the Senate. Now, with a special session looming, Gov. Greg Abbott is asserting himself. Full Story
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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
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The Supreme Court’s decision to take up the case of whether a Colorado baker can legally refuse to make a wedding cake for a gay couple could have implications in Texas. Full Story
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Between a contentious regular session of the Texas Legislature and a special session that starts in less than four weeks, some lawmakers are talking about the people in leadership, starting with the speaker of the House. Full Story
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Here’s a look at the state-vs.-local fight over ride-hailing regulations, what the new state law means for drivers and customers, and how some Texans feel about the changes. Full Story
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Rep. Dan Huberty, chair of the House Public Education Committee, said he plans to file a bill during the special session to reform school finance — and to continue to reject "private school choice." Full Story
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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
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Gov. Greg Abbott is plotting an aggressive approach to the upcoming special session of the Legislature, diverting from his above-the-fray style to try to see through an ambitious 20-item agenda. Full Story
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California state agencies, universities and commissions won't be allowed to send their employees to Texas after the California attorney general declared a Texas law discriminatory. Full Story
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The Houston City Council voted 10–6 Wednesday morning to join a growing lawsuit against Senate Bill 4, an immigration enforcement law that allows peace officers to question the immigration status of people they legally detain. Full Story
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