The latest 86th Legislative Session news from The Texas Tribune.
Between his office's bungled efforts to find noncitizens among the state's registered voters and Democrats pouncing on state actions they believe are targeted at Hispanics and other groups, Texas Secretary of State David Whitley's confirmation is in peril. Full Story
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In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks with state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, the chairman of the Senate Property Tax Committee, about off-the-charts appraisals and off-the-leash local officials — and whether his reform plan has the votes to pass. Full Story
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At his confirmation hearing, Whitley faced tough questioning from Democrats over his decision to erroneously question the citizenship status of tens of thousands of voters. Full Story
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After last year's massacre at Santa Fe High School, survivors told lawmakers the school safety measures they want to see enacted during this year's legislative session. How many of them will become law? Full Story
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The secretary of state's office has faced criticism for its handling of efforts to review the citizenship of 95,000 registered voters. Now, Secretary of State David Whitley — a Gov. Greg Abbott appointee — faces a confirmation hearing. Full Story
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Republican David Whitley faces questions from Democrats about how he handled an attempt to review the citizenship of 95,000 registered Texas voters. Full Story
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In the wake of a midterm election that saw four major state appeals courts flip on partisan lines, Hecht called on lawmakers to consider changing Texas to a system of merit selection and retention elections. Full Story
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What Texas Gov. Greg Abbott didn't say in Tuesday's State of the State speech was important. School finance and property taxes were the big issues before the speech — and Abbott didn't stray from those subjects. Full Story
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The governor focused on bread-and-butter policy in a forum that has often featured a lot of red meat. Full Story
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Two years after a bail reform bill died in the Legislature, new bail legislation has other factors working in its favor. Full Story
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Abbott stayed on message about education and taxes, and touched on school safety, disaster response and mental health programs. Full Story
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Paxton's office has asked lawmakers for millions more in funding and expanded jurisdiction to go after certain crimes. Critics say the requests are aimed at political gains. Full Story
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Property taxes and school finance — the top two priorities of state leaders this legislative session — aren't the sorts of issues that fire up political partisans. Sometimes, lawmakers are just trying to do some work. Full Story
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The property tax legislation unveiled by state leaders this week carries an implicit promise — that local school districts will get more state money — but doesn't say where that money might come from. Full Story
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Nearly two decades after the U.S. Supreme Court said it was unconstitutional to execute those with intellectual disabilities, Texas still has no process on determining the condition — leaving life-and-death decisions in the hands of courts with very different methods. Full Story
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The leaders of both legislative chambers say they will be united this year — even if cities and counties push back — and that local officials should come to Austin with solutions in hand if they don't like new proposals. Full Story
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Even outspoken critics of the controversial program that redistributes money among school districts, acknowledge that they need it to avoid future school-finance lawsuits. Full Story
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Members of both parties have filed bills ending the practice of revoking occupational licenses for people behind on their student loans. Full Story
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In 1993, the Legislature passed a law that said state parks and historic sites could receive all of the money generated by a tax on the sale of sporting goods. Since then, state lawmakers have given the parks department only about 40 percent of those collections. Full Story
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Bonnen, who married into a beer distributing family, says he doesn't need to recuse himself on alcohol issues and won't name the lobbyists who own a piece of his bank — a list that is much longer than previously reported. Full Story
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