Texas House votes to strengthen sexual harassment investigations
The chamber voted on a resolution that moves misconduct complaints to a committee with subpoena power. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dennis Bonnen presiding over his first votes as speaker of the house. Jan. 9, 2019. Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A Texas House speaker’s first act is to put together a list
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
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![State Rep. and presumptive House Speaker Dennis Bonnen in the House Chamber on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
On first day of session, Gov. Greg Abbott talks priorities and politics
Abbott discussed his agenda for the 86th legislative session during an interview Tuesday with The Texas Tribune. Full Story
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![Governor Greg Abbott in the Governor’s mansion. Jan. 8, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune. -
James Talarico, youngest state representative in Texas Legislature, settles in for the 86th session
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
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![State Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, greets guests at his office in the state capitol. Jan. 8, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. -
Photos from the new Texas Legislature's first day
Check out our photographers' shots of the visitors, the speeches and the election of the new speaker of the House. Full Story
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![Fog shrouds the state Capitol on the first day of the 86th Legislature, on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019.]()
Credit: John Jordan/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House names Dennis Bonnen new speaker on celebratory opening day
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
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, is sworn in as House speaker by U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Looking on is Speaker Bonnen's wife Kimberly.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Dan Patrick misses first day of legislative session to help with President Donald Trump’s border wall address
His office said he'll be back in Texas on Wednesday. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at the Republican Party of Texas convention in San Antonio on Friday, June 15, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Retirement and low pay caused Texas agencies to lose nearly 29,000 employees last year
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
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Watch Texas House and Senate livestreams
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
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Everything you need to know about the first day of the Texas Legislature
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
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
TribCast: Here comes the Texas Lege
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
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![Comptroller Glenn Hegar discusses the Biennial Revenue Estimate for the 2020-21 biennium at the state Capitol on Jan. 7, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar gives lawmakers cautiously optimistic revenue estimate for 2019 session
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Monday that the state will have $119.1 billion for lawmakers to use in putting together the state's 2020-21 budget. Full Story
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![Comptroller Glenn Hegar discusses the Biennial Revenue Estimate for the 2020-21 biennium at the state Capitol on Jan. 7, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: To the relief of Texas lawmakers, voters just aren’t into state budgets
Most of what the state government does is spelled out in the budget Texas lawmakers write every two years. Lucky for them, most voters don't pay close attention to what's in that big stack of numbers. Full Story
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![Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announces his office has picked a private vendor to run the Texas Bullion Depository, which will be designed to store gold for both the state and private citizens, at the Capitol on June 14, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Without new state money, is it still school finance reform?
Lawmakers are taking on school finance and property tax reform — gnarly policy issues that are expensive to tackle even if the state decides enough money is already being spent on public education in Texas. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood (l.), chairman of the Senate Education Committee, and Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston (r.), chairman of the House Public Education committee, talk with Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston (facing), and Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio (back), on May 27, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
"I don't do this for fun." Patients are hopeful Texas will expand access to medical cannabis
The Texas Legislature is about to kick off its first session since three licensed marijuana dispensaries opened in the state, providing cannabis products for hundreds of patients. Now advocates are hopeful that lawmakers are ready to dramatically expand that program to thousands more Texans who stand to benefit. Full Story
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![Joshua Raines, an Afghanistan combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient, smokes from his marijuana vape pen after returning home early from his son's choir performance due to experiencing PTSD symptoms.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson -
There's a new Texas House speaker in town
In the latest installment of our mini-documentary series, "Under the Dome," we chronicle the path state Rep. Dennis Bonnen took to become the next likely speaker of the Texas House. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott-led board to consider removal of Confederate plaque from inside Texas Capitol
A meeting is scheduled for Jan 11. Full Story
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![The "Children of the Confederacy Creed" plaque has drawn controversy for its denial that preserving slavery was an underlying cause of the Civil War. Dec. 5, 2018.]()
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Dennis Bonnen has spent half his life in the Texas House. Is he ready to run it?
Twenty-two years after joining the Texas House as its youngest member, state Rep. Dennis Bonnen is poised to replace Joe Straus as the chamber's speaker on Jan. 8. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Emily Albracht / Robert Daemmrich and Anneke Els Paterson for the Texas Tribune -
Analysis: More questions after #MeToo investigation of Texas Sen. Charles Schwertner
An investigation of a state senator accused of sending lewd texts to a college student ended without proving his guilt or his innocence, leaving some tough questions unresolved as the Texas Legislature starts its 2019 regular session. Full Story
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![State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, leading debate on urban ride-sharing rules in the Texas Senate on May 17, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
As most states raise their minimum wages, Texas refuses to budge
This year alone, 18 states increased their minimum wage and 30 states now have a minimum wage that exceeds the federal government's $7.25-per-hour rate. Many of Texas' major cities have boosted pay, too. Will the state follow suit? Full Story
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![Frances Sanchez and her three children (from left) Samaria or Sammy Sanchez, 9, Pedro Sanchez, 6, and Katrina Sanchez, soon to be 13, pose for a portrait in the home of a friend where they are staying in Garland.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson