Watch Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Dennis Bonnen announce school finance deal
The "Big Three" spoke to news outlets as the Texas legislative session neared its end. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen hold a joint press conference on the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion on Jan. 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Paid sick-leave ordinances likely survived the Texas Legislature. But businesses still want to kill them.
Angry that the Legislature failed to overrule local ordinances requiring private employers to offer paid sick leave, many business groups are hoping the courts will finish the job for them. Full Story
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![The Justices of the Texas Supreme Court hear the Texas Department of Criminal Justice v. Maurie Levin, et al. case on Jan. 23, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver for The Texas Tribune -
Senate moves to let breweries sell beer to go, make it easier to own several liquor stores
The upper chamber added those changes to a broader bill that must pass for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to continue functioning. The House has already signaled it would let breweries sell beer to go. Full Story
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![Oskar Blues Brewery on Friday June 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Erika Rich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas expansion of medical cannabis nears finish line after Senate approval
If the House approves changes made by the upper chamber, the bill will head to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Full Story
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A Lege wrap-up conversation with state Reps. Gonzalez, Leach and Springer
Watch our conversation about how the Texas House did during the 86th legislative session with State Reps. Mary Gonzalez, Jeff Leach and Drew Springer, moderated by Texas Tribune co-founder and CEO Evan Smith. Full Story
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Analysis: Tinkering with the 2020 elections in the Texas Legislature
The power of incumbency is more than raising money for campaigns and having a well-known political name. Changing the state's election laws — or even debating issues that resonate strongly with voters — can set the rules and frame the arguments for the next election cycle. Full Story
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![Voter wait in line outside Marshall Middle School, one of several polling places in Houston being kept open an hour longer after polls opened late with issues including election machine technical problems that caused delays in voting.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
This session's biggest mental health bill got killed on a technicality — then resurrected
Senate Bill 10, focused on connecting children to mental health services, was knocked out of contention with a parliamentary maneuver Tuesday night but was revived as an amendment to another bill hours later. It's one of several measures the state's GOP leaders championed in the wake of the deadly shooting last year at Santa Fe High School. Full Story
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![Former state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, on the House floor on May 21, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate passes bill to give more teachers access to guns in classrooms
The bill needs a final stamp of approval from the Senate before it can head to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk for his signature. Full Story
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![On The Mark Enhanced Tactical Training CEO Ray Dunn inside the Harrold ISD K-12 school where he teaches a gun training class for educators. The North Texas ISD was the first in the nation to arm teachers in 2007.]()
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Texas school safety measures expanded with House amendments to sweeping legislation
Tentative approval of the bill comes days after the one-year anniversary of a shooting at Santa Fe High School that left 10 dead and another 13 wounded. Full Story
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![Mock weapons used to train educators in Harrold, Texas. The North Texas school district was the first to allow educators to carry guns on school grounds in 2007.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Did the Texas Legislature accidentally imperil billions of dollars in business taxes?
In their effort to make a future state income tax all but impossible, Texas lawmakers used terminology that experts believe could inadvertently gut the state’s franchise tax. Full Story
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![State Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper, on the Senate floor on April 9, 2019.]()
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Texas House passes bill allowing handgun owners to carry weapons in church
Consideration of the bill comes more than a year after a gunman killed 26 in a Sutherland Springs church. Full Story
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![The interior of St. Mary Cathedral in downtown Austin on Jan. 30, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Critics say bill moving through Texas Legislature designed to aid GOP reelection bids
Supporters of the bill say it would expand ballot access. But some critics argue that the real goal is to make it tougher for Libertarians to get on the ballot and easier for Green Party candidates to do so. Full Story
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![Early voting at the Acres Home Multiservice Center in Houston on Oct. 26, 2014.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House passes religious liberty bill amid LGBTQ Caucus' objections
What started as a sweeping religious refusals bill has been significantly watered down as it moves through the Texas Legislature. But LGBTQ advocates still fiercely oppose it, saying it perpetuates hateful rhetoric. Full Story
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![State Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Carrollton, speaks against Senate Bill 1978 on the House floor on May 20, 2019. Behind her, left to right: state Reps. Jessica González, D-Dallas, Mary González, D-Clint, Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood, and former Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
The 2019 legislative session is over. Here are the big bills that passed — and the ones that failed.
Lawmakers filed thousands of bills during the 2019 legislative session. Here's how the big bills fared. Full Story
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Analysis: Welcome to Hell Week for the Texas Legislature
School finance, property taxes and the other priorities of the state's top officials are still in play, but some issues are in peril as the Texas Legislature enters the final week of its 86th regular session. Full Story
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![Dense fog blankets the dome of the Texas State Capitol. March 12, 2019.]()
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Texas House passes Senate bill seeking to ensure free speech on college campuses
Senate Bill 18 would require universities to create disciplinary sanctions for students who interfere with free speech activities. It would still allow universities to put restrictions on the time, place and manner of such activities. Full Story
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![State Troopers in riot gear push protesters away from the building where white nationalist Richard Spencer was speaking at Texas A&M in College Station Tuesday, December 6, 2016.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House advances bill banning cities from partnering with Planned Parenthood on any services
Senate Bill 22 bars Texas governments from contracting with abortion providers or their affiliates — even for services like sexual health education and pregnancy prevention initiatives. Full Story
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![A bipartisan group of state legislators, medical professionals and abortion advocates gathered at the Capitol in opposition to SB22. The group claims the bill would reduce funding for abortion providers. May 17, 2019.]()
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Texas lawmakers send bill to governor that would eventually outlaw red-light cameras
The legislation includes a provision to allow local governments to continue operating cameras until they finish out any contracts in effect as of May 7. Full Story
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![A red light camera at the intersection of I-35 and 11th St. near downtown Austin on May 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate votes to allow people to carry guns without a license during disaster evacuations
After final Senate approval, the bill will head back to the House, where members will decide whether to accept the changes made in the Senate. Full Story
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Texas House committee signs off on controversial election bill
The legislation, Senate Bill 9, has several provisions, including one that would make it a felony for Texans who vote when they’re ineligible — even if they do so unknowingly. Full Story
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![State Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, listens to testimony on Senate Bill 9 from Mark Cundall with Rev Up Texas. Cundall spoke in opposition to the bill, specifically the language regarding people with disabilities. May 15, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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