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.]()
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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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How Santa Fe rebuilt itself in the year after a school shooting
As lawmakers in Austin work to pass a sweeping school safety bill, many Santa Fe survivors and their loved ones say they’re focused less on what’s happening at the Capitol and more on what can be done to rebuild and uplift their community. Full Story
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![Crosses bearing the name of of the victims killed in a shooting at Santa Fe High School are seen in Santa Fe, Texas, U.S., May 21, 2018.]()
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“Guns and safety aren’t synonymous for us”: Some black Texans fear plans to arm more teachers
Black students, who are already overrepresented in disciplinary referrals, say their fears come as lawmakers consider a slew of bills to expand the state's school marshal program in response to a deadly shooting last year. Full Story
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![Students at Round Rock High School Ahmir Johnson, left, and Addison Savors, right, at school on April 26, 2019. The expansion of the marshal program could be triggering for black and brown students.]()
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Texas Senate passes school safety bill intended to prevent mass shootings
Senate Bill 11 is authored by state Sen. Larry Taylor, whose district includes Santa Fe High School. Full Story
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![August 15, 2017: The final day of the first called special session of the 85th Legislature on Tuesday 8-15-2017 Photos (c) Bob Daemmrich for TT use only all other rights reserved.
Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
An exchange student from Pakistan struck up an unlikely friendship. Then another student opened fire at Santa Fe High School.
Sabika Sheikh was a Muslim exchange student with dreams of changing the world, and she bonded with an evangelical Christian girl from small-town Texas. The two became inseparable — until May 18, 2018. Full Story
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![Jaelyn Cogburn with Sabika Sheikh’s memorial cross in Santa Fe on December 29, 2018.]()
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Gun rights activist Chris McNutt says Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen lied about confrontation
The executive director of Texas Gun Rights said Bonnen should apologize for how he characterized McNutt's lobbying efforts for "constitutional carry" legislation that has since been declared dead in the lower chamber. Full Story
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![Chris McNutt, Executive Director for Texas Gun Rights held a press conference to demand an apology from House Speaker Dennis Bonnen on April 23, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Property tax wars and Speaker Bonnen's rough run-in
On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Patrick and Shannon about the fight over property taxes at the Texas Lege and the House Speaker’s fiery exchange with a gun rights activist at a GOP fundraiser. Full Story
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![Speaker Dennis Bonnen in the House Chamber on March 27, 2019.]()
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"We're all afraid to go to school": After Santa Fe, Texas seeks to make students safer
Almost a year after the massacre at Santa Fe High School, state lawmakers are considering ways to make students and teachers feel safe in the classroom again. Full Story
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"It was a setup": House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, gun rights activist come face-to-face at Texas GOP fundraiser
After a man angry about a "constitutional carry" bill languishing in the House visited the speaker's home, Bonnen admonished him and lawmakers said the legislation was dead. Then lingering tensions flared up when the two were seated near each other at an event. Full Story
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![Speaker Dennis Bonnen on the House floor during the House School Finance plan deliberation on April 3, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
After high school shooting, Texas campuses could soon have more armed marshals
The Senate on Monday passed a bill that would remove a cap on the number of school personnel that can carry firearms at schools. It is the chamber's latest tweak to the marshal program since last year's mass shooting at Santa Fe High School. Full Story
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![Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, on July 26, 2017.]()
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After gun activist shows up at lawmakers’ houses, Texas representative declares his “constitutional carry” bill dead
"I refuse to act like it is still a possibility and continue to provide false hope to my constituents," state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, said in a statement. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, speaks at the Republican Party of Texas convention in San Antonio on June 16, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
With lack of movement on “constitutional carry” bill, gun rights advocate visits homes of House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, other members
Bonnen called the man's move "gutless," according to media reports. The Angleton Republican was in Austin when the man visited his home. Full Story
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![Debate on HB1, the House state budget bill, continues into its 12th hour as House Speaker Dennis Bonnen remains in control of the debate.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate passes bill allowing school marshals to carry, not lock up, their guns
Eliminating the lockbox requirement for school marshals was one of many suggestions Gov. Greg Abbott outlined for the Legislature in a 43-page plan released weeks after last year's deadly shooting at Santa Fe High School. Full Story
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![Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, listens during a debate over Senate Bill 11 on March 18, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
On some big issues this year, Texas lawmakers are going against the polls
Issues like city-mandated paid sick leave and "red flag" gun laws are popular among Texas voters, polls suggest. Will opposing them have consequences in 2020? Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol Building.]()
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Texas lawmakers are prioritizing mental health for school safety. But advocates worry about stigma.
The newfound push this session around school safety and preventing mass shootings is reinvigorating ideas about mental health care for Texas children. But advocates often cringe when legislators make the argument that mental health care is the key to preventing mass shootings. Full Story
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![Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flowermound, introduces SB 3 on the Senate Floor on Mar. 4, 2019.]()
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Analysis: In step with Texas voters on some things, and out of step on some others
If you study a poll and then look at what the Texas Legislature is doing, you'll see a lot of harmony between lawmakers and their voters. But not always. You might also wonder where the representatives in Austin get some of their ideas. Full Story
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Guns are popular with Texans, and so are “red flag” laws, says UT/TT Poll
A strong majority of Texans told the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll that judges should be allowed to temporarily take guns away from people deemed dangerous to themselves or others. Full Story
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Immigration, border security remain the top worries of Texas voters, UT/TT Poll finds
Ask Texans what problems they're most worried about for the U.S. and for the state, and their eyes turn to the border between Texas and Mexico, the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll found. Full Story
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Credit: Photo illustration by Shelby Knowles/Miguel Gutierrez Jr. for The Texas Tribune -
Broad Texas school safety bill proposes threat assessment teams, expanded emergency training
It’s unclear how much it would cost to implement all of Sen. Larry Taylor’s proposals. Senate Bill 11 appears to take an unspecified amount from the rainy day fund to help cover the costs. Full Story
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![After an extended evening recess, Sen Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, begins an explanation of the committee substitute to House Bill 21, the school finance bill on Aug. 14, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune
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