Texas’ shortage of mental health care professionals is getting worse
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already short supply of therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers. Full Story
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![AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 14, 2023: Communities in Schools staff members Christy Mitchell, Dorothy Garza and Amara Nitibhon (left to right) pose for a portrait at Langford Elementary School in Austin, Texas on February 14, 2023. (Photo by Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune)]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune -
Texas billionaire Red McCombs dies at 95
The businessman gave huge donations to the University of Texas at Austin and is credited with bringing the San Antonio Spurs basketball team to the Alamo City. Full Story
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![Investor Red McCombs of San Antonio speaks at Circuit of the Americas in Austin on Oct. 21, 2012.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Why three longtime Texas lawmakers are now eligible for an extra $140,000 a year
A few of Texas’ most veteran lawmakers may have seen their part-time legislative compensation skyrocket from $7,200 to nearly $150,000 annually, thanks to a law passed quietly at the end of the 2021 legislative session. Full Story
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![From left: State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, State Reps. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, and Tom Craddick, R-Midland.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune; Todd Wiseman/The Texas Tribune; Bob Daemmrich -
Look up your representatives in the Tribune’s elected officials directory
Look up information about every statewide elected official, every member of the Texas Legislature and every Texan in Congress and see who represents you. Full Story
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![State Representatives and their families sit on the House floor on the opening day of the 88th Legislative Session at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas border Republican accuses GOP of using immigration crisis for politics
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales said in an interview with the Washington Examiner that his fellow Republicans benefit politically from a sustained border crisis. The attack indirectly alluded to U.S. Rep. Chip Roy’s contentious border security bill. Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Reps. Chip Roy, R-Austin, and Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio.]()
Credit: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
TribCast: Takeaways from Gov. Greg Abbott’s State of the State speech
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Texas Tribune politics reporters James Barragán and Patrick Svitek about Abbott’s prime-time address. Full Story
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Paxton whistleblowers urge lawmakers not to oppose settlement that will be paid with taxpayer dollars
In a statement, the attorneys for the four former top deputies who accused Attorney General Ken Paxton of crimes said state employees “cannot be expected to report government corruption in the future if they know the Legislature won’t back their rights.” Full Story
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![Dade Phelan addresses the House after being sworn in as speaker of the House on the opening day of the 88th Legislative Session at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott proposes devoting $15 billion to property tax cuts in budget plan
Abbott’s spending proposals also include spending $750 million on school safety and mental health services and expanding postpartum Medicaid to a year. Full Story
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![The state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Mexican political parties are courting voters living in Texas ahead of Mexico’s presidential election
Mexican migrants in Texas could play a role in choosing the country’s next president next year, and Mexican political leaders are setting up outreach networks — including one in Dallas — to court expat voters. Full Story
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![Marko Cortés, President of Mexico’s Partido Acción Nacional or PAN addresses business leaders at El Ranchito Restaurant in Oak Cliff. The invitation only event for leaders of the Dallas Mexican business community will become the Consejo de Action Migrante which will be looking looking to expand the PAN’s voter base, specifically immigrants based in the US for the upcoming Mexican elections. Cortes views it as the template for similar networking efforts across the US.]()
Credit: Jaime Carrero for The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Chris Paddie to stop lobbying after regulators crack down on loophole he used
A 2019 law says a former lawmaker cannot register to lobby until two years after they last used campaign funds to donate to another politician. Paddie, R-Marshall, sought to get around that earlier this year by reimbursing his campaign account with personal money. Full Story
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![State Rep. Chris Paddie, R-Marshall, on the House floor on Sunday, May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
D.C.-based DOJ investigators take over corruption probe into Attorney General Ken Paxton
Paxton’s lawyer had argued that federal prosecutors based out of San Antonio had an “obvious conflict” in the investigation. Full Story
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![Ken Paxton poses for a photo with guests at his primary election results watch party in McKinney, TX on March 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott calls for legislative action on school choice, property taxes and fentanyl in State of the State
During his biennial State of the State speech, the Republican governor named seven emergency items that lawmakers can vote on immediately. Full Story
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![Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gives a speech in the Senate chamber of the Texas Capitol on the opening day of the 2023 Legislature.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Black and Hispanic Texans say they don’t trust the quality of their water
A survey was commissioned by the nonprofit organization Texas Water Trade and included responses from households in both rural border communities and in urban areas across Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. Full Story
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![A portable water tank at a colonia at Las Pampas, on Oct. 21, 2014.]()
Credit: Jennifer Whitney for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Joe Biden over signing federal spending package
The attorney general argued the House unconstitutionally passed its federal spending bill because not enough members were physically present to vote. Both Republicans and Democrats voted by proxy throughout the pandemic. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a press conference outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Eric Lee for The Texas Tribune -
Austin’s city manager fired over botched winter storm response
Spencer Cronk, who headed the city since 2018, fell out of favor with council members after communication failures that mirrored problems from the 2021 winter storm. Full Story
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![Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk sits in a special called city council meeting at Austin City Hall on Feb. 15, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Uvalde’s state lawmakers face an uphill battle raising the age limit for semi-automatic guns. They’re trying anyway.
Many relatives of Uvalde victims back bills that state Rep. Tracy King and Sen. Roland Gutierrez are pushing in the Legislature. But limits on gun access don’t fare well at the Capitol. Full Story
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![The truck and weapons of Salvador Rolando Ramos remains crashed in a ditch near Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, where he entered and killed 19 students and two teachers on May 24, 2022.]()
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Black and Latino lawmakers slam Gov. Greg Abbott for order limiting diversity considerations in hiring
The lawmakers called on major sports organizations to not host championship games in the state until the governor rescinds his guidance to agencies and universities. Full Story
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![Members of the Texas Black Caucus meet to speak out against the actions of Gov. Greg Abbott's condemnation of Diversity and Inclusion practices at the state Capitol on Feb. 14, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
As Texas booms, local governments — especially in small towns — struggle to find workers
A cascade of issues including inflation and growing distrust in government aren’t helping local governments hire for critical positions in public safety and utilities. Full Story
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![Public works Director, Thomas Bailey, arrives at City of Zavalla’s Water Well #2 in Zavalla, Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.]()
Credit: Joseph Bui for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority bills signal another swing at pushing Texas to the right
Speaking in December, Patrick was less out front about conservative priorities like school book bans and restrictions to rights for transgender people. His priority bill list made clear those are a major part of his focus. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick delivers his Inaugural address after taking the Oath of Office at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott says he favors ban on transgender women competing in collegiate women’s sports
In 2021, Texas passed a law restricting transgender athletes’ participation in K-12 sports. Now there’s talk of extending those limits to colleges and universities. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott shakes hands with members on the House floor on the first day of the 88th legislature on Jan 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune