Texans could carry handguns without a permit under bill headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk
Abbott has said he would sign the permitless carry proposal into law. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4c3b35d5836462bce5eed2b9cde6785e/Constitutional%20Carry%20JV%20TT%2002)
-
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature moves on two fronts to prevent state’s largest cities and counties from cutting law enforcement budgets
The Senate measure would require major counties hold an election before reducing their law enforcement budgets. The House bill would financially punish the state’s larger cities if they cut police funds. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e4f19c22f8d7306e8e173cb5cc5b2c95/APD%20File%20March%2022%20EL%20TT%2013.jpg)
![A sheriff's patrol vehicle parked outside the Travis County Courthouse on March 22, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature passes bill that would outlaw abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned
Called a “trigger” law, House Bill 1280 would take effect 30 days after the Supreme Court overturned the Roe decision or after a court ruling or constitutional amendment gave states the authority to prohibit abortions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/06/27/Anti_Abortion_SCOTUSTT.jpg)
![A protester holds up a sign in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on the morning the court takes up a major abortion case focusing on whether a Texas law that imposes strict regulations on abortion doctors and clinic buildings interferes with the constitutional right of a woman to end her pregnancy, in Washington March 2, 2016.]()
Credit: Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS -
Texas GOP’s bills targeting transgender children have exacted a mental health toll, even if they don’t become law
GOP bills that sought to restrict or punish transition-related health care, like puberty blockers, missed key deadlines. But LGBTQ advocates say the mere specter that such measures could become law does mental health damage to transgender people. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ac31cac631c8dd567edea69302283e8b/House%20Floor%20May%2023%20JV%20TT%2002.jpg)
![Transgender rights activists gather outside the entrance to the House floor on May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Polling places for urban voters of color would be cut under Texas Senate's version of voting bill being negotiated with House
Voters in some urban, Democratic areas of Harris and Tarrant counties would see a drastic drop in polling places under the Senate version of Senate Bill 7, a Texas Tribune analysis shows. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c0d0e5addab5c3a65e9d61784475bdf6/Super%20Tuesday%20Houston%20MS%20TT%2012.jpg)
![Super Tuesday voting at the Metropolitan Multi-Services Center near downtown Houston on March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House goes further than Senate to protect state’s main power grid as time to agree on bills winds down
The Texas House for hours on Sunday debated its proposal to better prepare for extreme weather. The chambers have a little more than a week to wrap up remaining work. Full Story
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ divisive bill limiting how students learn about current events and historic racism passed by Senate
The bill aims to ban critical race theory in public and open-enrollment charter schools. Supporters say it merely ensures students aren't taught that one race or gender is superior to another. Critics say it limits how race in America is taught. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/353c01141d9b3a9c9393e4d99ab7701d/Mata%20Intermediate%20School%20PYH%20TT.jpg)
![Students leave the classroom to work in the computer lab at Mata Intermediate School.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Day after Texas House demands action, Senate committee moves on a few criminal justice reform measures
Among the bills approved by the Senate Jurisprudence Committee is one that would require police officers to keep their body cameras activated during investigations. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0ba41456e144572a200e77fbf7631e7f/Police%20File%20Emergency%20Tape%20LBS%20TT%2002.jpg)
![Police blocked off the scene July 8 where chaos erupted the night before when officers were targeted by sniper fire following a peaceful Black Lives Matter Protest in downtown Dallas.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
Secretary of State Ruth Hughs, Texas' top elections official, to resign after Senate takes no action on her confirmation
The Senate Nominations Committee never took up Hughs’ nomination, requiring her to leave office at the end of the legislative session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7f9579fd609537d2fb4bb74a87ec0ac1/Ruth%20Ruggero%20Hughs%20TM%20TTF18%20TT%2001.jpg)
![Newly-appointed Texas Secretary of State Ruth Ruggero Hughs at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 29, 2018. Hughs previously chaired the Texas Workforce Commission.]()
Credit: Thomas Meredith for The Texas Tribune -
Bill legalizing permitless carry of handguns in Texas on brink of passage after compromise reached
The agreement advances the legislation even closer to becoming law. Gov. Greg Abbott has said he will sign such a proposal. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c11bdd5ba653d09ba8e3352551086718/Handgun%20File%20EL%20TT%2009.jpg)
![A M&P Shield handgun, small enough to be ideal for conceal carry, in Austin on April 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Legislators running out of time to pass bills curbing law enforcement agencies from hiring bad officers
Texas law enforcement agencies have long dealt with troublesome officers who move from one department to another. Transparency bills aim to make their disciplinary records more easily accessible to such agencies. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a0b087dff2fb60f9f3f7a21f90a01ff1/Austin%20Protest%20August%201%20JV%20TT%2002.jpg)
![Protesters clash with police in riot gear in downtown Austin on August 1, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Allocating $16 billion in coronavirus relief funds will be part of special legislative session in the fall, Gov. Greg Abbott says
Abbott already planned to call a special session later in the year for the Legislature to do its decennial redrawing of Texas political maps. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/64a79345e18d8c1338af7a0e25d61f5d/Winter%20Storm%20Abbott%20Presser%20JV%20TT%2012.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference regarding Texas’ emergency response to an unprecedented winter storm gripping Texas on Feb. 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Priority bills imperiled as end-of-session tensions rise between Texas House and Senate
House lawmakers expressed frustration Thursday that some of their priority legislation had not moved in the upper chamber, including a package of health care and criminal justice reform bills pushed by House Speaker Dade Phelan. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/36561e55da4a668b3426ae8a3de805b5/RECOMP%20House%20Floor%20Phelan%20Abortion%20Bill%20%20MG%20TT%2014.jpg)
![House Speaker Dade Phalen on the House Floor on May 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Greg Abbott wants Texas to be normal again
The governor is turning the dial to "normal," in more ways than one, dissolving pandemic restrictions and minding issues of interest to Republican primary voters. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4ea2c8a3276af4aedd4c1bedf6e880ce/Abbott%20Dallas%20Presser%20CM%20TT%2003.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott holds a press conference in Dallas on unaccompanied minors crossing the southern border on March 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Carly May for The Texas Tribune -
Most U.S. House Republicans from Texas vote against forming a commission to investigate Jan. 6 insurrection
The bill creating the commission, which would have subpoena power, passed 252-175. Republican U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales of San Antonio and Van Taylor of Plano were the only two GOP Texans to support the measure. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/03144759366fd0ace6507cbe6d0587d8/Trump%20Protest%20DC%20REUTERS%202021%20TT%2008.jpg)
![Pro-Trump rioters climb on walls at the U.S. Capitol during a protest against the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by Congress, in Washington, D.C., on Jan.6, 2021.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Stephanie Keith -
TribCast: Texas schools will no longer require masks
In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Patrick, Karen and James about Gov. Greg Abbott's latest mask order and where the big bills stand in the final weeks of the legislative session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2b8d148d7559ac36f84cf17db213b0ee/TribCast%20May%2019.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott meets with local leaders in El Paso on August 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Three congressional Republicans from Texas reprimanded for violating U.S. House's mask mandate
U.S. Reps. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, and Chip Roy, R-Austin, were given first warnings. U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving, received a $500 fine for violating the House’s mask mandate a second time. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3b31f1f63ff1b674ba322cdeed83168e/Van%20Duyne%20Roy%20Gohmert%20REUTERS%20TT.jpg)
![From left, U.S. Rep Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas and U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott signs into law one of nation’s strictest abortion measures, banning procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy
The signing of the bill opens a new frontier in the battle over abortion restrictions as first-of-its-kind legal provisions intended to make the law harder to challenge are poised to be tested in the courts. Full Story
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Vengeance or politics? Democrat Harold Dutton explains why he advanced bill targeting transgender athletes, other GOP priorities
As a powerful committee chairman, Dutton could have bottled up legislation that Democrats opposed. Instead, critics say, he’s pushed through Republican bills that Democrats find objectionable. Full Story
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg. Abbott says no public schools or government entities will be allowed to require masks
While 30% of Texans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the vast majority of children are unvaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine was authorized last week for children as young as 12. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/abb78b3e792062ffae4536422184aa9a/TXST%20COVID%20JV%20TT%2005.jpg)
![Two students sit under a sign encouraging students to wear a mask on the first day of classes for the fall semester at Texas State University in San Marcos on Aug. 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8adf60957743ee765f75f74ea3ed3718/ATX%20Winter%20Storm%20EL%20TT%2014)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/30f11e7585ae7ae573a7d4c343f03ea8/Abortion%20Rally%2005-19%20EL%20TT%2004)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a5d92bb1cdcb85f97e96d4da38f0f64b/House%20Floor%2005-13%20JV%20TT%2023)