Property tax legislation clears major hurdle in House
The lower chamber wants to set the threshold requiring voter approval of some property tax collection increases at 6 percent. The Senate put the trigger at 4 percent. Full Story
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![Rep. Dennis Bonnen R-Angleton speaks during SB1, the property tax debate on August 12, 2017]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Anti-wall activists march to protect church in Rio Grande Valley
Hundreds of Texans gathered at a historic mission a few hundred yards from the Rio Grande on Saturday to protest President Trump's proposed border wall. Full Story
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![The Save the Mission! Save the River! Resist the Wall! procession atop the levee on the way to La Lomita Mission in Mission, on Aug. 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Martin do Nascimento for The Texas Tribune -
Texas bathroom bill appears to be all but dead in special session
With just days left in the special legislative session, controversial proposals to restrict bathroom use for transgender Texans appear to have no clear path to the governor’s desk. Full Story
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![Protesters rally in favor of transgender rights at the Texas Capitol, on July 21, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Bill requiring separate abortion insurance among those Texas House passed this week
A bill that advanced in the Texas Legislature this week would require women to pay an additional insurance premium if they want their health plan to cover abortions not considered medical emergencies. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke on 34-day road trip in underdog Senate bid
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, is using his congressional recess for a 34-day tour of Texas in his bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz next year. Full Story
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![U.S. Senate candidate and Congressman Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, talks about his 34-day tour of Texas in a Facebook video.]()
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With 8 days left in special session, Texas House and Senate remain far apart
Not a single measure has made it to the governor’s desk despite a steady drumbeat from his office urging lawmakers to go "20 for 20." A "bathroom bill" is on life support, but a property tax measure still has momentum, supporters say. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus (left) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
In town halls, U.S. Rep. Will Hurd juggles district priorities in Trump era
U.S. Rep. Will Hurd logged hundreds of miles Sunday and Monday to hold town halls during Congress' summer recess, and his interactions with constituents illustrated the fine line he must walk in his massive swing district. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, holds a town hall on Aug. 7, 2017, at a Dairy Queen in Fort Stockton. Hurd was making a six-day, 20-stop swing through his 23rd District.]()
Credit: Patrick Svitek/The Texas Tribune -
Want to hear yourself on the TribCast? Submit an intro.
Every week, a prominent Texan or politico records a funny, quippy introduction to the TribCast, our political podcast. Want to join their ranks? Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, steering Russia investigation, eyes intelligence chairmanship
U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, who currently leads the House Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russia election-meddling, told the Tribune he is interested in chairing that powerful committee in the future. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Midland, speaks with farmers in San Angelo, Texas, on July 31, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
Showdown shaping up in special session
Lawmakers have yet to send Gov. Greg Abbott a single bill to sign from the special session, and with less than two weeks left, it’s highly unlikely Abbott will get his entire 20-item agenda through the process. Full Story
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Hey, Texplainer: Why can't we create a statewide property tax to fund public education?
It would be unconstitutional to impose a statewide property tax. Even if one was enacted, however, that wouldn’t solve the structural issues with the state’s school finance system. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Tim Park / The Texas Tribune -
Cornyn files bill to fund parts of wall, increase Border Patrol and ICE agents
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn on Wednesday unveiled a $15 billion border-security bill. The Building America's Trust Act would fund parts of a wall or fence, add Border Patrol and ICE agents to current ranks, and punish "sanctuary" jurisdictions. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks at a conference hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation on Jan. 13, 2017, at the Sheraton Hotel in Austin, Texas.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Straus: Abbott should include ethics reform in special session
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, is voicing agreement with two House members who want Gov. Greg Abbott to expand the special session agenda to include ethics reform. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus gaveled in a special session of the 85th Legislature on July 18, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Will Hurd gets first major Democratic challenger for 2018
Gina Ortiz Jones, a former Air Force intelligence officer, is launching a bid against U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, who is widely viewed as the most vulnerable Republican member of Congress from Texas. Full Story
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![Gina Ortiz Jones is running against incumbent U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes.]()
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Report: Trump considering Perry for secretary of Homeland Security
A new report says Rick Perry is in consideration to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Full Story
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![U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry speaks to employees at Daikin Texas Technology Park in Waller, Texas, on July 28, 2017.]()
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Dallas, Fort Worth mayors discuss meeting with Abbott (video)
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price talked about their Tuesday meeting with Gov. Greg Abbott about several local control issues he put on the agenda for the special legislative session. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Here are 5 takeaways from the first half of the legislative special session
At the likely halfway point of a 30-day special session, the Texas House and Senate are taking very different approaches to the governor's sprawling agenda, and they could be headed for another standoff on a so-called "bathroom bill." Full Story
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Travis County DA offers to drop charges if Rep. Dawnna Dukes resigns
The Travis County District Attorney's office has told state Rep. Dawnna Dukes it would drop corruption charges against her if she agrees to resign from office and agree to a drug and alcohol assessment by the end of business Tuesday. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, turns to leave the 450th District Court of Judge Brad Urrutia with attorney Matt Shrum, June 30, 2017, after Urrutia set a trial date of October 12th on charges of corruption and tampering related to her work as a state representative.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Rick Perry: "I totally support" Trump's ban on transgender troops
"The idea that the American people need to be paying for these types of operations to change your sex is not very wise from a standpoint of economics," U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said during a stop in Waller, Texas, on Friday. Full Story
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![U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry speaks to the press after touring the Daikin Texas Technology Park in Waller, Texas, on July 28, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
Where Texans in Congress stand on Trump's ban on transgender troops
President Trump set off even more confusion than usual at the U.S. Capitol this week by announcing he would ban transgender people from the military. Take a look at where Texans in Congress stand on the issue. Full Story
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