The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and incoming Houston Mayor John Whitmire, two veteran Democratic legislators, are trying to repair their cities’ fraught relationships with the state’s GOP leadership. Full Story
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Here’s a look at Senate members, ranked from most conservative to most liberal, based on their votes cast during the 2023 regular session and four special sessions. Full Story
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A new law lets schools use safety funds to pay for unlicensed chaplains working in mental health roles. Supporters say it helps address student mental health while critics blast it as a Christian nationalist attempt to convert children to a specific form of faith. Full Story
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Kelcy Warren, a Dallas pipeline billionaire, sued O’Rourke in early 2022, saying the Democrat defamed him with critical comments about his company’s windfall profits after the Texas energy-grid collapse in February 2021. Full Story
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Smith County’s top elected official said the downtown square’s holiday decorations policy seeks to avoid a “hodgepodge.” Full Story
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Here’s a look at House members, ranked from most conservative to most liberal, based on their votes cast during the 2023 regular session and four special sessions. Full Story
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The measure would allow superv ised clinical studies with active duty members. Psychedelic treatments for PTSD have found conservative supporters in the state for years. Full Story
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The bulk of the costs came from bills from Rusty Hardin’s law firm, according to records released this week. Full Story
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Paxton promised to go after the Republican judges over their 2021 ruling that struck down the attorney general’s ability to unilaterally prosecute voter fraud. Full Story
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A handful of local governments have already put the legally dubious bans in place. The news that Amarillo will take the issue up again comes shortly after a Dallas woman left the state for an abortion after losing a legal battle to obtain one here. Full Story
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The attorney general’s charges against VA Claims Insider echo allegations in an investigation The Texas Tribune published in July. Full Story
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With both Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton out for revenge, Republican members of the Texas House are the top target on the ballot. Full Story
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Tax policy is messy. Here are a few tips to help you understand what the recent voter-approved tax cuts mean for your mortgage. Full Story
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Tim Dunn has used his wealth to establish a network of organizations that push his ultraconservative views across Texas. The deal comes amid a time of consolidation in the Permian Basin. Full Story
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State Sen. John Whitmire, a fellow Houston Democrat, defeated Jackson Lee in a landslide Saturday. Full Story
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Neave Craido revealed her decision to the Dallas Morning News in an interview published Monday, saying Johnson has not fought hard enough to push back against the Republican agenda. Full Story
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The fourth special legislative session this year ended without any increased funding for school safety — even though public schools have complained for months they don’t have enough money to meet new safety mandates approved this year. Full Story
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Buzbee challenged Mary Nan Huffman, the incumbent, who was backed by the Texas GOP and local Republican officials. Full Story
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Whitmire defeated U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to be the next mayor of Texas’ largest city and the fourth largest city in the U.S. Full Story
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A series of incidents across Texas campuses have brought attention to universities’ handling of heated political debates about the war. Full Story
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