The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The state agency last week announced a “full forensic audit” in Harris, Dallas, Tarrant and Collin counties. But based on details released Tuesday, it appears the scope of the effort may be more limited than what the term may suggest. Full Story
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The law says the state's natural gas system won't be required to prepare for extreme weather until 2022 at the earliest and allows companies to opt out of weatherization requirements. Full Story
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Harrison is the former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump. He will replace Waxahachie Republican Jake Ellzey, who was elected to Congress in July. Full Story
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The initial drafts of both maps have so far attempted to strengthen Republican majorities by protecting incumbents and creating more GOP-friendly districts. Full Story
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The men were arrested by state troopers and held for weeks without facing formal charges, a violation of state law. It’s the latest misfire in Abbott’s hastily assembled effort to involve Texas in patrolling the border. Full Story
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Within half an hour of declaring his bid, King got the endorsement of the Senate's presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Full Story
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The proposed congressional map also increases the number of districts where Trump would have had a majority of voters over Biden in 2020 and protects Republican incumbents who might have been vulnerable by packing their districts with more Trump voters. Full Story
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It’s fashionable to gripe about polls, but they can expose voter sentiment and reveal, sometimes, why elected officials act the way they do. Full Story
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A statewide election on Nov. 2 will feature eight constitutional amendments that address topics ranging from religious freedom to taxes to judicial eligibility. Here’s what you need to know to vote. Full Story
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Leach, a Plano Republican, and Moody, an El Paso Democrat, co-chair the House Criminal Justice Caucus. Full Story
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The Texas attorney general is being investigated for professional misconduct for his filing of a lawsuit challenging the 2020 presidential elections in battleground states. Fellow Republicans say the probe encroaches on Paxton’s executive branch authority. Full Story
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The new law narrows the window in which physicians are allowed to give abortion-inducing medication to patients from 10 weeks to seven weeks into pregnancy, bucking FDA guidelines. Full Story
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The proposal comes almost two weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott’s comments that the state would “eliminate all rapists.” Full Story
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Officials in some counties targeted by audits accuse Republican Texas leaders of pandering to conspiracy theorists and undermining faith in elections. They also say the secretary of state’s office hasn’t provided details on what the audits entail. Full Story
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The U.S. House is trying to override Texas’ near-total ban on abortions. But Democrats likely lack the support they need in the U.S. Senate. Full Story
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The law that went into effect Sept. 1 allows anyone 21 years or older to carry a handgun in public without need for a permit or training. Full Story
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Three times this year — in the regular session and in two subsequent special sessions — legislation targeting transgender student athletes sailed through the Senate only to falter in the House. Full Story
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Hegar also talked about how to keep Texas business-friendly and what another wave of COVID-19 could mean for the state budget. Full Story
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Tax relief for property owners joins a packed to-do list for Texas lawmakers — which includes redistricting, COVID-19 vaccine mandates and a spending plan for $16 billion in federal stimulus dollars. Full Story
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In a Texas Tribune Festival interview, the former member of Congress discussed the fight for voting rights, his takeaways from his last two runs for office and speculation about his becoming a candidate for governor. Full Story
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