At this South Texas political convention, everyone has a voice, regardless of legal status
Inspired by the work of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the biennial โcumbreโ helps South Texans organize for political change.
Even as state mental health spending rises, private psychiatric hospitals struggle to stay open
Texas hasnโt increased Medicaid rates for inpatient health care at private hospitals in 16 years, falling behind other states.
Texas education commissioner calls for student cellphone ban in schools
Mike Morath made the recommendation as concerns rise that phones are harmful to studentsโ mental health and distract them from learning.
Tarrant County GOP sought an election advantage with failed effort to shutter college voting locations
In a resolution signed Friday, the party blasted two Republicans who voted against the measure and accused them of undermining its electoral chances.
Bipartisan Texas House majority urges clemency for man facing execution in shaken baby case
Lawmakers cite new scientific evidence that they say proves Robert Roberson, who is set for execution on Oct. 17, did not kill his daughter.
Dozens of Texas school districts press state to suspend new student data reporting system
The superintendents said they havenโt received enough support from the state or time to fix errors the system generated.
Democrats hope anti-voucher campaign will help win back South Texas House seat
The first-term Republican defending her seat said a private school voucher program will help her community, especially students from low-income families.
UT-Austin tightens automatic admission threshold to 5% of Texasโ top high schoolers
The current threshold is 6%. The change comes after the university received a record-breaking 73,000 undergraduate applications for this fall.
Judge tosses Ken Paxtonโs lawsuit targeting Bexar Countyโs voter registration effort
The county told a state district court judge that the applications were already mailed out and any ruling would be moot.
Texas GOP investing in South Texas races as some Republicans worry about party's performance in November
Several local party officials have signed an open letter warning that โgrave and deterioratingโ fundraising and voter outreach efforts could leave some candidates vulnerable.
Texas lawmakers question agency's ability to oversee $5 billion energy loan program after initial glitch
Lawmakers tasked the Public Utility Commission with overseeing the Texas Energy Fund, though the agency has no experience running a loan program.
Texas officials say theyโve scrubbed the voter rolls. Hereโs how to check if youโre still on them.
The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 7. The Texas Tribune, ProPublica and Votebeat want to hear from people removed from voter rolls.
Democratic Rep. Ana-Maria Rodrรญguez Ramos joins crowded Texas House speaker race
Rodrรญguez Ramos faces an uphill battle, as Democrats are the minority party with 64 seats in the 150-member Texas House.
Amarillo Republican John Smithee joins Texas House speaker race
After Attorney General Ken Paxtonโs failed impeachment trial, his allies touted Smithee, one of the Houseโs most senior members, as a speaker candidate.
Texas civic group wants judge to block Ken Paxtonโs investigation into voter registration efforts
Jolt, which advocates for more Latino voting participation, says the attorney generalโs probe has spurred threatening comments online.
Ken Paxton withdrew an opinion on gun bans weeks after suing Texas state fair for a similar restriction
Paxton sued Dallas and state fair officials last month, arguing the fairโs private organizer had violated state law by banning firearms on the fairgrounds.
Texasโ battle against deer disease threatens breeding industry
Texas has seen a record number of chronic wasting disease cases this year. The state is looking for new ways to contain the spread without driving deer breeders out of business.
At this West Texas church, โthe Lordโs workโ is helping the poor, not rewriting state law
Led by co-pastors Joe and Dawn Weaks, Connection Christian Church, a 118-year-old congregation in Odessa, has transformed while keeping true to its legacy of helping the community.
GOP bid to remove polling sites from Tarrant County college campuses fails
County Judge Tim OโHare said he proposed the cuts to save costs. Critics accused Republican leaders of suppressing the vote of young people who back Democrats.
Odessaโs mayor ran to help the West Texas city โrepent.โ Now he wants a second term.
Under Javier Jovenโs leadership, his critics say, the Odessa City Council has lost focus on municipal issues like roads and water infrastructure.
Texasโ prison guard shortfall makes it harder for inmates to get reprieve from extreme indoor heat, critics say
About 25% of Texasโ correctional officer positions are unfilled. Inmates say the shortages make it harder for them to get respite during hot summer months.
Dallas juvenile detention center isolated kids and falsified documents, state investigation says
A Texas Juvenile Justice Department report says Dallas County officers kept kids in their sleeping quarters for days at a time and faked school attendance logs.
National Dems target Texas, but focus remains on protecting Senate incumbents
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, is challenging Sen. Ted Cruz this November, but the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee has vulnerable incumbents to defend first.
Abbott says potential power outages from Tropical Storm Francine will be restored within hours
Texas isnโt expected to take a direct hit when the storm makes landfall as a hurricane. But storm surge and dangerous winds are possible.
Dan Patrick asks Senate to consider bills to unmask protesters, change runoff elections
The new list includes many right-wing priorities, and would escalate Republicansโ wars against diversity, equity and inclusion programs and review laws to keep noncitizens off voter rolls.
State Rep. James Frank becomes fourth Republican to challenge Dade Phelan for House speaker
Frank said he would work to bring better communication, member empowerment and management of the flow of legislation if he became the chamberโs leader.
Texas school districts say upgrades to the stateโs student data reporting system could hurt their funding
The Texas Education Agency says thereโs time to fix problems before officially reported data is used to determine how much money districts get.
Texas proposes first new rules for oilfield waste in 40 years
While environmentalists say the new rules donโt do enough to protect groundwater, oil and gas operators are contesting stricter requirements for waste pits near wells.
Austin congressman leads GOP rebuke of Biden administrationโs Afghanistan withdrawal
The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which U.S Rep. Michael McCaul chairs, accused Biden of ignoring warnings from his staffers and allies, leaving American interests vulnerable to the Taliban takeover.
Colin Allred responds to comparisons with Beto OโRourkeโs campaign, defends his strategy
Allred has run a more traditional campaign in his bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, focusing on targeted ads and moderate policy.
Mayorkas: Texasโ immigration policies have wreaked havoc and disorder
The U.S. Homeland Security Secretary specifically called out the stateโs policy of busing migrants to cities in other parts of the country.
Former schools police chief says he was not at fault in Uvalde shooting, asks judge to toss charges
Pete Arredondoโs lawyers tell the court that the shooter, not the police, was to blame for the school violence.
โItโs time for big changeโ: Texas Republicans seeking to oust Speaker Dade Phelan present united front
Reps. Tom Oliverson and Shelby Slawson, both members of House Republican leadership, became the first two candidates to challenge Phelanโs speakership.
Liz Cheney says Dick Cheney will vote for Kamala Harris, and she will support Democrat Colin Allred in Texas Senate race
Liz Cheney endorsed Allred at The Texas Tribune Festival Friday.
How we assisted Houston residents in monitoring air quality and reporting pollution
After identifying flaws in the stateโs air monitoring, the Tribune hosted workshops to inform Houston Ship Channel communities.
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales predicts GOP will lose control of the House
Gonazales, who represents a Texas border district, tells a Tribune Festival audience that his own party will be to blame for defeats in the November election.
Families and advocates for disabled Texans pushing for caregiver pay raise
A state Medicaid program pays caregivers of intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals living in community-based homes. Families, advocates and providers want lawmakers to increase that hourly pay.
Eight Texas independent voters share how they're sizing up the candidates heading into November
Among independents, men lean toward Trump and women to Harris, according to polling. We talk to independents about the candidates they favor and the issues that matter to them.
Texas would need about $81.5 billion a year to end property taxes, officials say
Texas Republicans have been trying to reduce the stateโs high property taxes for years, but some acknowledge eliminating them would be too expensive.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin says inflation will be the deciding factor in the 2024 election
The Republican governor of Virginia spent 25 years in the private equity industry before successfully running for office in 2021.
Watch a conversation about progressive America at the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival
MSNBC host Katie Phang will moderate a conversation with three leading progressives: U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. The conversation starts at 1:15 p.m. Saturday.
Watch a discussion with the staff of The Bulwark at the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival
In a conversation starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, four of the digital news organizationโs sharpest minds will discuss the politics of 2024 and beyond.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce backs Ted Cruz for Senate over Colin Allred
Allred, who had previously gotten the Chamberโs endorsement in his House races, had long used the endorsement as proof of his bipartisan credentials.
Texas schools are hiring more teachers without traditional training. They hope the state will pay to prepare them.
Schools are hiring instructors with different types of backgrounds to deal with critical staff shortages.
Another Republican is challenging Dade Phelan for Texas House speaker
The Texas House speaker race is becoming increasingly crowded. Phelan, who is under fire from his right, says he plans to seek the leadership position again.
Ken Paxton sues Bexar County over voter registration outreach effort
The move escalates Texas Republicansโ brewing fight with urban counties over initiatives to proactively send applications to unregistered voters.
Watch a conversation about Latino influence on national politics at the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival
Former HUD Secretary Juliรกn Castro will speak with Maria Teresa Kumar, Mike Madrid and Luis Miranda Jr. The conversation starts at 3:15 p.m. Friday.
What Texans need to know about helping people register to vote or cast ballots
Texas officials have launched investigations into voting fraud allegations, but assisting other voters isnโt automatically illegal.
What Texas can learn from Italyโs big bet on tiny community health homes
In Italy, as in Texas, funding hospitals over primary care leaves many feeling โmedically homeless.โ Italyโs post-COVID plans show another way.
New Texas laws strengthen domestic violence support, wildlife conservation, online safety for children
September isnโt just marked by meteorological fall or Labor Day, itโs also when an array of state laws goes into effect.
Group of Texas Democrats asks DOJ to investigate Texas over possible voter rights violations
The request by the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus in a letter to the Department of Justice follows a similar request by a Latino civil rights organization.
State Rep. Shawn Thierry switches to GOP, says Democratic Party has โlost its wayโ
The Houston Democrat lost her seat amid backlash from primary voters over her support for a GOP bill barring transition-related care for minors.
Group sues Texas over law banning state business with firms โboycottingโ fossil fuels
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, argues that the 2021 so-called โanti-ESGโ law discriminates against specific political views.
Judge rejects Ken Paxtonโs bid to question leader of Brownsville migrant aid organization
The AGโs office sought to depose the leader of Team Brownsville, which provides water, shelter and basic necessities to asylum-seeking migrants.
Harris County voter outreach proposal sparks another fight with Texas Republicans
The county plans to ID eligible voters and send them registration forms. GOP officials say itโs an end-run around state law.
Colin Allredโs understated campaign strategy draws mixed reviews from fellow Democrats
Allredโs sharp divergence from Beto OโRourkeโs more active campaign style has stirred dissent among some Democrats. His allies say itโs working.
Ken Paxtonโs vote harvesting investigation in South Texas renews questions over politiqueras
Since the 2020 election, Texas Republicans have dramatically rewritten the stateโs voting laws, which have made some long-standing practices illegal.
Election experts cautious as Abbott touts voter roll purge
Federal and state law already required voter roll maintenance. Experts warn the governorโs framing of this routine process could be used to undermine trust in elections.
Texas must build hundreds of thousands of homes to lower housing costs, says state comptroller
Texas needs hundreds of thousands more homes than it has, per one estimate. That shortage has driven up home prices and rents.
After being denied a medically necessary abortion, Amanda Zurawski will do whatever it takes to beat Donald Trump
Two years after a harrowing pregnancy where she was denied an abortion, the Texan has catapulted to being one of Democratsโ biggest messengers on reproductive rights.
Judge in Texas pauses Biden program offering legal status to spouses of U.S. citizens
Biden announced the program in June and Republicans in 16 states filed suit. The federal judge issued an order that puts the program on hold for at least two weeks.
Texas Latino leaders label voter fraud investigation โnonsense,โ call for federal, state reviews
At a news conference, Texas House candidate Cecilia Castellano did not address any of the allegations Attorney General Ken Paxtonโs office laid out in search warrant affidavits.
A Fox News host's debunked election conspiracy appears to have prompted a state investigation
The Fox News host who shared the allegation online has previously shared election misinformation.
Warrants detail allegations that led to search of Democratic candidate for Texas House
The Texas attorney generalโs office searched the home of Cecilia Castellano and a Democratic legislative aide. It said itโs investigating vote harvesting. Activists called it โintimidation.โ
LULAC condemns Paxtonโs election fraud raids as โintimidationโ
The group said that searches the attorney generalโs office carried out this week targeted at least six Latinos, including a Democrat running for the Texas House.
Texas will send inspectors to monitor 2024 elections in Harris County
An audit by the Texas Secretary of Stateโs Office found improved elections procedures, but the office is sending monitors because of past problems.
Judge rejects Attorney General Ken Paxtonโs attempt to shut down Houston immigrant rights group
Paxtonโs office claimed the group broke rules prohibiting political activity by nonprofits, but the judge rejected the case outright.
UT System prohibits its universities from making political or social statements
The new policy says universities should remain neutral on โissues of the dayโ while allowing students, faculty and staff to express their ideas.
Sheila Jackson Leeโs daughter files to finish out her motherโs term
Carter will run against two Republicans for her motherโs seat to hold for a few weeks before the winner of the general election takes over.
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as stateโs top law enforcement officer
The longtime head of the Department of Public Safety will step down at the end of the year.
Progressive Democrat's ad decrying "chaos" on the border riles up her South Texas supporters
Michelle Vallejo, who is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, put out a political ad decrying the โchaosโ on the border.