A federal judge has struck down a Texas law requiring age verification and health warnings to view pornographic websites and blocked the state attorney general’s office from enforcing it.

In 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Gideon v. Wainwright that the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of a right to a lawyer applies to criminal defendants. Together with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, The Texas Tribune hosted a series of conversations Friday on public defense in Texas.

State Capitol filled with Robb families and gun violence prevention advocates calling on lawmakers to change gun laws.

Spurred by reports of inhumane conditions at Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities, Austin-area teenagers are lobbying the Legislature to reform the system.

Officials say a suspect has been arrested for driving erratically through the Texas State Capitol grounds in Austin, leaving a trail of damage.

The relatives spent Saturday urging Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session to raise the minimum age to purchase an automatic rifle from 18 to 21 years old.

It’s been just over three months since a gunman ravaged inside of Robb Elementary School, claiming the lives of 19 students and two teachers and sending shockwaves through the Uvalde community.

Texas politics in 2021 were marked by a violent insurrection at the nation’s Capitol and state legislative fights over abortion, voting rights and redistricting. Our photojournalists were there every step of the way.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials drove a giant Virginia Pine tree to Austin Monday morning for display at the state Capitol.

The Biden administration says it will turn next to the U.S. Supreme Court in another attempt to halt a Texas law that has banned most abortions since September.

The Biden administration is again urging courts to step in and suspend a new Texas law that has banned most abortions in the state since early September.

Videos on social media show the Texas State Capitol is flooded after storms and heavy rainfall rolled through the Austin area Sunday.

SAN ANTONIO – Governor Greg Abbott came to Port San Antonio on Sunday to provide an update on state recovery efforts, but he didn’t show up empty-handed. Water flown into San Antonio for winter storm relief. Full Screen Full Screen 1 / 12 Governor Abbott comes to San Antonio to give an update on the state's winter storm recovery efforts. In San Antonio, power has been restored to nearly all households, and 98% have had their water restored, as of Sunday morning, according to SAWS. RELATED: Texas governor asks President Joe Biden for major disaster declaration for winter storm

Small groups of right-wing protesters — some of them carrying rifles — gathered outside heavily fortified statehouses around the country Sunday, outnumbered by National Guard troops and police brought in to prevent a repeat of the violence that erupted at the U.S. Capitol. In the past few days, some extremists had warned others against falling into what they called a law enforcement trap. Some 25,000 National Guard troops from around the country are expected to arrive in the city in the coming days. More than a third of governors had called out the National Guard to help protect their capitols and assist local law enforcement. "The state Capitol has become a fortress,” said Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat.

AUSTIN, TX - JANUARY 16: A small group of protesters stand outside the Texas state capitol on January 16, 2021 in Austin, Texas. Supporters of President Trump gathered at state capitol buildings throughout the nation today to protest the presidential election results and the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by Sergio Flores/Getty Images)AUSTIN, Texas – A small group of armed protesters gathered in Austin on Saturday, just days before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, as seen in photographs released by Getty Images. Supporters of President Trump are meeting at state capitol buildings across the nation over the weekend to protest the presidential election results and Biden’s inauguration, which is set for Wednesday. RELATED: Texas State Capitol to close for several days due to threats of armed protests

The Texas Capitol is closing from Saturday through Wednesday. The Texas Department of Public Safety said the closures come as armed protestors plan to rally there. The Texas Capitol in Austin will be closed Saturday through Wednesday, the day of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. “The Texas Department of Public Safety is aware of armed protests planned at the Texas State Capitol this week and violent extremists who may seek to exploit constitutionally protected events to conduct criminal acts,” DPS Director Steven McCraw said in a statement. Trump supporters had also gathered outside the state Capitol as chaos ensued in Washington, D.C., but media reports indicated that the event did not appear to be violent.

(Photo by Sergio Flores/Getty Images)AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas State Capitol and Capitol Grounds will be closed “out of an abundance of caution” for several days as President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration nears. Though details remain murky, demonstrations are expected at state capitols beginning Sunday and leading up to Biden’s succession of President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The FBI has warned of the potential for violence at all state capitols and has said it is tracking an " extensive amount of concerning online chatter, " including calls for armed protests. Though details remain murky, demonstrations are expected at state capitols beginning Sunday and leading up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Wednesday. “But we draw the line at threats to physical safety or to the Utah Capitol building.

A temporary tent outside the north entrance to the Texas State Capitol offers complimentary rapid COVID-19 testing for all who may enter the building. Jan 4, 2021. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The TexasThe Texas Department of Public Safety on Wednesday closed the state Capitol and surrounding grounds after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. during the certification of the Electoral College. An official with the law enforcement agency confirmed the move in a statement to The Texas Tribune. The news comes as chaos erupted in Washington as Trump supporters protested the certification of the Electoral College. The shutdown of the Texas Capitol, which reopened to the public Monday after being closed for months, also comes days before the Texas Legislature is set to convene for its 2021 legislative session.

The south end of the Texas State Capitol. Credit: Spencer Selvidge for The Texas TribuneFour Republicans and one Democrat have filed for the special election to replace state Sen.-elect Drew Springer, R-Muenster, in the Texas House. They are competing for Springer's seat after he won a special election runoff last month to succeed Pat Fallon in the Texas Senate after the Prosper Republican's promotion to Congress. The special election for Springer's seat is happening on an accelerated schedule with the start of the legislative session — Jan. 12 — looming. Abbott announced the special election a week ago, and early voting begins Jan. 11.

If a House member tests positive for the virus, he wrote, "arrangements will be made ... to allow them to take the oath of office." "The duration of the ceremony will be shortened," he wrote, "and there will be a significant reduction in the number of people admitted to the House floor and gallery." Access to the House floor will be restricted to lawmakers, essential staff, ceremony participants, temporary officers and approved guests, according to Geren. Each lawmaker or incoming member will have two guest seats for family or friends either on the chamber floor or in the gallery. That spacing, coupled with the requirement of a face mask, "is acceptable to medical professionals consulted by the House," he wrote.

AUSTIN, Texas – Rangers with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department drove a giant Virginia Pine tree to Austin this morning for display at the state Capitol. Mamie II (pronounced: MAY-me) is the name of the tree which was harvested from Eisenhower State Park along the northern border of Texas. Texas State Parks have provided Christmas trees harvested from tree farms to the Texas State Capitol for more than 40 years, according to officials with the TPWD. Rangers from Eisenhower State Park - Texas Parks and Wildlife will be driving this Texas gal... Posted by Texas Parks and Wildlife on Sunday, November 29, 2020Mamie II took over the Eisenhower State Park - Texas Parks and Wildlife Facebook page Monday to document her journey from North Texas to Austin where she arrived around noon after stopping at Buc-cee’s in Temple for a rest. Posted by Eisenhower State Park - Texas Parks and Wildlife on Monday, November 30, 2020Related:

Supporters of President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden gather in front of the state Capitol after Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election on Saturday. Supporters of President Donald Trump gather at the south entrance of the state Capitol after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas TribuneBiden and Trump supporters at the state Capitol on Saturday. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas TribuneSupporters show their support for President-elect Joe Biden at the Capitol in Austin. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneA man rides a donkey past fellow supporters of President-elect Joe Biden who celebrated his victory in the 2020 presidential election at the Texas Capitol.

Texas State Capitol. And bookmark our Texas election results page here. Democrats and Republicans fighting for control of the Texas House appeared to be holding their numbers as early vote returns came in Tuesday. In one Houston-area race, state Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, was behind her Democratic challenger Ann Johnson by nearly 7 percentage points, according to early vote returns. Flores, the first Hispanic Republican to serve in the Texas Senate, was down by a margin of roughly 22 percentage points.

AUSTIN, Texas The Texas Department of Public Safety is asking for the publics help in finding 10 people suspected of committing crimes during protests that led to rioting at the Texas State Capitol on May 30. According to a news release, the 10 unidentified individuals are wanted on misdemeanor and/or felony charges, including riot, criminal mischief (vandalism), assault on a public servant, attempting to take a weapon from a peace officer and interfering with public duties. For more information on the wanted suspects, please visit the DPS website. To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities by calling the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477) or by submitting a tip online. All tips are anonymous regardless of how they are submitted and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name.