The Texas Tribune
The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Texas Legislature 101: How bills become laws — and how you can participate in the process
| January 13, 2025
Here’s a rundown of how legislation moves through the Capitol, the ways lawmakers operate and who the power players are. Editor’s note: This is an updated version of Texas Tribune’s 2023 guide to the Texas Legislature. Texas’ 2025 legislative session runs from Jan. 14 to June 2. Lawmakers will debate a bevy of issues and […]
Texas bill would reclassify abortion drugs as controlled substances
| November 26, 2024
A Louisiana law that reclassified abortion-inducing drugs as controlled substances has made it more difficult for doctors to treat a wide range of gynecological conditions, doctors say. Now, a similar proposal has been filed in Texas. Texas Rep. Pat Curry, a freshman Republican from Waco, said the intent of House Bill 1339 is to make […]
How to stay politically engaged in between election cycles
| November 7, 2024
2024 ELECTIONS | 2024 Elections | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT | election | Election2024 | elections | local election | politcal | political | politics | STATE | TEXAS POLITICS | voting | VOTING IN TEXAS | Voting Info
From engaging with representatives to joining advocacy groups, there are numerous ways to continue participating in democracy and shaping policy after the polls close. Every election, voters cast their ballots to have a say in the governments that pass and implement the many policies that shape their lives. But democratic participation doesn’t have to end […]
Electoral misinformation in Texas: What you should know to avoid it.
| November 4, 2024
Disinformation spikes during major U.S. elections. Experts urge verifying sources, fact-checking and careful content sharing. With every major U.S. election cycle, disinformation takes center stage once again, sowing confusion and eroding trust in democratic processes. This trend is far from surprising: the Global Risks Report from the World Economic Forum estimates that disinformation will be […]
Texas Supreme Court justice’s oversight of trust belonging to millionaire with dementia raises ethics concerns
| October 23, 2024
In January 2022, Elvie Kingston’s dementia took a turn for the worse. The 76-year-old millionaire and longtime conservative activist was declared by a doctor to be partially incapacitated, after which she signed legal documents that removed her family’s right to make decisions about her health and finances. Two years later, those powers remain almost entirely […]
Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Roberson’s execution
| October 18, 2024
The execution of an East Texas man was halted last week, after years of lawmakers opposing the ruling.