POLITICS

VIDEO: Will short-term rentals get banned in Dallas?
| January 15, 2025
The Dallas City Council voted to ban short-term rentals throughout most of the city in 2023, but the ruling has been on hold for nearly a year following a lawsuit filed by the Dallas Short-Term Rental Alliance. Rental operators argue that the move by the city council amounts to an unconstitutional ban on their properties, […]

VIDEO: How a Texas lawmaker wants to regulate AI
| January 13, 2025
A Texas lawmaker is hoping to pass legislation that would regulate artificial intelligence use throughout the state. Rep. Giovanni Capriglione filed House Bill 1709, a comprehensive AI proposal that regulates development and deployment of AI systems in Texas.

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 […]

VIDEO: Texas lawmaker wants to overturn gun ban at State Fair
| January 10, 2025
Firearms were banned at the State Fair of Texas in 2024, but now a Republican lawmaker wants to overturn that decision by preventing gun bans on government property. Rep. Briscoe Cain’s House Bill 1715 requires private entities to agree not to ban firearms when they lease land from the government. The State Fair of Texas, […]

VIDEO: This Texas Republican is coming for your sex toys
by Matt Hennie
| January 9, 2025
State Rep. Hillary Hickland is coming for your dildos. The right-wing Republican won a seat in the Texas House in November. Now she wants to expand the GOP’s culture wars. Why? She’s apparently triggered by sex toys. Not all of them. Just ones, including dildos, sold in big box stores like Target, Walmart, CVS and […]