State Legislature
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Texas Legislature proposes $400 million cut to higher ed as Dan Patrick threatens university budgets over DEI
At a public event last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said higher ed would get less funding if they don’t “kick DEI out of their schools,” a few weeks after lawmakers proposed a massive cut to public universities.
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Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions
Republicans in the state legislature have already introduced bills seeking to restrict the availability of the abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol.
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Texas Senate panel votes to cut property taxes for homeowners
A Texas Senate committee on Tuesday quickly and unanimously advanced a proposal to provide billions of dollars in tax breaks to homeowners in a bid to blunt the state’s high property tax bills.
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Texas lawmakers may ban certain lessons at state colleges under expanded DEI crackdown
This year, the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature is expected to pick up where it left off two years ago to address a perceived liberal bias at the state’s public, four-year universities.
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$1 billion school voucher bill clears first hurdle in Texas Senate
A bill creating a $1 billion school voucher program for 100,000 Texas students is on a fast-track for approval in the state Senate.
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Texas Legislature 101: How bills become laws — and how you can participate in the process
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…
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Weed, wages, reproductive rights: 15 bills facing Texas lawmakers in 2025
More than 2,200 bills — from cannabis reform and public education to housing affordability — have been filed ahead of the start of the 89th Texas Legislature, which opens on Jan. 14. Here’s a recap of some of the proposed bills making headlines ahead of the legislature and how they could impact you. Legalizing recreational…
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Texas voters say state heading in wrong direction with abortion ban
A new poll shows that more than half of Texas voters support expanding access to abortion in a state with one of the most extreme bans in the nation.
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How I’ll shine a light on Texas politics at our new, pro-democracy newsroom
My first taste of covering Texas politics came while covering a rally on the steps of the Texas Capitol, where lawmakers were targeting LGBTQ+ people.
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These offices are on Texas ballots this year
Election season is just around the corner, and it’s likely you’ve heard about the big races, including the one for our next US president. But what about races that are local to Texas—and even DFW? There are actually tons of offices and positions on the ballot this November, and it may be surprising to hear…
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Texas law enforcement wonder how they’ll enforce migrant arrest law
SANDERSON, Texas (AP) — During the nine hours that Texas was allowed to arrest and deport people who illegally enter the U.S., Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland never changed his tactics with migrants in his remote border county. Not because he opposes the idea. There’s just no practical way to do it, said the sheriff of Terrell County,…
