Republicans who want to oust Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan unanimously back state Rep. David Cook
Four GOP state representatives suspended their bids to challenge Phelan and 48 Republicans backed Cook, which could threaten Phelanโs shot at a third term.
Study finds levels of a dangerous gas โoff the scalesโ in Central Texas oilfield
The smell of oil wells has long permeated Caldwell County, near Austin and San Antonio. Now researchers have documented wells releasing dangerous amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Transgender Texans blocked from changing their sex on their driverโs license
The Texas Department of Public Safety rule change surfaced in an internal email that also asks driver license staff to compile the names of people seeking a gender marker change.
A West Texas ranch and resort will limit water to residents amid fears its wells will run dry
Residents at the sprawling Terlingua Ranch near Big Bend National Park will limit residents to 1,000 gallons of nondrinking water per month.
Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Houston immigrantsโ rights org over political speech
Attorney General Ken Paxton has targeted similar organizations that aid migrants at the border. The lawsuit appears to be the first to focus on political speech and rules that govern nonprofits.
State leaders address Gov. Abbottโs order to require Texas hospitals to collect patientsโ immigration status
Congressman Al Green and other leaders addressed Gov. Greg Abbottโs executive order that requires hospitals in Texas to collect information on the immigration status of patients so that the hospitals can then track costs incurred for the care of undocumented migrants.
Abbott order will require Texas hospitals to collect patientsโ immigration status
The executive order from the Texas governor will require hospitals to track the cost of care for undocumented migrants, in order for the state to push for federal reimbursement.
Appeals court to weigh reimposing fines for Texas foster care failures, removing judge on case
Texas Health and Human Services could face $100,000-per-day fines for violating a judge's orders. The state wants the judge off the case.
How a lack of supervisors keeps new mental health workers from entering the field
Future Texas therapists must complete internships to start their careers, but thereโs not enough providers to mentor all of the students.
Justice Department finds Texas juvenile detention centers violated youth offendersโ rights
The DOJ found that officers overused pepper spray, kept youths in prolonged isolation and failed to protect them from sexual abuse.
Texas attorney general says Biden must continue border wall construction after court deadline passes
Texas sued to stop an executive order issued by President Biden on his Inauguration Day to stop border wall construction and divert funds that had already been allocated for the project.
Unregulated oilfield power lines are suspected of sparking Texas wildfires
No state agency is taking responsibility for making sure the privately built lines that power many oil and gas sites are safe. Such lines have been blamed for sparking two recent Panhandle fires.
Weak infrastructure, distrust make communication during natural disasters hard on rural Texas
When disaster strikes, Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy takes command of her countyโs emergency communication channels, including a text service and Facebook page.
Marijuana decriminalization measures in San Marcos, Austin get early court wins
Three other cities have passed similar measures but the Texas AG and others question whether they can be enforced because of conflicts with state law.
Texas Water Board details how it will spend $1 billion for water infrastructure projects
About $45 million will go to Texas towns with fewer than 1,000 residents โ a boon for municipalities without a viable tax base.
CenterPoint CEO promises improvements as Texas scrutinizes companyโs Beryl response
Jason Wells told regulators the company will launch a new outage tracker by Aug. 1. It will also trim more tree limbs near power lines and hire an executive to focus on emergency response.
Attorney general investigating CenterPoint Energy after Hurricane Berylโs long-lasting power outages
The companyโs power outages in July have drawn the ire of state leaders. Hereโs what you need to know.
El Paso County officials say itโs time the state pays for Operation Lone Star arrests
County officials issued a disaster declaration Tuesday, saying the stateโs mass arrests at the border have cost the county millions of dollars and overwhelmed its criminal justice system.
Texas attorney general canโt question Catholic Charities director over migrant services, court says
Wednesdayโs ruling is the second time a Texas judge has ruled against the attorney general for investigating shelters helping migrants.
Border Patrol agents recorded the fewest monthly migrant apprehensions since 2021 on southern border
Migrant apprehensions in Texas decreased by nearly one-third in June, the first month of a new order by President Joe Biden that widely limited asylum claims.
GOP-led states have pledged hundreds of troops and spent millions of dollars to help Texas secure the border this year
The federal government has deployed National Guard to the border for years, but more than a dozen states have dug into their own budgets to send even more personnel
Eagle Pass residents have mixed feelings about sharing their city with the National Guard
Texas has sent thousands of soldiers to the border as part of Gov. Greg Abbottโs multibillion-dollar initiative Operation Lone Star. No border town has felt their presence more than Eagle Pass.
Just as the temperature climbs, Texas towns are closing public pools to cut costs
Advocates say public pools are necessary community infrastructure and save lives. Splash pads have become a more affordable option.
Beryl power outages crowd hospitals, delay new admissions
In Houston, discharged patients remain in an arena to avoid powerless homes. Some 70 miles north, Livingstonโs hospital is one of 17 in the state relying on a generator because of Hurricane Beryl power outages.
Beryl power outage updates: More than 98,000 Texas electricity customers remain without power a week after Beryl
Tens of thousands of households and businesses arenโt expected to have electricity for most of this week.
At half a mile a week, Gov. Greg Abbottโs border wall will take around 30 years and $20 billion to build
The state has built about 34 miles of wall spread out across at least six counties on Texasโ 1,254-mile border with Mexico.
Abortion on the ballot: Amarillo set to vote on abortion travel ban this election
After the Amarillo City Council balked at such an ordinance last year, residents collected signatures for a ballot measure.
Texas Supreme Court upholds ban on transition-related care for minors
Parents and medical providers of transgender adolescents sued Texas, challenging the constitutionality of a restriction on puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
Cook Childrenโs sues Texas over potential Medicaid contract loss
For years, Cookโs Children, two other childrenโs hospitals have administered Medicaid health coverage plans. Canceling their contracts would put jobs and coverage at risk, they say.
More than 100 Texas counties lack plans to curb damage from natural disasters
The plans, which are required by the federal government to access certain grants after a natural disaster, are laborious to assemble โ especially for rural counties.
Court ruling suggests recent activity in federal investigation of Ken Paxton
Records donโt name the attorney generalโs office, but their details line up with the accusations former top deputies made against Paxton.
U.S. Supreme Court blocks the stateโs Rio Grande water deal with New Mexico
Water law experts say the Supreme Court's recent decision will set a precedent for the federal government to intervene in water conflicts between states moving forward.
Texas electricity demand could nearly double in six years, grid operator predicts
The prediction by ERCOT reflects a new way of counting future demand and a spike in requests to connect to the grid from large power users.
Texas Ethics Commission will require influencers to disclose when theyโre paid for advertisement
The action comes after The Texas Tribune reported that influencers were being paid to defend impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Texas National Guard is shooting pepper balls to deter migrants at the border
Migrants in Mexico said theyโve been shot by the rounds, which leave bruises and disperse a chemical irritant. The state says Guard members are trained not to aim directly at people.
Judge weighing whether to close El Paso shelter that aids undocumented immigrants
Texas argues that Annunciation House is breaking state law by harboring undocumented immigrants, something the shelter's lawyers called "utter nonsense."
With too few mental health providers, more patients turn to primary care
While primary care is experiencing its own workforce shortage, the profession is shouldering more mental health screenings to help bridge the behavioral health provider gap.
As a Texas city debates an abortion travel ban, maternal care is scarce in nearby rural counties
Amid a fight over an โabortion travel ban,โ women health care experts say more attention is needed to the plight of pregnant Texans in the Panhandle where there are few hospitals and OBGYNs.
Democrats think they can flip Texas House seats by going after GOPโs education funding and school voucher policies
Much of the House battlefield is centered in districts with struggling schools, where Democrats hope public education will resonate at the ballot box.
Texas conservatives want to end countywide voting. The costs could be high.
More than 80% of the stateโs registered voters can cast their ballot anywhere in the county on election day. Scrapping that option could lead to disenfranchisement, experts say.
Abbott appoints first judges to new appeals court for cases involving state government, businesses
The Texas Legislature created the court last year, with proponents saying it would increase efficiency and opponents arguing that it was an effort by Republicans to circumvent Democrat-dominated courts.
Four Texas House Republicans censured for campaigning against incumbents
The censured members said they had been punished for campaigning against โliberal incumbentsโ alongside statewide elected officials like Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Texas Democrats try to unify against GOP โextremismโ as their own challenges and strife persist
The party faces internal tension over the Israel-Hamas war and Bidenโs new immigration policy heading into November.
State rejects health insurers' pleas to halt plan that will shake up coverage for 1.8 million Texans
Affected Texans who receive Medicaid coverage would be shifted to new insurers next year if the state health and human services agency sticks to its plan. Itโs now up to the executive commissioner to make a final decision.
Texas tells local election officials to stop releasing information that exposes how some people vote
The emergency guidance from the secretary of state comes after Votebeat and The Texas Tribune confirmed the choices some voters make can later be identified through legally available records.
New Texas Democratic group hopes to pump millions into neglected party infrastructure
The new outfit is hoping that its long-term plan will eventually help Democrats become more competitive in statewide races.
โGrateful to be aliveโ: Clubhouse programs take pressure off overwhelmed Texas mental health hospitals
Thousands of people are discharged from Texas mental health hospitals yearly, and so-called step-down programs like clubhouses can help them integrate back into the community.
How a chance meeting helped Texas become the nationโs top beekeeping state
Twelve years after a state law gave tax breaks for keeping bees on at least five acres, people are still getting into the trade โ or throwing in the towel and hiring professionals to do it for them.
Strict rules over delta-8 and delta-9 likely for Texasโ booming hemp industry
Lawmakers are struggling to balance demands for medicinal cannabis products with a wildly growing market that is outpacing meaningful regulation.
How Texas Speaker Dade Phelan turned the tide to keep his seat
After coming in second in the primary, Phelan was at a disadvantage heading into the runoff. With record breaking cash infusions, Phelan blanketed airwaves and hired an army of campaign staffers.
Frank McCourt, the billionaire bidding to buy U.S. part of TikTok, wants users to control their data
McCourt said tech companies have to become more democratic in a conversation with The Texas Tribuneโs CEO.
Texas revamps Narcan distribution following delays, unpredictable supply
Texas has tapped more than $45 million in federal funds to get the overdose-reversing drug into the hands of law enforcement, members of the public. But the program has been plagued by supply issues, delays and lack of communication.