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.

Officials in Harris County announced Wednesday their intent to sue the state of Texas over a pair of controversial bills which would impact elections in the county.

One week before the fifth anniversary of the Santa Fe High School mass shooting, relatives of those killed and wounded are celebrating a hard fought victory at the state capitol. A bill that will allow family members of crime victims to see certain pieces of evidence prior to trial is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk for his signature.

As Nashville police identified the private Christian school shooter as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who identifies as transgender, demonstrators were at the Texas State Capitol fighting against anti-trans bills being considered by state lawmakers.

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.

Authorities say a Texas woman has been arrested after an SUV crashed through an iron fence at the Texas State Capitol.

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

Authorities with the Texas Department of Public Safety announced an increased reward as they continue to search for a man who is accused of making terroristic threats.

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.

Governor Greg Abbott will hold a border security briefing with sheriffs from border communities at 12 p.m. Saturday at the Texas State Capitol. The Governor will be joined by Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Adjutant General of Texas Tracy Norris, and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw.

The American and Texas flags fly outside of a building in Galveston, Texas, in this undated file image. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: Who is my state representative and how do I contact them? Answer: The Texas State Capitol has a website where you can input your Texas city and address to see who represents you in your area. Links to contact the elected officials -- including phone numbers and email addresses -- can be found by clicking on their profiles.

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.

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.

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.

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.