Category Archives: State News
State Rep. James White, An East Texas Republican, Won’t Seek Another Term In Texas House
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0c49171d7cdd119d1339e04184d4e86f/James%20White%20JV%20TT%2001%2001.jpg "State Rep. James White, An East Texas Republican, Won’t Seek Another Term In Texas House")
White, chairman of the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee, has served in the lower chamber since 2011.
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Managing Wildlife Damage Webinar Set July 1
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will present a webinar, “Integrated Approaches to Managing Wildlife Damage,” at noon on July 1. This is part of the ongoing Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management Stewardship Series of webinars.
Read more15 States Are Moving to Curb Public Health Agency Powers Following Lockdown Carnage
More than a dozen states have passed or advanced legislation to place new checks on the powers of public health agencies in the wake of the pandemic.
Read moreKamala Harris To Host White House Meeting With Texas Democrats Who Blocked Voting Bill
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f9f323cca6833f15e8f5b9672268d697/SB7%20Dem%20Broke%20Quorum%20Presser%20MG%2002.jpg "Kamala Harris To Host White House Meeting With Texas Democrats Who Blocked Voting Bill")
The meeting will take place Wednesday, according to Harris’ office.
Read moreGov. Greg Abbott Says Texas Will Build A Border Wall, But Doesn’t Yet Give Details On Cost Or Location
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/077e099f389b850129dfee7f4bb1b8b1/RGV%20Migrants%20Border%20REUTERS%20TT%2001.jpg "Gov. Greg Abbott Says Texas Will Build A Border Wall, But Doesn’t Yet Give Details On Cost Or Location")
The governor suggested more details would be released next week. The announcement Thursday of several initiatives is the latest in an ongoing conflict between Abbott, a Republican, and Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.
Read moreLawyers Prosecuting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Fraud Case Challenge Decision To Move Trial Back To His Home County
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/88b280f4ec705b6ed3d5401e0b0c3c2a/Ken%20Paxton%20BD%20TT%2006.jpg "Lawyers Prosecuting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Fraud Case Challenge Decision To Move Trial Back To His Home County")
Last month, a divided three-judge panel ruled that the case should move back to Collin County. Prosecutors are asking the full 1st Court of Appeals to review and reverse that ruling, potentially further delaying the 6-year-old case.
Read moreTexas Power Generation Companies Will Have To Better Prepare For Extreme Weather Under Bills Gov. Greg Abbott Signed Into Law
:quality(75)/https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/5mb8bLvalzBL6YCf4lC-mnDxnZ8=/filters:quality(70)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8401130dfde3dc82859d9d20a8f6e648/Power%20Grid%20Bill%20Signing%20SP%20TT%2001.jpg "Texas Power Generation Companies Will Have To Better Prepare For Extreme Weather Under Bills Gov. Greg Abbott Signed Into Law")
Senate Bills 2 and 3 are aimed at overhauling the state’s power grid after the devastating winter storm in February and the widespread power outages that followed.
Read moreSupreme Court Unanimously Backs Limits On Immigrants With Temporary Protected Status Seeking Green Cards
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/83ab40d4b03ab90c4e6a7f70a3740b08/US_Supreme_Court_Sunset "Supreme Court Unanimously Backs Limits On Immigrants With Temporary Protected Status Seeking Green Cards")
As many as 400,000 immigrants have been granted temporary protected status in the U.S. because of unsafe conditions or crises in their native countries.
Read moreBiden Administration Threatens To Sue After Texas Officials Say They’ll Yank Licenses From Facilities Housing Unaccompanied Migrant Children
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c442ddef7b3df19c3c748a64efbe7649/Unaccompanied%20Migrants%20IPA%20TT%2010.jpg "Biden Administration Threatens To Sue After Texas Officials Say They’ll Yank Licenses From Facilities Housing Unaccompanied Migrant Children")
A federal attorney claims an order from Gov. Greg Abbott violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and said legal action could follow if the state carries through with plans to pull licenses from the federally contracted facilities.
Read moreTexas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman Resigns
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1870d3fb8cfa316f17acb749360eb369/Eva%20Guzman%20Texas%20Supreme%20Court%20TTF%20MKC%20TT%2001.jpg "Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman Resigns")
Her resignation is effective Friday, she told Gov. Greg Abbott in a letter.
Read moreGov. Greg Abbott Signs Bill To Punish Businesses That Require Proof Of COVID-19 Vaccination
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4f4ebc4c5b2aee02acfd50f8e92c927e/HTX%20COVID%20Vaccine%20AM%20TT%2007.jpg "Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Bill To Punish Businesses That Require Proof Of COVID-19 Vaccination")
Abbott’s signature means that businesses that require so-called vaccine passports can’t get state contracts and could lose state licenses or operating permits.
Read moreTexas Joins 24 Other State Urging Supreme Court To Overturn New Jersey’s Gun Magazine Ban
Texas is now the 25th state to join a coalition of attorneys general urging the U.S. Supreme Court to repeal a New Jersey law that bans the possession of high-capacity magazines for firearms, arguing it violates the Second Amendment.
Read moreTEXAS LEGISLATURE 2021 Texas House Rallies Behind Speaker Dade Phelan, Even As Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Blames Him For GOP Legislative Failures
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/452eac0fdc274de9561b3f86fbc12446/House%20Floor%20SB7%20May%2030%20MG%20TT%2020.jpg "TEXAS LEGISLATURE 2021 Texas House Rallies Behind Speaker Dade Phelan, Even As Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Blames Him For GOP Legislative Failures")
Phelan has touted a list of conservative wins in his first session as House leader, such as passing legislation to let Texans carry handguns without a license and approving some of the strictest restrictions on abortion in the country.
Read moreTEXAS LEGISLATURE 2021 Texas Universities Got More State Funding This Year Than They Anticipated — But They’re Still Hoping For More Support
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3413daf9d1931751b1d06403121d24c5/02_University_of_Houston_MS_TT.jpg "TEXAS LEGISLATURE 2021 Texas Universities Got More State Funding This Year Than They Anticipated — But They’re Still Hoping For More Support")
Two- and four-year school leaders are looking to the upcoming special session for more support as the state decides how to spend $16 billion in federal stimulus funding
Read moreMattie Parker Declares Victory In Fort Worth Mayoral Runoff
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/de8c9dc45e149e461ee2cc979d36c304/Mattie%20Parker%20TT.jpg "Mattie Parker Declares Victory In Fort Worth Mayoral Runoff")
Parker, the former chief of staff to retiring Mayor Betsy Price, declared victory in the runoff against Deborah Peoples, who recently stepped down as chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party.
Read moreAllen West Resigns As Chair Of Texas Republican Party, Says He’s Mulling Statewide Run
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b72c0f2646d71d5ec5ffa799d54ab1a4/King%20Abbott%20Protest%20JV%20TT%2006.jpg "Allen West Resigns As Chair Of Texas Republican Party, Says He’s Mulling Statewide Run")
West declined to say whether he was eyeing any particular statewide office, though he told a radio host earlier Friday morning that the host was “safe” to assume West was mulling a gubernatorial run.
Read moreRepublican State Sen. Dawn Buckingham Is Set To Run For Texas Land Commissioner
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/68e9527392c5dc9eb6fd0774dcfe7d60/Dawn%20Buckingham%20KW%20TT%2003.jpg "Republican State Sen. Dawn Buckingham Is Set To Run For Texas Land Commissioner")
The news of her decision comes two days after the current land commissioner, George P. Bush, announced he was running for attorney general next year, challenging fellow Republican Ken Paxton.
Read moreIn Fight Against Texas GOP’s Voting Bill, Options Are Limited For Democrats In Congress And The White House
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9a0b967601800ca0b4dead03fe04408a/US%20Capitol%20REUTERS%20May%202020%20TT.jpg "In Fight Against Texas GOP’s Voting Bill, Options Are Limited For Democrats In Congress And The White House")
The filibuster stands in the way of Democrats passing bills aimed at expanding access to the vote. Meanwhile, the executive branch has lost one of its most powerful tools for intervening.
Read moreTexas Gov. Greg Abbott Could Be Upsetting Balance Of Powers With Threat To Veto Texas Legislature’s Pay
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/70790230744dce8536b16b1aa19ed167/House%20File%20May%2028%20EL%20TT%2012 "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Could Be Upsetting Balance Of Powers With Threat To Veto Texas Legislature’s Pay")
A governor targeting the Legislature’s budget would be unprecedented in Texas history.
Read moreTexas Lawmakers Responded To The Pandemic By Limiting What The Government Can Do In Response To A Pandemic
:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/dfa6745787969c3e782a1897b31e4941/Lege%202021%20Opening%20Day%20MG%20TT%2009.jpg "Texas Lawmakers Responded To The Pandemic By Limiting What The Government Can Do In Response To A Pandemic")
Lawmakers didn’t succeed in curtailing the governor’s power during a disaster, but they did pass bills that prohibit so-called vaccine passports and ban the mandatory closure of churches and gun stores.
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