Skip to main content

Texas Legislature

The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.

Texas' part-time Legislature has been at it all year. Now they're heading into a rare fourth special session

By Patrick Svitek Nov. 8, 2023

A full 30-day session amounts to about $1 million in per diem payments to lawmakers, which are meant to cover their expenses in Austin. Full Story

Credit: Sophie Park for The Texas Tribune
Abbott calls lawmakers back for fourth time to try again on school vouchers and border security

By Zach Despart Updated: Nov. 7, 2023

The governor announced the fourth special session would start an hour after the previous session adjourned. Full Story

Credit: Douglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribune
Jill Dutton, Brent Money advance to runoff for Texas House special election

By Patrick Svitek Updated: Nov. 8, 2023

Five Republicans and one Democrat were on the ballot for the ruby-red seat, but most of the drama has focused on two GOP candidates, Dutton and Money. Full Story

Credit: Campaign websites
State Rep. Craig Goldman announces run for U.S. Rep. Kay Granger’s North Texas seat

By Patrick Svitek Nov. 3, 2023

Goldman chairs the Texas House Republican Caucus and has served in the House since 2013. Full Story

Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
Gov. Greg Abbott travels to Israel to offer Texas’ support in war

By Zach Despart Nov. 2, 2023

Abbott traveled to the Middle Eastern country as his priority legislation over school vouchers was stalling and with less than a week before the special legislation session he called is set to conclude. Full Story

Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune
These home-schooling moms want to create a “microschool” for Black kids. They need vouchers to make it happen.

By Sneha Dey Nov. 2, 2023

The mothers, who are counting on state legislators to reach a deal on education savings accounts, say their public schools were not equipped to create a learning space that is safe for Black kids. Full Story

Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune
With time running out, House punts on taking action on school vouchers

By Zach Despart Nov. 1, 2023

Gov. Greg Abbott just announced he’d reached a deal with the House to advance school vouchers, but with less than a week before the Legislature must adjourn the lower chamber took no action on the governor’s priority legislation. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune
School leaders say Texas’ campus safety funding doesn’t cover new state mandates

By Caroline Wilburn Nov. 1, 2023

A bill to increase the state’s support for school safety appears stalled in this month’s special legislative session. But even if it passes, superintendents warn it isn’t enough. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
Private schools are ready to expand into smaller communities if Texas adopts voucher program

By Brian Lopez and Yuriko Schumacher Oct. 30, 2023

With rural Texas relatively underserved by private schools, the potential for expansion could play a role in the debate over whether to let families use taxpayer money to pay for private education. Full Story

Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune
Facing enrollment declines, Texas Catholic schools are leading supporters of school vouchers

By Maia Pandey Updated: Oct. 31, 2023

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops has been one of the staunchest voucher supporters, arguing it would increase access to religious education regardless of income level. Full Story

Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune
Texas House approves ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers

By Karen Brooks Harper Updated: Oct. 26, 2023

Violations could bring a $50,000 fine under an amendment adopted Wednesday. The bill’s sponsor said the ban would be the strongest in the nation. Full Story

Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune
Texas voters split on House, Senate handling of Paxton impeachment, poll finds

By Patrick Svitek Oct. 25, 2023

Republicans showed a more clear divide, giving the Senate higher marks than the House for how the attorney general’s impeachment was handled. Full Story

Credit: Sam Owens/Pool via San Antonio Express-News
With 22 portable classrooms on one campus, a growing Texas school district is asking voters for $2 billion

By Pooja Salhotra Oct. 23, 2023

Conroe is one of the fastest growing school districts in the state. It and other districts say they need voters to OK bonds to keep up with the influx of students. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
House, Senate bills at odds over power to boost future funding for Texas school voucher program

By Karen Brooks Harper Oct. 20, 2023

The Senate’s Republican bill would let state leaders grow the program by taking money from other agencies without the Legislature’s approval. The House bill would bar the practice. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
After much ado about Colony Ridge, the Texas Legislature has little to show for it

By Zach Despart Oct. 19, 2023

On Thursday, the House State Affairs Committee held a hearing to discuss the Liberty County subdivision without considering any specific legislation. Full Story

Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune
A shift in how we build commercial buildings could be a boon for East Texas

By Pooja Salhotra Oct. 19, 2023

Globally, mass timber construction projects are expected to reach more than 24,000 by 2034. So far, at least 134 mass timber projects are in progress or completed in Texas. The first such project was a six-story office building in downtown San Antonio. Full Story

Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune
Texas needs water workers. Will high school students answer the call?

By Pooja Salhotra and Jayme Lozano Carver Oct. 18, 2023

Nearly two-thirds of the state’s water and wastewater agencies say they need more workers. Full Story

Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune
Texas’ main voucher bill seeks to avoid other states’ mistakes but keeps ideas that attracted criticism

By Brian Lopez Oct. 13, 2023

Like in Texas, voucher programs in other states sparked vigorous debates, came with the same promises and faced similar concerns. Not all predictions came true. Full Story

Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
Gov. Greg Abbott says he’ll add teacher pay to the special session — but only if lawmakers pass school voucher bill

By Maia Pandey Updated: Oct. 13, 2023

Though lawmakers have drafted a bill to increase public school funding and teacher salaries, it cannot pass during the special session unless Abbott adds those issues to his agenda. Full Story

Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune
Rep. Andrew Murr took on Ken Paxton and lost. He has no regrets.

By Zach Despart Oct. 12, 2023

The five-term House member, and his mustache, gained notoriety during the high-profile impeachment of Paxton. He warned tolerating corruption could hurt Republicans in the long term. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune