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Alexa Ura reported for The Texas Tribune from 2013 to 2023. She covered the complex dynamics of race, ethnicity, wealth, poverty and power and how they are shaping the future of Texas and Texans, in the long and short term. Alexa started at the Tribune as a reporting intern before graduating from the University of Texas at Austin and joining the staff full time. Originally from Laredo on the Texas-Mexico border, she is a native Spanish speaker and is based in Austin.
Texas lawmakers spent a large part of 2017 debating a bathroom bill that ultimately never passed. For many transgender Texans, the law would have further complicated a decision that already comes with public scrutiny. Revisit our April multimedia project. Full Story
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The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments over the state's recent revisions to its 2011 voter ID law, which federal courts have said discriminated against voters of color. Full Story
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The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will not review a June decision by the Texas Supreme Court that ruled that the legalization of same-sex marriage does not fully address the right to marriage benefits. Full Story
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The revised Texas House sexual harassment policy includes language that strengthens protections against retaliation and provides specific steps to report inappropriate behavior. It comes about two weeks after The Texas Tribune detailed flaws in the former policy that often left victims to fend for themselves. Full Story
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It appears that Texas will not ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case against the state's restrictions on language interpreters at the ballot box, letting a lower court ruling stand. Full Story
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Though poverty rates have remained consistent, Texas has significantly reduced the traditional welfare it provides to poor Texans through cash assistance over the last two decades. Full Story
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Legislative leaders looking to create better training to prevent sexual harassment will likely face a roadblock if they want to get lawmakers in the room. Full Story
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Lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate called for a review of sexual harassment policies Tuesday following a Texas Tribune story detailing how current procedures offered little protection for victims. Full Story
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Interviews with more than two dozen current and former lawmakers and legislative aides indicate sexual harassment regularly goes unchecked at the Texas Capitol. And sexual harassment policies rely on officials with little incentive or authority to enforce them, particularly in cases of harassment by lawmakers. Full Story
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The impact of House Speaker Joe Straus' departure from the Capitol can't be understated, according to one political scientist: "The political center of the state collapsed today." Full Story
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