Watch livestreams of the 2018 Texas Tribune Festival's featured events
Here's where you can find all the livestreams from the 2018 Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
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![An audience watches the opening keynote with former Secretary of State John Kerry at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 27, 2018.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune -
Report: UT investigating sexual misconduct allegation levied against state Sen. Charles Schwertner
A spokesperson said Schwertner "categorically denies any knowledge of the accusations leveled against him" and added that the senator "is eager to cooperate with the University of Texas and hopes to make clear he played no part in the behavior described.” Full Story
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![Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, in a Texas Senate Business and Commerce Committee hearing in Austin on Mar. 9, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tirbune -
How Texas Democrats lost a state Senate seat amid talk of a blue wave
Republican Pete Flores defeated Democrat Pete Gallego on Tuesday in a state Senate district that Hillary Clinton won by 12 points, prompting Democratic soul-searching less than two months before the midterms. Full Story
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![Peter Flores thanks his supporters after his victory over Pete Gallego in a special election to succeed former state Senator Carlos Uresti, on Sept. 18, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Republican Pete Flores upsets Democrat Pete Gallego in race for Uresti seat
Democrat Gallego has conceded to Flores in the race to replace convicted former state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, in a Democratic-leaning district. Flores will become the first Hispanic Republican to serve in the state Senate. Full Story
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![Texas Senate candidate Pete Flores applauds early returns that show him ahead of Democrat Pete Gallego in SD-19 race to replace disgraced Sen. Carlos Uresti on Sept. 18, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
GOP determined to flip Democratic-friendly state Senate seat in overtime round
The special election runoff Tuesday pits Republican Pete Flores against Democrat Pete Gallego for the seat formerly held by convicted state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego (left), a Democrat, and Republican Peter Flores are running for state Senate District 19.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich: Gallego/Campaign website -
Analysis: The fight over the Texas Legislature isn’t only in the House
Sure, the selection of a new House speaker is going to change the way the Legislature works next year. But watch the elections in the Senate, too: Things could change in the upper chamber, too. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush signs plan to overhaul Alamo Plaza
Bush signed the proposal over the objections of several Republican lawmakers. Full Story
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![The Alamo in San Antonio.]()
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Lawmakers couldn't agree on property tax reform, but Texas homeowners can still get some relief
Cities, school districts and other local governments can provide discounts on property tax bills through the homestead exemption process. But not all Texans qualify for every exemption. Full Story
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![A lawmaker reads a flyer with property tax information that was distributed to Texas House members' desks on Aug. 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas panel rejects proposal to close 87 driver's license offices. For now.
The Sunset Advisory Commission voted not to adopt the Department of Public Safety's recommendations to close dozens of offices across the state, but recommended a third-party study to determine which agency should issue licenses. Full Story
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![State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, during a Texas Sunset Advisory Commission meeting on August 29, 2018.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas spent $7 million to fight against A/C in a prison. It may only cost $4 million to install.
At a Capitol hearing, the Texas prison system's director said exceptions in construction requirements allowed for the cost decrease. Full Story
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![Inmates shuffle past fans in the Darrington prison's main hallway on a hot July day.]()
Credit: Jolie McCullough/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott proposes bail reform after death of DPS trooper
Abbott said he wanted to fix a flawed system in Texas that allowed the man suspected of killing a trooper last year to get out of jail on bond despite having been previously accused of assaulting a deputy. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott. joined by DPS Director Steve McCraw (seated, left) and Kasey Allen, widow of Damon Allen, speaks at a press conference in Waco on August 7, 2018. Abbott announced a proposal to reform the bail system in Texas. The proposal is in honor of State Trooper Damon Allen, who was killed while on duty in 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
As more states legalize marijuana, is Texas poised to move in that direction?
In Texas, both political parties now support loosening the restrictions on marijuana in their platforms. That's just the clearest sign that both public opinion and the political calculus on pot are rapidly shifting. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick states opposition to "red flag" gun laws
After a Senate hearing on the laws, which can remove guns from people deemed dangerous, Patrick indicated any legislation would die in his chamber. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick delivers a keynote address during a Texas Public Policy Foundation orientation session on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Surge of candidates leaves Texas Democrats struggling to recruit qualified staffers
The uptick in the number of Democrats running across Texas this election cycle has exposed a weakness in the party’s statewide apparatus: a shortage of experienced operatives equipped to run campaigns. Full Story
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![Campaign volunteers for Sri Kulkarni, a Democrat vying to unseat U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, work the phones before a primary runoff in May.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: How to turn a weak Texas governor’s office into a strong one
Gov. Greg Abbott, continuing a quiet project started by his predecessor, is making his office more powerful — at the Texas Legislature's expense. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott gives the keynote speech at the Republican Party of Texas convention in San Antonio on June 15, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas cities want millennials living downtown. So why does the state keep building highways to the suburbs?
As young, educated professionals push away old ideas about how to move around Texas cities, transportation planners’ vision for the future is still largely influenced by the past. Full Story
Credit: Cooper Neil for The Texas Tribune -
Cultural split is evident at Texas committee hearing on gun proposals
Gun rights advocates and student protesters at the Capitol on Monday argued over possible legislation to remove guns from people deemed dangerous and to mandate safe storage of firearms. The hearing was held after Gov. Greg Abbott requested legislators look at gun and school safety after the fatal Santa Fe school shooting. Full Story
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![The state House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence listens as former Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson testifies on potential gun legislation after the Santa Fe school shooting, on June 25, 2018.]()
Credit: Jolie McCullough / The Texas Tribune -
Special election to replace Texas state Sen. Carlos Uresti draws 8 candidates, including his brother
The July 31 special election to replace state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, who resigned Thursday, has attracted eight candidates. The list includes Uresti's brother, Tomas Uresti, a state representative who lost his re-election bid in the March primary. Full Story
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![State Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, and his wife Lleana leave the federal courthouse in San Antonio after being convicted on 11 charges on Thursday morning, Feb 22, 2018.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott announces July 31 special election for state Sen. Carlos Uresti's seat
Uresti, a San Antonio Democrat, announced his resignation Monday, four months after he was found guilty of 11 felonies. Full Story
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![State Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, speaks at a press conference outside the federal courthouse in San Antonio after being found guilty of multiple felonies on Feb. 22, 2018.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urges congressional action on separated immigrant families: "This disgraceful condition must end."
"This disgraceful condition must end; and it can only end with action by Congress to reform the broken immigration system," Abbott wrote in a letter to all members of the Texas delegation. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott announces new school safety measures in response to the Santa Fe High School shooting at the Dallas Independent School District Headquarters on May 31, 2018.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune
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