The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
In dueling press conferences Friday evening, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus revealed themselves at an impasse over bathroom regulations that could prompt Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session. Full Story
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After signing a bill and testing out a few guns at a shooting range Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott held up his bullet-riddled target sheet and joked, "I'm gonna carry this around in case I see any reporters." Full Story
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A high school senior reflects on his unlikely victory over an incumbent school board member, and what his generation is bringing to Texas politics. Full Story
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Senate Bill 1289 by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would require large state projects to purchase iron and steel from an American supplier if the cost doesn’t exceed 20 percent more than the price of cheaper, foreign imports. Full Story
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Several Texas Republicans in Congress told the Tribune they want Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session to redraw the state's congressional map. Yet all signs suggest Abbott isn't interested. Full Story
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The Texas Senate, hoping to resurrect its versions of bathroom and property tax proposals dear to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, grafted both of them onto unrelated county affairs legislation early Wednesday morning. Full Story
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It's hard to get tougher ethics laws for politicians and officeholders through the Texas Legislature. It can be even harder to figure out exactly who killed them. Full Story
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The most-discussed potential candidates had all made up their minds by the end of Tuesday, with a two-way race emerging between Houston-area businessman Rick Figueroa and Travis County GOP Chairman James Dickey. Full Story
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The legislative wrangling over where transgender Texans can use the bathroom isn’t over yet. Full Story
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The 95-54 vote followed a six-hour debate that saw fierce pushback from Democrats, who argued the legislation wouldn’t go far enough to expand ballot access and might discourage some Texans from going to the polls. Full Story
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Members of the Texas House on Tuesday issued a loud demand for the Senate to take action on their bills — or else. Full Story
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School groups say a Texas House amendment addressing bathroom use is open to interpretations on whether it actually keeps school districts from allowing transgender students to use bathrooms that match their gender identities. Full Story
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A U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday in a North Carolina gerrymandering case could have major implications for the drawing of political maps in Texas and nationwide. Full Story
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Republicans fear a failure to overhaul strict Texas voter ID rules could torpedo the state's position in litigation over whether lawmakers discriminated against minority voters. Full Story
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Tom Mechler, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas since 2015, announced his resignation from that post Saturday afternoon, citing personal reasons. Full Story
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There's a simple test to tell you whether the promise of a tax cut is really a tax cut: Is there money in your hand? Full Story
The Texas Senate gave initial approval Wednesday to legislation that would eliminate straight-ticket voting in all elections. Full Story
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Amid rumors of a special session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick put out a short list of bills he wants the House to pass if he's going to let the Senate advance must-pass legislation. And he appears to have the upper hand in the last days of the session. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threatened to push for a special legislative session to pass bills to regulate bathroom use for transgender Texans and set new thresholds for when cities and counties must get voter approval for tax rates. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat, called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump Wednesday morning during a speech from the floor of the U.S. House. Full Story
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