The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar didn't provide details as he told lawmakers Monday that the financial forecast isn't as dire as earlier feared. But he said revenues are still down "significantly" compared with last year. Full Story
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At a housing unit turned health clinic in rural Brown County, the director of a family planning clinic laughs at the idea of offering tele-health visits to limit the virus' spread: “Where we are, that is just not an option for us.” Full Story
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The seasons change in the political world, too. We're in that periodic move from electioneering to governing. The Washington version is noisy. The Texas version is a bit quieter, but it's underway. Full Story
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More than 60 election-related bills have been filed in the House and Senate in the three weeks since the election. About half of them are aimed at increasing voter access, which lawmakers said became a more urgent issue during the pandemic. Full Story
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As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations balloon, public health experts and local officials worry the loopholes are one reason behind the recent rise. Full Story
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Vaccines and antibody therapies raise hopes of combatting the coronavirus. But as the holiday season begins, the pandemic is setting new records in Texas for caseloads, hospitalizations and deaths. Full Story
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Ryan Vassar, who had served as the deputy attorney general for legal counsel, was one of eight senior aides who told authorities they believed Paxton was breaking the law — a report that has sparked an FBI investigation. Full Story
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The Texas Education Agency declined to take action, saying it's up to local enforcement. A county official tried to intervene but said it should be up to TEA to enforce. Full Story
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Tearing down confidence in the election process takes everything else along with it, from winners and losers to the government itself. Full Story
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El Paso is far from the only predominantly Hispanic area that has been ravaged by the virus. Hidalgo and Cameron counties, both along the state’s southern border, have seen death tolls that rival larger and more urban parts of the state. Full Story
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The border city recently resorted to using inmates from the county jail to move bodies. At the request of county officials, the state is sending assistance. Full Story
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Officials are preparing for the massive undertaking of distributing a vaccine that may require multiple doses and subzero storage temperatures across a state that covers 270,000 square miles and some 170 rural counties. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the TribCast, Emma talks to Ross, Edgar and Patrick about the challenges of vaccine distribution in rural Texas, the latest in the allegations against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the controversial new head of the state GOP. Full Story
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The county has turned to jail inmates to staff mobile morgues, and local officials say hospitals are nearing a point where they could have to ration care. Full Story
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The pandemic-induced recession punched a hole in the Texas budget that lawmakers will try to patch when their session starts in January. And a hole in the state's finances almost always starts a conversation about how to raise money. This time, marijuana and casinos are in the spotlight. Full Story
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The bureau is probing allegations that Paxton broke the law by using the attorney general's office to serve the interests of a political donor, two unnamed sources told the Associated Press. Full Story
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In a letter to the Japanese prime minister, Gov. Greg Abbott said that the company had all the permits needed, but later he had to backtrack. Legislators are expected to file bills to regulate high-speed rail projects during their next session. Full Story
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The U.S. State Department has sent letters to Americans rescued abroad during the pandemic asking for repayment for the repatriation flights and threatening to withhold tax refunds or social security payments if the debt goes unpaid for months. Full Story
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Texas Republicans managed to avoid net losses in the state and U.S. House this election cycle in part because voters in key districts showed a willingness to vote Democratic at the top of the ballot and Republican lower down. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers rarely resort to impeachment proceedings, even when elected officials like Attorney General Ken Paxton are accused of misusing their public offices. Full Story
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