The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The Texas General Land Office, led by Republican Land Commissioner George P. Bush, signed a contract with Horne LLP for Harvey disaster recovery services on Oct. 30, 2017. Three days later, Bush received $27,500 in campaign money from Horne executives. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/05/14/George_P_Bush_RPT_BD.jpg)
Texas filed suit in 2013 over an Obama-era policy aimed at making it easier for convicted criminals to find work. In 2012, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission advised employers to use criminal background checks during job screenings only when job-related or necessary for the business. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Gavel003.jpg)
A new U.S. Department of Labor proposal, which could change how Texas service workers receive tips, is facing greater scrutiny. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/11/SKnowles-DepofLabor-1.jpg)
Four former and current Texas Juvenile Justice Department employees were arrested Thursday as part of a Texas Rangers investigation into alleged misconduct at state-run youth lockups. Another suspect remains at large. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3111013414ddaa6157879b5d6736d6db/TJJD.jpg)
A young Texan on Thursday became the first person in the state to receive a legal delivery of medical cannabis — more than two years after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law legalizing the sale of a specific kind of cannabis oil to Texans with intractable epilepsy. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/04/07/PotTexas-4.jpg)
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew White has made half a dozen political donations at the federal level over the years. One stands out. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2018/01/11/7C2A6155.JPG)
We’ve compiled an overview of everything Texans should know about campaign finance reports and why they’re important. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/02/07/vote-for-me.jpg)
Texas liquor laws are infamously complex, and the reason dates back to the end of Prohibition. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2018/01/25/TT-liquor-by-mail-TX.jpg)
Though unemployment is low and tax revenue is on the rise, big bills coming due for the state’s highways and health care programs are giving Texas lawmakers some heartburn. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/06/14/Hegar_bullion_presser_MKC_TT.jpg)
Gov. Greg Abbott released his second "Report to the People of Texas," which chronicles the state's victories in 2017. But it skims over a few major challenges Texas faced during the past year. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2018/01/15/gregabbott_leadart.png)
Watch the full video of our conversation in Austin with state Reps. Gina Hinojosa, Donna Howard and Eddie Rodriguez. Or check out our full recap. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/austin.JPG)
The powerful Texas Association of Business has been using "dark money" — which obscures the identity of political donors — for its political action committee. The group says the money's used only for administrative expenses. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2018/01/26/DarkMoney-final.jpg)
The blue wave some Democrats hope for has to be big enough to top the red seawall that protects Republicans. The Democrats don’t need a wave in 2018 — they need a tsunami. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/11/10/TX2016-county-results.png)
The congressman challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018 says he had his biggest fundraising quarter so far. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/23/Beto_MKC_4_TT.jpg)
The State Republican Executive Committee voted to censure Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, on Saturday, dinging the outgoing state leader for standing in the way of the party leadership group's priorities. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/10/25/Straus_presser_5_BD_TT.jpg)
When anti-abortion activists march outside the state Capitol on Saturday, they'll do so celebrating a year of multiple successes at the state and federal level. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/01/28/IMG_2341.JPG)
An internal review of the Texas Education Agency's contracting regulations found this week that the agency needs a more concrete process for determining whether to bypass competitive bidding when it enters into a new contract. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2018/01/23/_TX347MorathTT.jpg)
Some cities fighting to house Amazon's coveted second headquarters have offered up billion-dollar financial incentives. If a Texas city lands the headquarters, experts don't expect incentives to be the main reason. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/AmazonTexas.jpg)
In opening arguments in the federal criminal case against state Sen. Carlos Uresti, prosecutors alleged that he used his reputation as a public official to lend credibility to a frac-sand company's Ponzi scheme. But defense attorneys for the San Antonio Democrat claim he was never aware of the company's criminal activity. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2018/01/17/Uresti_1_RJ_TT.jpg)
The Texas Tribune checked with all the Texans in Congress about whether they planned to forgo their pay during the government shutdown that began Saturday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/09/07/TX_delegation_TT.jpg)