Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial will begin Sept. 5, with his attendance required
Senators, who will sit as a court of impeachment for the suspended attorney general, spent two days drafting rules that were adopted late Wednesday. Full Story
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![State Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a press conference at the Houston Recovery Center on Oct. 26, 2021.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Impeached Texas attorney general partnered with troubled businessman to push opioid program
While launching a statewide program to distribute packets to dissolve opioids, Attorney General Ken Paxton worked to connect Kenny Hansmire with the state’s comptroller, who oversees the distribution of millions of dollars in opioid settlement money. Full Story
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![Kenny Hansmire, President of the American Football Coaches Foundation speaks during a news conference at the William P. Clements State Office Building on a pilot program to dispose of medications, especially opioids on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2022 in Austin, TX. Paxton was joined by a group of former athletes and coaches to make the announcement. (Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune)]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
State Sen. Angela Paxton will “carry out my duty” and attend her husband’s impeachment trial
Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton faces charges of bribery and obstruction of justice in his upcoming impeachment trial before the Texas Senate. Full Story
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![State Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, on the Senate floor, at the Capitol, on May 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Fentanyl is dominating headlines, but there’s a more comprehensive drug problem happening in Texas
Lawmakers are passing laws in an attempt to slow the rise in fentanyl overdoses, but drug advocates warn the opioid is mostly a booster for other illegal drugs. Full Story
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![A group of counterfeit K56 pills, which contain fentanyl, is displayed as tests are conducted on seized drugs at the Houston Forensic Science Center in Houston on March 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
As Texas swelters, local rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will soon be nullified
Gov. Greg Abbott approved a law this week that will eliminate city and county ordinances like Austin’s and Dallas’ mandated water breaks. Full Story
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![Construction laborers work in Downtown Austin on June 29, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
New state-appointed Houston school board criticized for limiting public access at meeting
The state recently took over the Houston school district. The new officials restricted the number of people allowed in the board room, requiring many people to watch from an overflow space. Full Story
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![Kourtney Revels, at center, the mother of a third-grade student at Houston ISD's Elmore Elementary School, confronts district staff limiting public access to a school board meeting Thursday at HISD headquarters in northwest Houston. (Annie Mulligan for Houston Landing)]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for Houston Landing -
Meet the 4 whistleblowers behind most of the impeachment allegations against Ken Paxton
Once high-ranking officials in the attorney general’s office, the four were fired after reporting concerns about Paxton’s behavior to law enforcement. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton steps to the podium to make a statement to the press on May 26, 2023, a day before a scheduled impeachment vote. Behind him, from left: Tommy Tran, executive assistant; James R. Lloyd, associate deputy attorney general for civil litigation; Austin A. Kinghorn, associate deputy attorney general for legal counsel; Ryan Fisher, director of government relations; Joshua Reno, deputy attorney general for criminal justice; and Suzanna Hupp, special adviser.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Here are the top allegations that led to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment
In 2020, deputies in the attorney general’s office met with FBI agents to accuse their boss of misconduct. Their accusations would form the backbone of articles of impeachment against one of the state’s most powerful officials. Full Story
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![Ken Paxton at the inauguration ceremony of Judge Michelle Slaughter at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas towns are starving for capital and lack the resources to apply for grants. This group hopes to help.
Texas Rural Funders hopes a one-stop resource for grant applications and writers could help small towns win money to fund innovation and capital needs. Full Story
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![An aerial view of Groveton March 20, 2023, in Groveton, Texas.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
As Paxton allies press to avoid impeachment trial, House managers warn against “sham” proceeding
All eyes are on a secretive Senate committee that is drafting rules for an impeachment trial. Those rules are expected to be presented to the Texas Senate on Tuesday. Full Story
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![Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, speaks during a press conference at the Republican Party of Texas headquarters in Austin on June 7, 2023.]()
Credit: Joe Timmerman/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott threatens string of vetoes if lawmakers can’t agree on property tax cuts
With several hundred bills awaiting action by the governor, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called the veto threat an affront to Texans and the legislative process. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender-affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan join forces on property taxes. It might help the push for school vouchers.
Phelan announced the formation of a House committee that could set the tone in favor of vouchers ahead of an expected special session on education. The move comes weeks after Abbott sided with Phelan on a plan to lower property taxes. Full Story
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![Newly-elected House Speaker Dade Phelan greets Gov. Greg Abbott before speaking to the Texas House during opening ceremonies as the 2021 Texas Legislature gets down to work in Austin on Jan. 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto/Pool -
Trap-neuter-release programs for cats are now legally protected in Texas
Animal advocates are deeply divided over whether so-called TNR policies are a good idea. A bill signed by the governor last weekend gives them legal protection statewide. Full Story
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![There are an estimated 75-100 stray cats fed daily by volunteers at various locations in Tomball, on June 11, 2023.]()
Credit: Douglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribune -
With $1.4 billion investment, Texas hopes to sprint to the front of the microchip manufacturing race
Microchips are increasingly present in every day life, from phones and laptops to cars and washing machines. Gov. Greg Abbott approved last week a stimulus package in an effort to shore up the supply chain after the pandemic’s disruptions. Full Story
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![Workers inside the clean room of U.S. semiconductor manufacturer SkyWater Technology, where computer chips are made, in Bloomington, Minnesota in April, 2022.]()
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On property tax impasse, Gov. Greg Abbott appears open to House-Senate compromise
The special session churns on with the House adjourned, the Senate still working and the governor welcoming an agreement that has thus far eluded lawmakers. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott says he won’t renew his COVID-19 disaster declaration later this week
Texas appears to be the last state with a broad pandemic declaration, which was begun in 2020, still in place. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs six bills relating to border security at the state Capitol in Austin on June 8, 2023. “Washington D.C. has failed to do its job to secure the border,” Abbott said “As a result, Texas has had to take unprecedented steps in responding to the crisis caused by the Biden administration on the border, and in response the Texas legislature has stepped up to make sure that we will be able to more robustly respond.”]()
Credit: Joe Timmerman/The Texas Tribune -
Lawmakers passed a bill to stop insurers from considering ESG criteria in setting rates
So-called environmental, social and governance policies are often adopted by companies to reduce their carbon footprints. The new Texas bill aims to stop insurers doing business in Texas from using ESG criteria, but it doesn’t include penalties for violations. Full Story
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![State Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, presents SB 14, which seeks to ban puberty blockers and hormone therapies for transgender youth, for it's second reading on the House floor at the state Capitol in Austin on May 12, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
How Texas’ plan to curb school violence was knocked down by a pandemic and little oversight
Threat assessment teams were created to prevent the next school shooting. However, confusion surrounds how these teams operate and what they even do with a child exhibiting threatening behavior. Full Story
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![Texas Governor Greg Abbott convenes the third of three roundtable discussions on school safety and gun violence on May 24, 2018 in the wake of the Santa Fe High School shooting that left ten students dead.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
State environmental agency proposes new rules for concrete plants in Texas
The TCEQ has proposed changes to concrete batch plant permits including lowering production limits, reducing dust coming from plants and setting minimum distance requirements from nearby communities. Full Story
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![A concrete truck is washed at a concrete batch plant in Gunter, TX on March 21, 2023.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department opts for eminent domain to save Fairfield Lake State Park
With only three days left on the state’s lease, the agency unanimously voted to condemn almost 5,000 acres in Freestone County in an effort to keep the park open to the public after developers purchased the property to build a gated community. Full Story
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![State Park Police Officer Kyle Ware makes the rounds at Fairfield Lake State Park in Fairfield on Feb. 27, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune