Abbott faces pressure from both sides of the aisle. The prohibition was a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, but some hemp farmers and veterans want it killed.

The Legislature wrapped up without the same drama that defined the end of the last two sessions, with state GOP leaders checking off nearly everything on their to-do lists.

The goal of the bill, according to the author, was to curb “nuclear verdicts” — ones that award victims $10 million or more.

Senate Bill 3, a controversial measure that would ban all THC products in Texas, has officially passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature. The bill is now on Governor Greg Abbott’s desk, where he will make the final decision on whether it becomes law.

House Bill 126, which allows student athletes to receive a slice of the billions Texas colleges generate in revenue from their teams, now awaits the governor’s signature.

In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk with politics reporter Jasper Scherer about education funding, a THC ban and the success of conservative priorities this year.

The governor has not addressed whether he supports the ban, as hemp industry leaders have urged him to veto Senate Bill 3.

SB 3070, which awaits Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature, would move the lottery game to Texas’ Department of Licensing and Regulation and includes new restrictions on ticket purchases.

A top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the legislation would make it easier to construct homes on smaller lots. A House Democrat briefly killed the bill.

A 2024 war among Republicans tilted the House to the right. Now more closely aligned with the Senate, Speaker Dustin Burrows has accelerated action on bail, school vouchers and social issues.

The chamber jettisoned a provision tenants’ advocates warned would make it easier for Texas landlords to evict renters.

A bill that would make it illegal to sell THC products could soon head over to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. For a cannabis store employee, lawmakers don't know enough about the industry they're trying to shut down.

The ban aims to remove products — made legal through a 2019 loophole — that provide a similar high to marijuana and are easily accessible to the general public.

The House approved the ban after previously considering proposals to preserve the industry by tightening regulations.

Gov. Greg Abbott and other leaders have called for a major investment to save the state’s water supply. How to spend the money has caused friction at the Capitol.

The deal appears to strike a face-saving compromise for both chambers over how to increase funds for the state’s public schools, with money earmarked for teacher pay and overhead costs.

President Donald Trump's establishment of a White House Faith Office, a Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias and a Religious Liberty Commission has raised cheers from his base of conservative Christian supporters.

Senate Bill 3070 would allow the Texas Lottery’s games to continue under a new department, abolish the agency and create restrictions on ticket purchases.

A key Senate critic threw a lifeline to the Texas Lottery when he proposed moving its oversight to a new agency instead of eliminating it entirely.

The money will help pay for a permanent home for the school on UT-Austin's campus. Conservative donors and lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, helped create the school in 2023.

Paul is the first candidate out of the gate to succeed incumbent Mayes Middleton in an open seat running from Galveston to the outskirts of Houston.

Governor Greg Abbott has officially signed Senate Bill 2 into law, marking a historic moment for school choice in Texas.

Texas will give participating families about $10,000 to pay for their kids’ private schooling. Other details about the program, set to launch in 2026, are unclear.

The commission includes Ben Carson, “Dr. Phil” McGraw and religious figures.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has called banning THC products a top priority. The latest draft of the lower chamber’s THC regulation bill would allow retailers to continue selling edibles and drinks.

In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk to Texas Tribune reporter Ayden Runnels about lottery couriers and whether a $95 million prize winner was legitimate.

State lawmakers have been pushing the dementia fund for years, modeling it after a state fund for cancer research.

Some Republicans have bristled at the hefty cost of the bill, and Democrats could reject the funding for it over the school voucher dispute.

The first bill to reach Abbott’s desk this session creates a regulation-cutting state agency under the purview of the governor. It was passed with bipartisan supermajorities.

The lieutenant governor proposes that the Texas Senate adopt the House bill, which would eliminate a negotiation over the two versions and cement the victory for supporters.

President Donald Trump offered an endorsement of Patrick on Truth Social.

Patrick has held the position of Lt. Govornor since 2015.

Lawmakers are pursuing legislative changes that would keep more people locked up in overcrowded county jails while awaiting resolution to their cases.

In an interview, the lieutenant governor talks about his recent pop-up investigations and how he uses storytelling to make a political point.

If passed, ICE agents can then train deputies and jailers on how to identify and apprehend undocumented immigrants.

Lottery couriers have gained newfound scrutiny in Texas after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick raised questions about the use of a courier to sell an $83.5 million jackpot ticket.

Only Gov. Greg Abbott can call for a special session. But in his role presiding over the Texas Senate, Patrick can block any bill from passing, giving him leverage to compel overtime sessions by killing must-pass legislation.

The new finding is about 20% higher than previous estimates of the known cost of the effort to remove Paxton from office.

The Texas legislature is proposing a bill that would make it illegal to possess, share, or create obscene visual material depicting children, even if it’s merely a drawing or an AI-generated image. Could this law unintentionally criminalize art, manga (comics or graphic novels originating from Japan), or even harmless visual content?

Edible Brands, the parent company behind the iconic Edible Arrangements, is introducing a new type of edible and launched its program in Texas.

The gaps over eligibility and on spending levels are narrower than the fundamental differences of the previous session.

Lawmakers, who are preempting locals on lot sizes in new subdivisions, have been eyeing ways to allow more homes to be built as the state faces a shortage.

The winning ticket, purchased online through the courier Jackpocket, is being scrutinized by lawmakers concerned about the legality of third-party services.

Texas Senate advances THC ban aimed at curbing hemp products, a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Critics warn it could push the market underground.

Patrick says the measure will shut down the dangerous THC products business. The House’s proposal would tighten oversight of the industry without a full ban.

A Senate bill filed Friday does not expand abortion access, but aims to give doctors clarity while operating under laws that come with up to life in prison.

Republican lawmakers in Kentucky have added several medical exceptions to the state’s near-total abortion ban.

Texans who fall behind on their property taxes face one of the most punitive systems in the nation, where private collection companies can tack up to 20% onto their bill.

A Montgomery County man has been arrested again for allegedly using artificial intelligence to depict a teenage girl as naked.

All 20 GOP senators signed on to Senate Bill 16, which would apply to currently registered voters, and restrict some to only congressional elections.

House Bill 239, which echoes a bathroom bill that failed in 2017, includes new provisions for shelters and prisons.

There is little doubt that a ban will sail through the Senate. But its prospects are far less certain in the House.

A new bill making its way through the Texas Senate could ban all forms of THC in consumable hemp products—including delta-8, which has become a popular alternative to marijuana.

House and Senate lawmakers plan to spend at least $6 billion on property tax cuts, but haven't yet agreed on how much relief should go to homeowners over businesses.

Several of Texas’ top Republicans are defending Gov. Greg Abbott’s pick to head the state’s water agency following pointed questions from a GOP lawmaker over the agency’s diversity hiring policies.

The topic was a budget request from a state agency. The exchange grew emotional when a lawmaker pressed for answers about a strategic plan that praises diversity.

At a public event last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said higher ed would get less funding if they don’t “kick DEI out of their schools,” a few weeks after lawmakers proposed a massive cut to public universities.

AG Ken Paxton’s office joins two other investigations by state officials into the commission as one service suspends operations due to the agency’s ban.

Two of the biggest lottery jackpots in Texas history are under investigation over claims that the winners may have benefitted from more than good luck.

Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock embraced constitutional originalism, a judicial philosophy tied to conservatism, in addressing the Legislature.

The policy shift was announced before state senators, skeptical of the move, grilled officials with the department and courier services in a hearing on SB 28.

The bill would ban diversity, equity and inclusion policies related to hiring and programming, while creating ways for parents to complain about violations to the DEI ban.

While the Lottery Commission says it can’t regulate sales to couriers, lawmakers want changes after two major jackpots were won using those services.

Supporters of voucher-like education savings accounts are trying to press their advantage early and build a sense of inevitability.

The package was fast-tracked after Gov. Greg Abbott declared “bail reform” an emergency item. The bills now head to the House for consideration.

The package of bills would tighten the state's bail laws to keep more people in jail — including undocumented immigrants — while their criminal cases are pending.

The aggressive Republican agenda’s success depends on how well the three leaders harmonize their tactics and goals for the legislative session.

The Texas Senate has passed Senate Bill 2, a bill that will allow school choice and vouchers in the state.

Gov. Greg Abbott said cutting taxes is a top priority, however, state lawmakers don’t have as much money to plug into tax cuts as they did two years ago.

After successful campaigns for House allies, the governor is in a position to set an ambitious course for the legislative session.

Restrict THC, help with deportations, infuse religion in schools and provide property tax relief – these are among the Patrick priorities.

Meanwhile in the Panhandle, Republicans were less excited that Burrows won the speaker contest thanks largely to Democrats.

Both chambers set aside $1 billion for a voucher-like education savings account program — double what was on the table two years ago — in a sign that supporters are emboldened after recent electoral gains.

Patrick on Sunday said the Legislature should amend the language of the state’s near-total abortion ban to address confusion over when doctors may terminate pregnancies.

Texas’ population is booming and there is not enough water for everyone. State Sen. Charles Perry hopes to fix that.

From debating school vouchers and improving the state’s water supply to reining in property taxes, the GOP-led body will look to pass its conservative priorities amid fighting within the party.

A likely fight over how much power to take away from local governments may dominate the debate.

Some Texas lawmakers including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick slammed the Biden administration over the auction of wall materials. But the sale was directed by Congress — and Texas has already bought some of it.

Days after the Texas House GOP caucus backed Cook, Abbott made clear that he expects Republican representatives to do the same.

Faculty senates have long played a key role in developing curriculum and protecting open inquiry. State leaders have also accused them of liberal indoctrination.

The Texas Senate is pushing forward with a plan to ban all consumable THC products next year.

Patrick contends retailers have exploited a law passed in 2019 to sell unregulated and potentially harmful consumable tetrahydrocannabinol products.

Senate Bill 3, which will be carried by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, will ban all forms of THC if passed.

Modeled after the state’s $6 billion cancer research fund, the dementia fund — a legislative priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — could pump hundreds of millions of dollars into Texas researchers.

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both recently signaled new openness to winding down the state’ border security operation.

“We can look at how they evaluate customer needs for where the mobile generation needs to go, including looking at their emergency operation plan and how it deals with this,” PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson said.

PUC approves audit after accusations of overcharging and overspending

School voucher supporters say they have the votes to get a bill across both the Texas Senate, led by Patrick, and the House, which has repeatedly blocked such proposals.

Texans celebrated Donald Trump's victory as the 47th U.S. President with prominent political figures such as Governor Greg Abbott, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton expressing their support.

Some state officials are pushing back on what they’re calling “the Department of Justice’s attempt to interfere with Texas Elections," while others argue it will ensure "fair and accurate" results.

Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump said Texas had fixed an error with voting machines, but Patrick quickly said there was no problem to fix.

Donald Trump has built close ties to many Texas Republicans, from judges to elected officials to policy experts.

A new breed of activists wants Texas to tame costs by building more housing. But longstanding opposition to such policies remains strong.

Texas’ junk science statute has remained hamstrung for the last decade. So too have other criminal justice reforms, despite efforts from the Texas House.

State Sen. Morgan LaMantia, D-Palm Valley, faces off against Republican Adam Hinojosa in the only competitive race for the Texas Senate.

Gov. Greg Abbott gave an inflated number of noncitizens removed from the state’s voter rolls, officials acknowledged, confirming findings by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, and Votebeat.

Here’s what you need to know after a ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and Votebeat investigation found that Gov. Greg Abbott likely inflated the number of noncitizens on voter rolls.

Governor Greg Abbott has announced a $50 million emergency fund to help Texans recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl and the Derecho storm.

The examination of Deloitte’s existing contracts comes after it failed to catch red flags in a company’s application for a loan to build or upgrade power plants in the state.

This is the opportunity for the community to weigh in on how well CenterPoint Energy handled the Hurricane Beryl crisis. Feedback may also influence future electric rates.