Texans approve $850 million endowment for Texas State Technical College
Read full article: Texans approve $850 million endowment for Texas State Technical CollegeThe funds will help the workforce training institution fix campus infrastructure and expand its footprint at a time when the state has seen a decline in skilled workers in some fields.
Texas voters poised to approve stricter bail rules in state Constitution
Read full article: Texas voters poised to approve stricter bail rules in state ConstitutionUnder Proposition 3, judges will be required to deny bail for certain violent offenses if the state demonstrates that doing so is necessary to ensure public safety or the defendantโs appearance in court.
The Texas redistricting fight spurring a legislative standoff: What you need to know
Read full article: The Texas redistricting fight spurring a legislative standoff: What you need to knowTexas Republicans are trying to redraw congressional districts to pick up five additional U.S. House seats. Democrats face financial and political risk in their bid to block the GOP plan.
Overriding a Texas governorโs veto can be impossible. Lawmakers are trying to change that.
Read full article: Overriding a Texas governorโs veto can be impossible. Lawmakers are trying to change that.The state constitutionโs legislative calendar โ not a vote threshold โ makes it hard to overrule the governor. Legislators are crafting an amendment that would make more overrides possible.
Judge places temporary block on rule requiring urban DAs to hand over case data to AG Ken Paxton
Read full article: Judge places temporary block on rule requiring urban DAs to hand over case data to AG Ken PaxtonOver half of the district attorneys affected by the rule filed lawsuits challenging it, saying it violates state and federal law.
In bail talks, lawmakers close in on Texas GOP goal of keeping defendants in jail
Read full article: In bail talks, lawmakers close in on Texas GOP goal of keeping defendants in jailWhile Gov. Greg Abbott steps up his push for stricter bail rules, critics seek a balance between the rights of the accused and the goal of keeping dangerous defendants behind bars.
Texas Republican lawmakers may โfinancially handcuffโ cities that donโt play by their rules
Read full article: Texas Republican lawmakers may โfinancially handcuffโ cities that donโt play by their rulesOne proposal would allow the attorney general to sue cities and freeze sales tax revenues for up to 90 days.
New Texas Supreme Court chief justice calls for judicial raises, changes to bail laws
Read full article: New Texas Supreme Court chief justice calls for judicial raises, changes to bail lawsChief Justice Jimmy Blacklock embraced constitutional originalism, a judicial philosophy tied to conservatism, in addressing the Legislature.
Texas claims in filings that challenges to 2023 election are invalid, results are final
Read full article: Texas claims in filings that challenges to 2023 election are invalid, results are finalIn court filings Tuesday, the secretary of stateโs office argued that the plaintiffs in the election contests โnever served a citationโ properly. But thereโs no guarantee itโll work.
With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session Tuesday
Read full article: With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session TuesdayThe decision to end work Tuesday leaves long odds for bills to boost school safety funding and make sure that election challenges donโt delay the implementation of property tax cuts, teacher pension raises and infrastructure spending.
Texas voters reject proposal to increase judgesโ retirement ages
Read full article: Texas voters reject proposal to increase judgesโ retirement agesTexans soundly defeated a constitutional amendment that would have let judges stay on the bench longer. Proposition 13 would have increased the minimum retirement age from 70 to 75 and the mandatory retirement age from 75 to 79.
Texas homeowners and businesses will get a tax cut after voters approve Proposition 4
Read full article: Texas homeowners and businesses will get a tax cut after voters approve Proposition 4The $18 billion property tax-cut package is aimed squarely at lowering school district property taxes, which make up the lionโs share of a Texas landownerโs property tax bill.
Texas voters gave retired teachers raises and approved new infrastructure funds as most constitutional amendments passed
Read full article: Texas voters gave retired teachers raises and approved new infrastructure funds as most constitutional amendments passedVoters approved a massive property tax cut and several other measures, but refused to raise the mandatory retirement age for judges.
Texas proposition lets voters decide whether to cut property taxes for homeowners and businesses
Read full article: Texas proposition lets voters decide whether to cut property taxes for homeowners and businessesProposition 4 could usher in a bevy of property tax changes. That includes using $12.7 billion from a record state budget surplus to lower school district taxes.
Texas comptroller certifies new $321.3 billion state spending plan, sends to Abbottโs desk
Read full article: Texas comptroller certifies new $321.3 billion state spending plan, sends to Abbottโs deskBefore Abbott can review the budget that will direct the stateโs spending for the next two years, the comptroller has to certify that it doesnโt spend more money than the state expects to bring in.
Texas law similar To Tennesseeโs would allow House & Senate to expel members
Read full article: Texas law similar To Tennesseeโs would allow House & Senate to expel membersTennessee House Republicans expelled two democratic state lawmakers after they took part in a gun violence protest on the chamber floor. Under the stateโs law, itโs allowed so long as two-thirds of the chamber votes for it. Texas has a similar law.
Texas senators draw lots to determine how long their terms will be
Read full article: Texas senators draw lots to determine how long their terms will beAfter redistricting, the state constitution requires senators to draw lots to determine which half of the chamber will have four-year terms and which will have two-year terms. This keeps Senate district elections staggered every two years for the rest of the decade.
Texas court confirms the attorney general canโt unilaterally prosecute election cases
Read full article: Texas court confirms the attorney general canโt unilaterally prosecute election casesTexasโ highest criminal court once again said the attorney general needs permission from local prosecutors to pursue election cases. Attorney General Ken Paxton had fought that decision.
Texas voters will decide whether to lower some property tax bills in May election
Read full article: Texas voters will decide whether to lower some property tax bills in May electionIf two propositions pass, the state will increase school funding to make up for revenues lost from a decrease in property taxes.
State judge declares Texas abortion law unconstitutional โ but does not stop it from being enforced
Read full article: State judge declares Texas abortion law unconstitutional โ but does not stop it from being enforcedThe fate of the statute remains uncertain. An appeal to the ruling is already underway, and an opinion on the law from the U.S. Supreme Court is still pending.
Itโs Election Day in Texas. Hereโs what voters are deciding.
Read full article: Itโs Election Day in Texas. Hereโs what voters are deciding.Texas voters will decide on eight proposed changes to the stateโs Constitution. Voters in the San Antonio area will pick a new Texas House member. And Austin voters will decide whether to require more police officers.
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Analysis: A quick turn on property taxes with the long game in mind
Read full article: Analysis: A quick turn on property taxes with the long game in mindHigh Texas property taxes were an issue in the state's 2018 elections, and you can see from their work on a new homestead exemption earlier this week that state lawmakers didn't forget that lesson from voters.
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Weighing reelection bid, GOP Texas Sen. Kel Seliger confronts redrawn district, Trump endorsement of primary challenger
Read full article: Weighing reelection bid, GOP Texas Sen. Kel Seliger confronts redrawn district, Trump endorsement of primary challengerAfter high-profile clashes with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a fellow Republican, Seliger suspects members of his own party are trying to oust him.
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Texas has a constitutional amendments election this year. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 4.
Read full article: Texas has a constitutional amendments election this year. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 4.A statewide election on Nov. 2 will feature eight constitutional amendments that address topics ranging from religious freedom to taxes to judicial eligibility. Hereโs what you need to know to vote.
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Barely underway, Texas redistricting draws its first lawsuit challenging Legislatureโs authority to redraw legislative maps
Read full article: Barely underway, Texas redistricting draws its first lawsuit challenging Legislatureโs authority to redraw legislative mapsTwo Democratic state senators filed the federal suit arguing the Texas Constitution does not allow lawmakers to meet in special session to draw up state House and Senate districts. Theyโre asking the courts to do it instead.
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Texas Supreme Court may decide next plot twist in the Democratic walkout, and the fate of 2,100 state employees
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court may decide next plot twist in the Democratic walkout, and the fate of 2,100 state employeesThe stateโs highest civil court has been asked to decide if Gov. Greg Abbott has the power to cut off funding for legislative staff, a move Abbott hoped would keep Democratic lawmakers from leaving the state and shutting down a special legislative session.