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

One Senate Democrat joined Republicans, providing the margin needed to approve Justin Berry to the state law-enforcement board.

Senate Bill 7, which won unanimous approval, is among legislation that seeks to avert a looming water crisis as the state’s population booms.

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

Senate Bill 16 would create new barriers for voters and new burdens for election officials.

The Texas Senate has passed a bill that will crack down on organized fuel theft rings across the state.

An advocacy group called Make Texans Healthy Again (MHTA) praised the move by the Texas Senate in a news release as a way to keep people from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other “ultra-processed products with no nutritional value.”

State lawmakers are poised to devote billions to save the state’s water supply. These are some of the ways the state could spend the money.

Several bills have been filed in the Texas House and Senate this legislative session aimed at addressing the problem of truancy in Texas.

The Texas senate has passed a bill that would expand death penalty eligibility for individuals convicted of murdering children.

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.

Next step will be action in the state House, where budget writers have different plans for distributing property tax help.

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

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

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.

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 possible reassignment of the charitable games comes as 15 bills in the Legislature seek to either alter or abolish the troubled agency.

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.

Senate Bill 16 in Texas proposes requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, affecting new voters and those currently registered.

The bill would have set deadlines for the oil and gas industry to plug inactive wells, which can pose a danger to the environment.

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

The prominent right-wing pastor told state lawmakers that an anti-communist curriculum is crucial to reaffirming that America is a “Christian country.”

Farmers and elected officials told a Senate committee Monday that the lack of water is becoming dire, with little relief in sight.

A new bill and joint resolution introduced in the Texas Senate by a Houston-area senator would give Texans the opportunity to vote on whether the state continues to observe Daylight Saving Time or Standard Time.

The legislation would require voters to approve the $3 billion start-up cost, and then the fund would be maintained at no more than $300 million annually.

Senate Bill 13 would create school library advisory councils largely made up of parents. It would give school boards, rather than librarians, the final say over new books.

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

The vote comes amid a broader push by conservative Christians to infuse more religion into public schools and life.

The goal of the new legislation is to help drive down the cost of housing so that more Texans can afford homes.

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.

Unanimous passage in the Senate comes after top Texas officials say the third-party services undermine trust in the lottery.

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.

A recent budget analysis noted the Texas Senate’s voucher bill could affect the fund if it leads students and teachers to leave public schools.

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

Teachers with three and five years of experience would qualify for raises under Senate Bill 26. Instructors in smaller school districts would get bigger pay bumps.

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.

Past efforts to allow more religion in public schools have been hamstrung by legal challenges. But those on the religious right feel empowered by recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

The marquee proposal would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000. The legislation must win approval from the House next.

From teacher pay and preparation to special education and DEI, here are issues Texas lawmakers are prioritizing this legislative session.

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

Senate Bill 2 now heads to the House, where top officials say they have the support to create education savings accounts.

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

The Senate could vote on the proposal as soon as next week. Democrats on Tuesday criticized the bill saying it fails to prioritize the state’s neediest children.

Senate Bill 2 starts a new debate on a school voucher program in Texas. A funding proposal would allow up to 100,000 K-12 students who want to enroll to a private school to participate.

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.

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.

Here’s a rundown of how legislation moves through the Capitol, the ways lawmakers operate and who the power players are.

Senator Ted Cruz is advocating for the House to pass the "Take It Down Act," a bill aimed at tackling revenge porn and AI-generated explicit material, following its unanimous approval in the Senate.

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

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.

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.

Hinojosa won the only competitive seat in the Texas Senate this cycle, besting Sen. Morgan LaMantia two years after she narrowly defeated him.

Texas might not be a swing state, but many of its races will have major consequences to the national political landscape and on the lives of everyday Texans.

Texans voted in several races, including for the President, a U.S. Senator, U.S. House members and more.

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.

Directors, producers and actors say better incentives in other states pull projects away from Texas, which is losing out on millions of dollars.

About 25% of Texas’ correctional officer positions are unfilled. Inmates say the shortages make it harder for them to get respite during hot summer months.

The new list includes many right-wing priorities, and would escalate Republicans’ wars against diversity, equity and inclusion programs and review laws to keep noncitizens off voter rolls.

It’s estimated that approximately 170,000 Texans are currently on service lists

In a significant move to ensure election integrity, Texas has removed over one million people from its voter rolls, Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday.

Texas voters will elect officials in the presidential, congressional, statewide and legislative races.

New group plans to support policy goals of the conservative Senate majority.

A Senate committee discussed the potential pitfalls of artificial intelligence — and overregulating it.

Election Day is Nov. 5. Here is everything you need to know about casting a ballot in Texas.

Patrick shared a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday.

Hagenbuch won the primary in a district vacated by former Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster.

Get The Texas Tribune’s coverage of election results for the 2024 primary runoff elections, which includes the Texas Legislature and more.

Tuesday’s Texas Senate hearing comes as lawmakers are expected to propose new laws next year to enforce the DEI ban and prevent antisemitism.

Cook will fill John Whitmire’s unexpired term — but will face Johnson again in a Democratic primary runoff for a full four-year term.

State Rep. Jarvis Johnson and emergency room nurse Molly Cook are duking it out in a sleepy special election to briefly occupy the seat vacated when Whitmire was elected mayor.

The last day to register to vote is April 29. Early voting runs from May 20-24.

The battle to succeed retiring state Sen. Drew Springer has come down to a May 28 runoff between Brent Hagenbuch and Jace Yarbrough.

The Texas 2024 primary runoffs will take place May 28. See the full list of candidates statewide and see who’s on your ballot.

Johnson is virtually assured to have won the seat, because there is no Republican challenger in November.

Get The Texas Tribune’s coverage of election results for the 2024 primary races for president, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and the Texas Legislature.

Parents and educators must be aware of the warning signs of inappropriate student-teacher relationships.

Whitmire held the Senate seat for four decades. Six Democrats are now competing for the seat in the upper chamber.

The bombshell request by retiring state Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, comes after Paxton decided to stop fighting a whistleblower lawsuit whose claims factored into his impeachment trial.

At the same time, the judge denied a motion by Brent Hagenbuch to dismiss the case challenging his eligibility, letting it move forward ahead of the March primary.

The four whistleblowers asked the court last month to force the attorney general and his aides to sit for deposition, which would require them to answer questions under oath related to the allegations of bribery and corruption.

With both Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton out for revenge, Republican members of the Texas House are the top target on the ballot.

Neave Craido revealed her decision to the Dallas Morning News in an interview published Monday, saying Johnson has not fought hard enough to push back against the Republican agenda.

In court filings Tuesday, the secretary of state’s office argued that the plaintiffs in the election contests “never served a citation” properly. But there’s no guarantee it’ll work.

The decision to end work Tuesday leaves long odds for bills to boost school safety funding and make sure that election challenges don’t delay the implementation of property tax cuts, teacher pension raises and infrastructure spending.

Senate Bill 5 would send an extra $800 million to public schools for security upgrades over the next two years. But the measure is at risk of becoming the latest casualty of the rift between the Texas House and Senate.

Texas Republicans are pushing new boundaries over immigration on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Fallon, who made the decision 24 hours after filing to run for his old Texas Senate seat, did not say why he changed his mind. His staff said the congressperson would provide more information later.

Fallon served in the Texas Senate for two years before running for Congress. He won’t see reelection in the U.S. House.

The Senate revved to life Thursday, holding committee hearings with little advance notice and advancing four bills that satisfy Abbott’s agenda.

The Republican, who represents a north Texas district, is the first member of the state Senate to announce ahead of the Nov. 11 start of the filing period that he won’t be running.

The Senate on Sunday afternoon failed to take action on a border security bill, leaving virtually no time to pass the bill before the special session ends on Tuesday.

The revised bill promises a significant funding increase for public schools and academic accountability measures for students participating in the proposed voucher program, two of the biggest requests from voucher opponents.

Journalists covering the Texas Capitol discussed what came out of this year’s third special session and what is still to be resolved.

With rural Texas relatively underserved by private schools, the potential for expansion could play a role in the debate over whether to let families use taxpayer money to pay for private education.

Violations could bring a $50,000 fine under an amendment adopted Wednesday. The bill’s sponsor said the ban would be the strongest in the nation.

Republicans showed a more clear divide, giving the Senate higher marks than the House for how the attorney general’s impeachment was handled.