Howden’s appointment follows weeks of speculation over who would take over running Texas’ elections before the November midterms.
Fraudsters are increasingly using the ATM-like machines for fast access to money that’s difficult to trace.
Last month, the Texas Republican Party included in its platform a ban on foreigners using American surrogates, arguing the practice allows children born under these circumstances to obtain U.S. citizenship.
A GOP leader, Patrick has been a staunch advocate for Christian values in his role presiding over the Texas Senate.
A rematch is scheduled for November, as Ligon’s win only puts him in the seat through January. But the former prosecutor will be heavily favored, given the district’s solidly Republican makeup.
Texas lawmakers will be able to draw more aggressively partisan maps for the state House, Senate and education board when they return in 2027.
The Republican and Democratic primary runoffs are May 26. See the full list of statewide candidates, as well as local races that will be on your ballot.
The lieutenant governor’s remarks are the latest sign that Republicans are worried about the fall midterms. The GOP has controlled the state House since 2003 and currently has an 88-62 advantage.
Patrick’s Friday release of priorities calls on lawmakers to study the emerging issues ahead of the 2027 legislative session.
As the dust settles for James Talarico following his victory over Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary for U.S. senator from Texas, Republicans from his home state are digging up quotes they deem “anti-Texas.”
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa captured the nomination to take on Abbott while Rep. Vikki Goodwin is in the lead for the lieutenant governor nomination.
Dallas and Williamson counties closed centralized voting centers, which had become a common practice, at the request of local Republicans.
Both John Cornyn and Ken Paxton argue they’re best equipped to carry the torch for Republicans and fight off Democratic headwinds in local races.
Our newsroom is trying new things to help Texans vote with confidence this spring. We want to demystify the process, the candidates and the offices of this year’s Texas primaries.
Democrat Taylor Rehmet’s stunning upset victory is explained in part by the massive swing by Latino voters toward his campaign compared to other Democrats in recent elections.
Patrick’s initial five-item to-do list also included assessing risks posed by hostile foreign entities to the grid’s supply chain and preventing fraud in Texas’ health and human services.
Democrat Taylor Rehmet and Republican Leigh Wambsganss will face off to succeed Kelly Hancock after winning the most votes in the Nov. 4 election.
John Huffman was the best-funded candidate in the Senate District 9 special election thanks to casino interests, but failed to make the runoff. Gambling proponents still have millions more to spend on Texas races.
Democrat Taylor Rehmet came within three percentage points of winning Senate District 9 — which voted for Donald Trump by over 17 points in 2024 — over his two Republican opponents.
With the GOP vote fractured between Wambsganss and another Republican, Rehmet narrowly led the three-person contest for the red-leaning district.
The Austin Democrat will face an uphill battle in the GOP-leaning district. McCaul announced earlier this year he would not seek reelection.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Camp Mystic leaders would be invited to testify before the committees, as part of what Speaker Dustin Burrows said would be a “comprehensive and thorough review.”
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday called Abbott’s decision a pathway to full legalization of cannabis, including marijuana which is still federally illegal. Hemp-derived THC is legal.
Both legislative chambers adjourned without agreeing on changes to Senate Bill 2, which aimed to create new training and licensing requirements for local officials.
Between cracking down on abortion pills and restricting transgender restroom use, lawmakers also tackled flood safety and the STAAR test. Left untouched: Texas’ hemp industry.
House Bill 7, which would allow people to sue manufacturers and distributors of the drug, is one vote away from Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
The Conroe Republican has authored some of Texas’ major higher education legislation in recent years. He will take over as chancellor once he resigns from the Texas Senate.
High priority bills that propose banning THC have not moved through the Texas House, as the current overtime session could conclude in the coming days.
Senate Bill 8, which goes into effect on Dec. 4, restricts bathroom use in government buildings and schools to the sex assigned at birth.
The Texas Senate has passed a controversial new congressional redistricting map following a failed filibuster attempt by Democratic State Senator Carol Alvarado. The map, which now awaits Governor Greg Abbott’s final approval, is expected to bolster Republican control by potentially adding up to five new GOP seats in the U.S. House.
One lawsuit, filed by LULAC on behalf of 13 Texas residents, states that the redrawn districts in the new map are racially discriminatory and violate voter protection laws.
After the Texas Senate and House passed bills related to disaster preparedness and response at Texas youth camps, another bill seeks to reshape the Texas Youth Camp Advisory Committee.
The Texas Senate has given final approval to a new, Republican-leaning congressional voting map, sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature.
Republican lawmakers pushed the map through over fierce Democratic opposition, positioning the GOP to net up to five additional seats in Texas.
A Texas Senate panel has advanced a controversial new congressional map, moving it one step closer to Governor Greg Abbott’s approval — and one step further from what Democrats call fair representation.
Senators moved fast on Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda for the second special session. With House Democrats back in Texas, bills can now move through that chamber.
Now that the Texas House has a quorum following Democrats’ two-week absence, lawmakers are back to debate a wide range of issues, including redrawing congressional maps to benefit Republicans.
A bill filed in the aftermath of the devastating July 4 Texas Hill Country floods which aims to install outdoor warning sirens in areas with a history of flash flooding has passed the Texas Senate.
With Democrats’ walkout over redistricting bringing the House to a standstill, both parties are accusing each other of abandoning Central Texas flood victims.
Democrats' absence has halted work in the Texas House, which must also approve the new boundaries, for more than a week.
In a dramatic turn of events, Texas Senate Democrats staged a walkout on Tuesday, challenging Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to prioritize redistricting over urgent flood relief for the state’s devastated communities.
Senate Bill 7 would require people to use restrooms that match their birth gender and fine institutions up to $25,000 for repeated violations.
A similar proposal stalled out earlier this year over disagreements between the House and Senate. This time, lawmakers might clash over whether to approve the new bill along with a constitutional amendment.
The bills would carry a $5,000 fine for a first-time violation and comes as momentum for such restrictions has increased in the state and nationally.
Senate Bill 5 would ban products containing any detectable amount of any cannabinoid, creating criminal offenses for possession of hemp-derived THC.
The contest coincides with the state’s November uniform election, when voters across Texas will already be at the polls to decide local offices and ballot measures.
Lawmakers also approved direct pay for student athletes and sought better pathways from college to the workforce.
Screwworm is a parasitic fly that targets warm-blooded animals and has the potential to disrupt Texas’ $15 billion cattle industry.
Texas lawmakers approved a sweeping package to overhaul the state’s bail system, a longtime priority of Gov. Greg Abbott’s.
Our interactive tool allows you to search how state lawmakers voted on the most consequential proposals debated during the session, which ended June 2.
Research shows cellphones interfere with students' ability to focus in class. Texas would join at least nine other states that ban students from using their phones during the school day.
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.
The Texas Senate has passed House Bill 4 with a 23-8 vote, citing Houston ISD's academic improvements under Superintendent Mike Miles as an example of effective accountability.
Many trans Texans have changed the sex listed on their birth certificate, driver’s licenses and other documents. They say their identities will be invalidated under bill headed to governor's desk.
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.
The chambers differ on how much power districts should have to push back in courts over their accountability ratings. They risk keeping STAAR by default if they don’t reach an agreement.
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.
The proposal would heavily invest in teacher pay and special education. It includes a modest $55 increase to schools' base per-student funding, significantly lower than what the House had sought.
The Texas House must approve changes to the proposal that were brokered by party leaders. It’s part of a package of bills to bring down property taxes statewide.
Sen. Brandon Creighton says the bill will prevent disruption. Critics say it walks back conservative lawmakers' previous pledge to protect campus free speech.
Student discipline, uncertified teachers and school bans on DEI and cellphones are some of the topics being debated at the Texas Legislature this session.
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 bill contains many provisions legal experts say are likely unconstitutional, including one that says it can’t be challenged in state court.
Texas lawmakers have unanimously voted to send H.B. 2000 - better known as Audrii’s Law - to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk to be signed into law.
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.
The bill would overturn a two-decade-old law allowing some undocumented college students to pay in-state tuition.
Senate bills that reduce the influence of faculties and restrict protests on college campuses were voted out of committee in a last-minute meeting Monday.
The legislation, which won unanimous approval in both chambers, was written following the state’s historic Panhandle wildfires last year.
A bill, Senate Bill 2722, aims to reform the distribution of toll road revenues in Harris County, potentially providing Houston up to $80 million over five years.
After years of claiming that companies selling lottery tickets online could not be regulated, the Texas Lottery Commission voted to ban the practice.
Voting rights advocates worry that legislation approved by House and Senate committees could make it harder to get more people on the rolls.
The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 2010, authored by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, to prevent local governments from using public funds for universal basic income programs like Harris County's "Uplift Harris."
Senate Bill 1717 would require the name of Gulf of Mexico to be changed in every official reference made by a state agency, resolution, rule or publication.
The only time the state conducted such an assessment two decades ago, it found that undocumented Texans contributed more to the state’s economy than they cost the state.
The revised bill, which seeks to clarify when a doctor can perform medically necessary abortions, aims to address concerns from abortion advocates and conservative groups.
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.
The bill would let families use taxpayer dollars for their children’s private schooling. Lawmakers also signed off on a sweeping $7.7 billion package to boost public school funding.
House Bill 6 is a response to reports of more violent classroom disruptions after the pandemic. It lowers the bar for when schools can discipline for the state’s homeless and youngest students.
This new legislation aims to restore property rights by streamlining the eviction process, ensuring that rightful owners can reclaim their properties swiftly and efficiently.
Senate Bill 36, a priority bill for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, would create an office within the Department of Public Safety focused on immigration enforcement, organized crime and threats to state infrastructure.
This controversial bill, running alongside House Bill 259, aims to remove these compact weapons from the prohibited list, sparking a heated debate on Second Amendment rights.