Politics

If all 12 senators are on the Senate floor when Whitley's nomination comes, he doesn't have the votes to be confirmed.

State lawmakers are trying to reform a complicated taxing system where everything from suburban growth to gentrification and a homeowner’s age influence how much Texans pay their local governments.

O'Rourke, an El Paso Democrat, said he'll decide before the end of the month whether he'll join a growing list of Democrats hoping to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020.

A newly elected Democratic judge issued the decision in the latest turn of a 2013 legal challenge to Houston's policy extending benefits to municipal employees' same-sex spouses.

If confirmed, Busby, a former U.S. Supreme Court clerk, would replace Justice Phil Johnson, who retired after 13 years on the high court.

For the second week in a row, the Senate Nominations Committee failed to bring Whitley up for a vote. And he's gained a new public adversary: the leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

The fight over property tax rates is really about state leaders telling local officials how much their revenues can grow before voters get to step in.

Several government entities — from appraisal districts to city councils — play independent roles that collectively determine how much money Texas landowners owe local governments each year.

Weeks after state leaders trumpeted a consensus property tax reform proposal, few seem married to the bill's pitch to cut the rollback rate to 2.5 percent.

Property taxes are one of three main sources of revenue for community colleges. If growth in those taxes is limited, the colleges say they may have to look elsewhere for revenue.

Billed as a consumer-protection effort, the proposal would allow approved individuals to serve as investment advisers without registering with the state board — a felony under Texas law that Ken Paxton was charged with in 2015.

As the president declares a national emergency to get more money for a border barrier, it's worth taking a look at what happened last time the government took private land along the Rio Grande.

A 1,159-page spending package would shield major cultural sites like the National Butterfly Center from border fencing — but it would also pump $1.375 billion into additional barriers along the Rio Grande.

The president looks poised to sign a bill that will avert another government shutdown, then use an emergency declaration to instruct the military to build his wall. From Congress to the border, Texans react.

The emergency declaration could allow President Donald Trump to procure wall funding without approval from Congress, but Democrats have promised to challenge the move.

On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Patrick and Brandon about the dueling Trump/O’Rourke rallies in El Paso, an apology from the secretary of state, where Texas lawmakers are headed on property tax reform and yet another San Antonio special election.

In a letter sent to lawmakers late Wednesday, David Whitley said he's sorry for the way he launched the review efforts but appeared not to be backing down from continuing the review.

In addition to the six House members, there are six female Republicans in the state Senate. Republican lawmakers and political operatives are hoping to make moves now to get those numbers up after the 2020 election.

The governor has laid out his legislative priorities. In our latest "Under the Dome" episode, we look at the challenges lawmakers face in addressing the issues of property taxes and school finance.

The two beer industry groups struck a deal this week that could end a years-long political fight.