https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/ayden-runnels/The latest news by Ayden Runnels.enMon, 26 May 2025 19:25:56 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/26/texas-school-library-bill/Senate Bill 13 would require school boards or advisory councils to approve new books and review complaints. Critics worry the bill would lead to banning classic titles and create administrative logjams.By Ayden RunnelsMon, 26 May 2025 19:25:56 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/26/texas-school-library-bill/The Texas House approved a bill Monday that would give parents and school boards more control over the books that students can access in school libraries.The Josefa L. Sambrano Elementary School library in San Elizario on July 23, 2024.Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/25/texas-lottery-commission-legislature/Senate Bill 3070 would move the lottery game to Texas’ Department of Licensing and Regulation and includes new restrictions on how players can buy tickets.By Ayden RunnelsSun, 25 May 2025 21:11:02 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/25/texas-lottery-commission-legislature/Members of the Texas Lottery Commission at a public meeting in Austin on April 29, 2025.Members of the Texas Lottery Commission at a public meeting in Austin on April 29, 2025.Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/22/texas-house-gender-medical-records-requirement/The bill, which is poised to become law, creates up to a $250,000 fine for medical professionals who change a patients’ listed sex outside of certain exemptions.By Ayden RunnelsThu, 22 May 2025 19:56:52 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/22/texas-house-gender-medical-records-requirement/Texas House opponents of Senate Bill 1188 said the required reporting of gender assigned at birth excludes transgender and intersex patients who may be forced to have a gender they don't identify with displayed in their records.Various identity and quote pins sit in a tray in the Center for Women's & Gender Studies on Feb. 19, 2024.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/20/texas-execution-2025-matthew-johnson/Matthew Johnson, who testified he did not intend to kill the elderly clerk, received the death penalty in 2013. The execution is Texas’ fourth and may be the last for 2025.By Ayden RunnelsTue, 20 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/20/texas-execution-2025-matthew-johnson/Matthew Johnson is set to be executed in Huntsville on Tuesday for killing Nancy Harris, a 76-year-old Garland convenience store clerk, in 2012.The Huntsville Unit Texas State Penitentiary on Jan. 31, 2024. The prison houses the state's execution chamber.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/16/texas-attorney-general-district-attorneys-lawsuits/The DAs say in two lawsuits that a new rule requiring counties to hand over almost all documents the attorney general’s office requests violates state and federal law.By Ayden RunnelsFri, 16 May 2025 20:08:06 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/16/texas-attorney-general-district-attorneys-lawsuits/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, seen in 2024, called the lawsuit filed by a trio of district attorneys seeking to block a new county oversight rule "meritless."Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/15/texas-senate-bill-texas-lottery-commission-abolishment/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.By Ayden RunnelsThu, 15 May 2025 20:05:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/15/texas-senate-bill-texas-lottery-commission-abolishment/A bill approved by the Texas Senate on Thursday mandates that Texas Lottery tickets can only be bought within licensed retail stores.A Texas Lottery display at Winners Corner, a board game, lottery and gift store, in Austin on Feb. 20, 2025.Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/12/texas-lottery-commission-senate-bill-new-agency/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.By Ayden RunnelsMon, 12 May 2025 22:12:12 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/12/texas-lottery-commission-senate-bill-new-agency/A new Senate bill filed by Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, would abolish the Texas Lottery Commission and move supervision of the state-sponsored game under the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.Lottery tickets sit near the entrance of Hyde Park Market in Austin on May 5, 2025.Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/08/university-texas-civic-leadership-school-100-million-investment/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.By Ayden RunnelsThu, 08 May 2025 19:19:14 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/08/university-texas-civic-leadership-school-100-million-investment/Jim Davis, University of Texas at Austin interim president, Gov. Greg Abbott, UT System Chairman Kevin Eltife, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Justin Dyer, the dean of UT's School of Civic Leadership, gathered Thursday at the UT-Austin campus for the announcement that $100 million is being invested into the civic leadership school.From left: Interim President Jim Davis, Gov. Greg Abbott, UT System Chairman Kevin Eltife, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and UT Dean of the School of Civic Leadership Justin Dyer sit during a press conference in the Life Sciences Library at the University of Texas campus on Thursday, May 8, 2025. They spoke on a new $100 million investment the state would make in UT’s new School of Civic Leadership.Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/06/texas-undocumented-immigrants-in-state-college-tuition/The bill would overturn a two-decade-old law allowing some undocumented college students to pay in-state tuition.By Jessica Priest and Ayden RunnelsTue, 06 May 2025 18:49:35 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/06/texas-undocumented-immigrants-in-state-college-tuition/A Texas Senate committee advanced on Tuesday a bill that would eliminate in-state tuition for undocumented students.Students walk across the campus at Sam Houston State University on Aug. 20, 2020, in Huntsville.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/06/texas-lottery-sunset-legislature-funding-deadline/Lawmakers must act on two bills in order to ensure the lottery continues past September, or find a way to make up the $2 billion for schools the game provides yearly.By Ayden RunnelsTue, 06 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/06/texas-lottery-sunset-legislature-funding-deadline/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/02/university-texas-system-chancellor-jb-milliken-john-zerwas/Former state Rep. John Zerwas will temporarily replace Chancellor JB Milliken in leading the 256,000-student university system.By Ayden RunnelsFri, 02 May 2025 18:30:04 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/02/university-texas-system-chancellor-jb-milliken-john-zerwas/University of Texas System Chancellor James Milliken at a regents meeting in Austin on April 2, 2019. Milliken will leave his position in June to become president of the University of California, system officials said Friday.Then-UT System Chancellor James Milliken at a regents meeting in Austin on April 2, 2019.Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/30/texas-attorney-general-race-john-bash-exit/The former federal prosecutor cited shifting priorities after a family health scare for his withdrawal, which comes less than a month after his entry into the race.By Ayden RunnelsWed, 30 Apr 2025 19:21:34 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/30/texas-attorney-general-race-john-bash-exit/John Bash, seen in 2018, has worked in the private sector since leaving his role as a federal prosecutor in 2020, including representing Elon Musk in a defamation lawsuit.U.S. Attorney John Bash and the prosecution team leave the courthouse following Carlos Uresti's sentencing, on June 26, 2018.Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/texas-lottery-courier-ban-vote/After years of claiming that companies selling lottery tickets online could not be regulated, the Texas Lottery Commission voted to ban the practice.By Ayden RunnelsTue, 29 Apr 2025 11:49:57 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/texas-lottery-courier-ban-vote/Members of the Texas Lottery Commission sit at the front of the room during a Texas Lottery Commission meeting on April 29, 2025.Members of the Texas Lottery Commission sit at the front of the room during a Texas Lottery Commission meeting on April 29, 2025.Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/24/texas-lottery-courier-ban-lawsuit/Lotto.com’s suit, which was filed Thursday, comes less than a week before the state agency votes to ban the third-party services.By Ayden RunnelsThu, 24 Apr 2025 20:21:17 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/24/texas-lottery-courier-ban-lawsuit/Some Texas lawmakers want to ban third-party services that sell lottery tickets online, including Jackpocket, which owns Winners Corner in North Austin.Winners Corner TX LLC in Austin sold the winning $83.5 million Lotto Texas ticket.Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/23/texas-execution-moises-mendoza/Moises Mendoza, who was convicted in 2005 of killing a Farmersville woman, became the third inmate Texas has put to death this year.By Ayden RunnelsWed, 23 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/23/texas-execution-moises-mendoza/On Wednesday, Moises Mendoza, 41, became the third inmate executed in Texas in 2025.The Huntsville Unit Texas State Penitentiary houses the execution chamber of Texas and is located in Huntsville on Jan. 31, 2024.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/21/texas-lottery-commission-resignation-executive-director/The Texas Lottery Commission did not immediately clarify why Ryan Mindell chose to resign, as lawmakers have discussed abolishing the lottery outright.By Ayden RunnelsMon, 21 Apr 2025 17:02:08 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/21/texas-lottery-commission-resignation-executive-director/The Texas Lottery Commission has faced scrutiny this year over the proliferation of third-party lottery ticket couriers and a $95 million jackpot in 2023 won by a single group.Texas Lottery stand at an Austin convenience store on Feb. 20, 2025.Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/dallas-high-school-shooting/Hours after the shooting, officials said the suspect had evaded security protocols at Wilmer-Hutchins High School.By Ayden RunnelsTue, 15 Apr 2025 18:43:50 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/dallas-high-school-shooting/Dallas school officials said Tuesday that four students were taken to two nearby hospitals after a shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School.Police blocked off the scene July 8 where chaos erupted the night before when officers were targeted by sniper fire following a peaceful Black Lives Matter Protest in downtown Dallas.Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/11/texas-house-budget-approval/The lower chamber’s plan largely aligns with the Senate’s proposal and puts billions toward teacher pay, border security and property tax cuts.By Jasper Scherer, Kayla Guo and Ayden RunnelsFri, 11 Apr 2025 03:09:30 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/11/texas-house-budget-approval/Texas House Parliamentarian Sharon Carter, listens as state Reps. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton (from left), Richard Hayes, R-Hickory Creek, Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, and Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, negotiate in the lower chamber on April 10, 2025.House Parliamentarian Sharon Carter, left, listens as state Reps: Cody Vasut, Richard Hayes, Tom Oliverson and Trey Martinez Fischer, negotiate in the Texas House on April 10, 2025.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/09/texas-universities-international-students-legal-status/The people affected include a University of Houston professor from Korea who was teaching upper level math under a type of student visa that allows graduates to work in their field of study.By Jessica Priest and Ayden RunnelsWed, 09 Apr 2025 19:25:46 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/09/texas-universities-international-students-legal-status/Nineteen University of Texas at Dallas students were removed from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System database, according to UTD officials, who said they were working through the situation with those affected.University of North Texas students walk past the eagle statue on Feb. 13, 2024. The Soaring Eagle Statue was comissioned in celebration of UNT's centennial in 1990.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/07/texas-eagle-pass-shelby-park-reopens-operation-lone-star/The Texas Department of Public Safety and National Guard presence has largely disappeared from Shelby Park, which sits next to the Rio Grande.By Ayden RunnelsMon, 07 Apr 2025 15:49:51 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/07/texas-eagle-pass-shelby-park-reopens-operation-lone-star/The state seized control of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass in 2024 to use it as an operating base for Operation Lone Star, Gov. Greg Abbott's border security initiative.Operation Lone Star activity at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass on Jan. 18, 2024.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune