Texas bill could help turn empty offices into housing
Supporters hope easing zoning rules will entice landlords to renovate and ease the state’s housing crisis. Full Story
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![A view of downtown Dallas from The Tower Club on the 48th floor of the Santander Tower in downtown Dallas, on Nov. 07, 2023. Texas metros have a glut of vacant offices space driven by the rise of remote work, overbuilding and other factors during the pandemic. One option companies are doing to combat the changes, is to convert office space into residential housing.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republicans want voters to provide proof of citizenship. Arizona’s law holds lessons.
A Votebeat analysis shows how such requirements risk disenfranchising key voter groups, including Native Americans and college students. Full Story
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![DALLAS, TX - SEPTEMBER 20, 2024: ExpressVote voting machines at a public verification test of the voting system at the Dallas County Elections Department building in Dallas, Texas on Friday, September 20, 2024. The test allows participants to validate the voting process by using ballots containing the same races and proportions as the upcoming elections in November. CREDIT: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Matt Schaefer will not seek reelection
The deeply conservative leader said he is looking forward to spending time with his family, church and business — but added that a return to politics is possible if a Texas Senate seat opens up. Full Story
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![State Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, with his family on the House floor on opening day of the 88th Texas Legislature at the Texas Capitol on Jan. 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas begins withdrawal from multistate partnership to clean voter rolls
A new GOP-backed state law requires Texas to create its own version of a cross-check program or find a vendor that doesn’t cost more than $100,000. Full Story
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![Voters check in with poll workers behind glass and cast ballots in booths spread apart in the gymnasium at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center for the delayed primary runoff election in Houston, on July 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Voting by mail in Texas will get a little easier with these legislative fixes
Two bipartisan bills passed this session will give voters more time and opportunities to fix mistakes when they request and return ballots by mail. Full Story
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![The Travis County Tax Office at 5501 Airport Blvd is now the only drive-thru location open for hand delivery of mail ballots in the county. The drop-off location photographed here on Oct. 2, 2020, will be open until Nov. 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Amna Ijaz/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature averts $100 million consequences of 2021 law requiring nonexistent election technology
Lawmakers voted unanimously to reverse the 2021 provision that would have decertified equipment that counties use to count votes. Full Story
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![A bipartisan testing crew uses voting machines and tabulators during a state-mandated logic and accuracy test at the Hays County Government building in San Marcos on Sept. 21, 2022.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas set to exit multistate program that cleans voter rolls
The multistate program, ERIC, is considered by election administration experts across the country to be the best tool for preventing double voting across state lines. It has been the target of conspiracy theories. Full Story
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![Election workers move ballots and equipment gathered at one of the nine rally sites to the Tarrant County Election Administration building in Fort Worth on November 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House passes bill aimed at keeping kids from seeing sexually explicit performances
The bill no longer targets drag performers, but LGBTQ advocates say the legislation’s vague language could still be used to criminalize such shows. Full Story
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![A drag queen performs at the Nasher Sculpture Center during the Pride Block Party in Dallas, TX on June 17, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas senator tries new path in bid to revise Texas free-speech law
In a last-minute hearing Wednesday, Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, opened another avenue to get the bill passed, raising alarm among free-speech advocates. Full Story
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![State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, attends a press conference regarding Democrats breaking quorum and voting legislature at the Texas Capitol on July 21, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
After a setback, a GOP effort to get Texas out of a multistate coalition to clean voter rolls could move forward
The legislation — backed by some of the state’s prominent believers in voter fraud — was unexpectedly killed by its House sponsor Tuesday. On Wednesday, he asked for it to be reconsidered. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line to cast their ballots on Election Day at the Northwest Branch Library in Fort Worth on November 8, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Alan Vera, a Republican voter-fraud activist, dies at Texas Capitol
Vera, who planned to testify on election legislation, was a regular at the statehouse. Two weeks ago, lawmakers sang “Happy Birthday” to him during a House Elections Committee hearing. Full Story
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![SD 7 delegate Alan Vera uses a megaphone to help direct priority ballots among the other delegates of his district during the third and final day of the Republican Party of Texas Convention on Saturday, June 18, 2022, held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.]()
Credit: Michael Wyke, Houston Chronicle/Contributor -
Illegal voting in Texas likely to be a felony again after state House vote
The Texas Senate has passed similar legislation. But a key policy separates the two chambers. Full Story
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![A voter casts her ballot at the Metropolitan Multi-Services Center during Election Day in Houston on Nov. 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers take first steps to reverse course on costly requirement for election technology that doesn’t exist
The original provision was part of the state’s major overhaul to election laws in 2021. Full Story
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![A voter casts their ballot at a polling site at the Austin Oaks Church on Oct. 14, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate votes to defund libraries where drag queens read to kids as it tries to limit the performances kids can attend
The Senate expanded the bill targeting drag queen story hours to target all public funding for libraries. The upper chamber also approved a bill limiting other drag performances kids can see. Full Story
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![Drag queen Nadine Hughes performs in the Capitol Rotunda during the Youth Capitol Takeover on Mar. 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune -
Texas may be about to scrap a voting security system it can’t replace
It took years to build the multi-state system known as ERIC, which weeds out duplicate, deceased and suspicious voter registrations. Texas Republicans want to dump it, but there’s no viable alternative. Full Story
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![Volunteers from the Alpha Advocacy Group helped register voters before the upcoming deadline outside the Alpha Seventh day Adventist Church on Sept 27, 2020.]()
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Performers, business owners and parents voice opposition to drag show restrictions
Proposed legislation from Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, would criminalize explicit performances where children are present and strip libraries of state funding for hosting any event featuring performers in drag. Critics say the bill is discriminatory and unconstitutional. Full Story
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![Drag artist Brigitte Bandit and other attendees wait to give witness testimony for the Senate’s discussion of SB12 in the Capitol rotunda on Mar. 23, 2023. The bill defines drag shows as sexually oriented performances and would fine businesses who host them in front of children.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate passes bill to make illegal voting a felony again
The priority bill, backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, reverses a change the Legislature made two years ago during an omnibus voting bill that made illegal voting a misdemeanor. Full Story
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![Voters line up outside of the Hays County Independent School District Arnold Transportation Building voting center to cast their vote in the Texas General Elections on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in Kyle.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune -
Conspiracy theory whirlwind threatens to blow Texas out of national program that keeps voter rolls updated
ERIC is a national system that Texas officials say is an important tool to keep voting rolls clean. But a band of right-wing voting fraud activists, joined by state GOP officials, wants to gut it. Full Story
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![A voter walks into the Hays County Government Center Elections Office to cast their vote in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in San Marcos.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune -
Debate over Texas drag shows intensifies
A lawmaker is accused of hypocrisy after it emerges that he once wore a dress. He says it wasn’t sexual. Full Story
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![State Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, gives a speech in recommendation of state Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington for Speaker of the House on the opening day of the 88th Legislative Session at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 10, 2023. Tinderholt was defeated 145-3 to elect state Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, as Speaker of the House.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick unveils committee assignments with one Democratic chair
Conservative activists have pushed for legislative leaders to ban Democrats from leading committees. Full Story
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![State. Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, listens to State Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, filibuster against Senate Bill 1 on Aug. 11, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune