Weather-related prison evacuations, legal battles over execution drugs and death sentences, and reform efforts at the Texas Legislature led the state’s criminal justice headlines in 2017.
85th Legislative Session
Posted inState Government
Straus questions Gov. Abbott endorsement of House primary challenger
House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, on Friday questioned Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to endorse against a GOP member of the lower chamber, suggesting it could lead to a Democrat capturing the seat.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
House Republicans agree to select speaker candidate in caucus
Texas House Republicans agreed Friday to change their rules for selecting the next house speaker, potentially paving the way for a more conservative leader of the chamber in 2019.
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Economy
“Bathroom bill” would be bad for Texas’ economy, business leaders say
The newly established Texas House Select Committee on Economic Competitiveness held its first hearing on how to effectively enact policies that bring business to the state.
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Demographics
Texas back in federal court over anti-“sanctuary cities” law
Attorneys for the state of Texas are set to head back before the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Tuesday to defend the state’s new immigration enforcement law.
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Texas Elections 2018
Speaker Straus discusses why he decided it was time to step down
In an interview with The Texas Tribune, House Speaker Joe Straus discusses his surprise announcement that he won’t seek re-election to the Texas Legislature.
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Guides
Hey, Texplainer: What constitutional amendments will be on the November ballot?
Here’s a look at the seven constitutional amendments on the statewide ballot for the November 7 election.
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Criminal Justice
Prosecutors drop 1 of 13 felony charges against Rep. Dawnna Dukes
Prosecutors dropped one of their 13 felony charges against state Rep. Dawnna Dukes on Wednesday, acknowledging that their case against the Austin Democrat has weakened.
Posted in
Immigration
Appeals court allows more of Texas “sanctuary cities” law to go into effect
A three-judge panel ruled on Monday that parts of the state’s immigration enforcement legislation can go into effect. The Travis County Sheriff’s office confirmed it would now comply with all detainers, a stark change from its previous policy.
Posted in
Now on the Books
New Texas law keeps sex offenders out of college dorms
A new law prevents most registered sex offenders from residing in dormitories on private or public campuses. The law codifies a policy already in place at many of Texas’ biggest schools.