Republican Texas lawmakers passed sweeping legislation this year to further restrict the state’s voting process and narrow local control of elections.

Texas Tribune Brief

U.S. Justice Department sues Texas over new voting law

The migrants were arrested for trespassing, but court documents failed to specify what property they allegedly trespassed upon. It’s the latest misstep in implementation of Greg Abbott’s border initiative, which has seen frequent violations of state law and disregard for due process rights.

In latest blunder, charges dropped against migrants arrested in Texas governor’s border crackdown because of faulty paperwork

Texas voters decided on eight proposed changes to the state’s Constitution. Voters in the San Antonio area chose a new Texas House member. And Austin voted down hiring more police officers.

Election results in Texas

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday grilled attorneys for abortion providers, the federal government and Texas over the state’s near-total abortion ban — and possibly hinted at support for allowing at least one legal challenge to the law to stand.

Key U.S. Supreme Court justices express concern about Texas abortion law’s enforcement

The high court’s proceedings will focus on how Senate Bill 8 is enforced. It’s hard to predict what the court could decide, but its ruling will likely determine the future of abortion in Texas and shape the legal battles to come.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments over Texas’ near-total abortion ban Monday.

Genetic testing allows Texans to find out early if their baby has a fatal condition. But often by the time they do find out, they will no longer have the right to terminate that pregnancy under the new state law.

For Texans who want a child but have difficult pregnancies, the new abortion law just made that journey even harder

In 2017, conservative lawmakers failed to pass legislation targeting transgender Texans. Things were different this year.

How Texas Republicans moved beyond a bathroom bill to successfully ban transgender athletes from school sports

The move opens the door to emergency use approval by the FDA. In Texas, about 2.9 million children would be newly eligible if that happens.

FDA panel recommends approval of the Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 5-11.

Texas lawmakers drew new maps for the state House and Senate, congressional delegation and State Board of Education. Here’s what Texans should know about the 2021 redistricting outcomes.

Gov. Greg Abbott signs off on Texas’ new political maps, which protect GOP majorities while diluting voices of voters of color

Many of Texas’ higher learning institutions, which have collectively received billions of dollars in federal contracts, are trying to figure out whether they need to require employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. An executive order from President Joe Biden that requires all federal contractors to get a shot goes into effect soon but Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has already banned such directives in the state.

Universities in Texas with federal contracts are grappling with competing vaccine mandates from the state and federal government

As secretary of state, Fort Worth attorney John Scott would oversee election administration in Texas.

Gov. Greg Abbott’s pick for top Texas election post worked with Trump to fight 2020 results

In their latest push to lift state-level voting restrictions, Senate Democrats failed to secure the 60 votes required to break a filibuster on the Freedom to Vote Act.

U.S. Senate Republicans block federal voting rights legislation that would override Texas’ restrictions

With partisan fervor, Republicans drew new maps for Congress and the Legislature that dilute the power of voters of color. Now the lawsuits begin, as groups that feel marginalized battle for representation in the halls of power.

Republicans say Texas’ new political maps are “race blind.” To some voters of color, that translates as political invisibility.

Get the latest news on Texas politics and policy from The Texas Tribune now on Amazon Alexa. With reporters based in Austin, Washington, D.C., and on the U.S.–Mexico border, we are your go-to source for news on statewide issues.

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Texas Tribune Brief

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