Texas Tribune Brief
808 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago - ★★★★★ - 103 ratingsGet 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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Episodes
State of Texas empties prison to prepare to detain immigrants arrested during ramped-up border enforcement
June 18, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.3 MBThe prison — Dolph Briscoe Unit in Dilley — will have capacity for about 1,000 people.
Gov. Greg Abbott announces Texas is providing initial $250 million "down payment" for border wall
June 17, 2021 10:00 - 1 minute - 1.1 MBThe governor did not specify how long the wall would be or where it would be built. He directed the Texas Facilities Commission to hire a program manager to begin that research.
Gov. Greg Abbott says he’ll use crowdfunding for his plan to build a border wall
June 16, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 5.07 MBAbbott made national headlines with his announcement Thursday in Del Rio that Texas would build its own wall at the Mexico border, though he provided no further details and said he would lay out the plan this week.
Texas grid operator urges electricity conservation as many power generators are unexpectedly offline and temperatures rise
June 15, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.58 MBThe Electric Reliability Council of Texas says a large number of power plants are offline, but could not provide details as to what may be causing the "very concerning" number of outages. At the same time, the state is experiencing near record June demand for electricity.
Grid operator in Texas urges electricity conservation as many power generators are unexpectedly offline and temperatures rise
June 15, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.58 MBThe Electric Reliability Council of Texas says a large number of power plants are offline, but could not provide details as to what may be causing the "very concerning" number of outages. At the same time, the state is experiencing near record June demand for electricity.
Some medically vulnerable Texans feel left behind as the state returns to normal
June 14, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.65 MBThe possibility that the vaccine won’t work — or that, as some worry, it could even hurt them — is a devastating blow after a year of sacrifice, isolation and waiting for protection against the virus.
Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas will build a border wall, but doesn’t yet give details on cost or location
June 11, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.47 MBThe governor suggested more details would be released next week. The announcement Thursday of several initiatives is the latest in an ongoing conflict between Abbott, a Republican, and Democratic President Joe Biden's administration.
Gov. Greg Abbott has lifted almost all Texas pandemic restrictions. But not the one limiting jail releases.
June 10, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.72 MBAs he was fighting for the Legislature to change state bail laws, the governor continued his emergency order to restrict no-cost jail releases during the pandemic. At least several Texas courts have deemed the order unconstitutional.
Texas power generation companies will have to better prepare for extreme weather under bills Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law
June 09, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 5.33 MBSenate Bills 2 and 3 are aimed at overhauling the state’s power grid after the devastating winter storm in February and the widespread power outages that followed.
An anti-abortion program will receive $100 million in the next Texas budget, but there’s little data on what’s being done with the money
June 08, 2021 10:00 - 6 minutes - 5.9 MBCritics say the fast-growing Alternatives to Abortion program is secretive and a “waste” of money. But the program has strong supporters in the Republican-controlled Legislature who say it helps those who decide to “choose life in difficult circumstances.”
Texas universities received more state funding this year than anticipated — but they're still hoping for more support
June 07, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.69 MBHigher education officials are hoping to get a slice of the $16 billion in federal stimulus funding state lawmakers are expected to dole out later this year during a special legislative session.
Universities in Texas received more state funding this year than anticipated — but they're still hoping for more support
June 07, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.69 MBHigher education officials are hoping to get a slice of the $16 billion in federal stimulus funding state lawmakers are expected to dole out later this year during a special legislative session.
Despite GOP majority, a number of conservative "bumper sticker" issues fell short
June 05, 2021 10:00 - 9 minutes - 8.75 MBThe Tribune's Ross Ramsey breaks down the big takeaways from the 2021 Legislature. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott could be upsetting balance of powers with threat to veto Texas Legislature’s pay
June 04, 2021 10:00 - 7 minutes - 7.04 MBA governor targeting the Legislature’s budget would be unprecedented in Texas history.
Land Commissioner George P. Bush announces run for attorney general against Ken Paxton
June 03, 2021 10:00 - 6 minutes - 6.05 MBBush made his challenge official Wednesday evening during an event at a downtown Austin bar.
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announces run for attorney general against Ken Paxton
June 03, 2021 10:00 - 6 minutes - 6.05 MBBush made his challenge official Wednesday evening during an event at a downtown Austin bar.
For Democrats of color, walkout on Texas voting bill was rooted in the long fight for equal voting rights
June 02, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 4.94 MBAll they could get was a temporary win. But the lawmakers said taking the extraordinary measure of breaking quorum was justified by the harm they felt their mostly Black and Hispanic constituents would face under the GOP's voting bill.
With feelings raw over voting bill's demise, Texas Legislature wraps up — for now
June 01, 2021 10:00 - 2 minutes - 2.58 MBMembers celebrated the end of the session, but also acknowledged that they'll be back sometime soon for at least one special session.
Democrats in Texas abandon House floor in attempt to block voting bill
May 31, 2021 05:32 - 4 minutes - 4.12 MBIn a last ditch attempt to block a sweeping GOP voting bill, all Democrats walked off the House floor Sunday night, trying to prevent a vote on the legislation before a fatal deadline.
Without child care, Texas’ unemployed mothers are struggling to reenter the workforce as federal benefits cease
May 29, 2021 11:00 - 6 minutes - 9.5 MBAlicia Reed, a Bedford mother of four, lost her job at the onset of the pandemic. She says she wants to return to work, but she cannot afford the cost of child care. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Texas would be opting out of federal unemployment assistance programs — including an additional $300 weekly stimulus check to those enrolled — to encourage those receiving benefits to reenter the workforce. Federal benefits will end June 26. While Reed, who worked as a sales accountant before March la...
Leadership tensions, potential special session loom as Texas legislative session hits uncertain end
May 28, 2021 10:00 - 6 minutes - 5.54 MBTensions between the two chambers are peaking, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is putting pressure on Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session for unfinished business on conservative priorities
A false date rape drugging accusation against a lobbyist exposed claims of his role in the Texas Capitol’s culture of sexual harassment
May 27, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.86 MBHillCo lobbyist Rick Dennis did not slip GHB into the drinks of two legislative staffers, an investigation found. But a history of complaints against him for inappropriate behavior raises questions about how seriously the Legislature takes misconduct.
Texas House Democrats try to run out the clock in last-ditch effort to sink GOP priority bills
May 26, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.41 MBThe Democrats delayed and deflected as they tried to run out the clock on bills they oppose. Republicans strategized to push through bills they'd worked on all session
The Texas Legislature moves on two fronts to prevent state’s largest cities and counties from cutting law enforcement budgets
May 25, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.81 MBThe Senate measure would require major counties hold an election before reducing their law enforcement budgets. The House bill would financially punish the state’s larger cities if they cut police funds.
Priority bills imperiled as end-of-session tensions rise between Texas House and Senate
May 21, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.17 MBHouse lawmakers expressed frustration Thursday that some of their priority legislation had not moved in the upper chamber, including a package of health care and criminal justice reform bills.
Gov. Greg Abbott signs into law one of nation’s strictest abortion measures, banning procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy
May 20, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.42 MBThe signing of the bill opens a new frontier in the battle over abortion restrictions as first-of-its-kind legal provisions intended to make the law harder to challenge are poised to be tested in the courts.
Gov. Greg. Abbott says no public schools or government entities will be allowed to require masks
May 19, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.03 MBWhile 30% of Texans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the vast majority of children are unvaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine was authorized last week for children as young as 12.
Unemployed Texans will stop getting additional $300-per-week benefit next month after Gov. Greg Abbott opts out of federal program
May 18, 2021 10:00 - 2 minutes - 2.72 MBThe unemployment rate in Texas was 6.9% in March, which is more than double the record low of 3.4% in May 2019. The extra $300 federal benefit will end June 26 for jobless Texans.
George P. Bush wants to challenge beleaguered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. But can he keep Trump out of it?
May 17, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.56 MBBush has a unique history with Trump as the only prominent member of his famous political family to back the former president. Meanwhile, Paxton has tightly aligned himself with Trump in recent months.
Bill that would ban abortion at six weeks heads to governor's desk to become Texas law
May 14, 2021 04:21 - 3 minutes - 3.31 MBGov. Greg Abbott has said he intends to sign the bill.
After Texas House rejects Senate changes, bill allowing permitless carrying of handguns will get hashed out behind closed doors
May 13, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 2.96 MBHouse Bill 1927 would nix the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun.
Federal judge dismisses NRA bankruptcy case that would have allowed gun rights group to reorganize in Texas
May 12, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.6 MBThe judge found the NRA was trying to use its move to Texas to avoid a lawsuit by the New York attorney general that accused the gun rights group of financial abuses.
Texas governor’s emergency powers during pandemics would be curbed under bill advanced in House
May 11, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.5 MBThe wide-ranging legislation would affirm the governor’s ability to suspend state laws during a pandemic and allow for overriding local orders issued by county judges or mayors if they’re inconsistent with state orders.
Medicaid expansion for uninsured Texans had bipartisan support, but lawmakers won't pass it this session
May 10, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.2 MBNothing is truly dead until the session ends. But committee chairs in both chambers have blocked bills from getting hearings, and supporters have dim hopes that Republican leaders will revive it in time.
Why one mom hopes Texas extends Medicaid for women after giving birth
May 08, 2021 12:40 - 7 minutes - 6.9 MBIn the weekend edition of The Brief podcast, Juanita Raji says she could have used more time on Medicaid postpartum and supports lawmakers' efforts to extend coverage for new moms. www.texastribune.org
Permitless carry of a handgun in Texas nearly law, after Senate OKs bill
May 06, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 4.92 MBHouse Bill 1927 would nix the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun.
Joe Biden as popular as top Republican officeholders in Texas, UT/TT Poll finds
May 05, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 4.78 MBTexas voters have a strong preference for politicians from their own parties, but overall, the president is as popular here as the governor or either of the state's U.S. senators.
UT/TT poll: Majority of Texans oppose permitless carry and would ban police chokeholds
May 04, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.77 MBOn some of the major issues facing the Texas Legislature — police behavior or allowing unlicensed carry of handguns — voters and lawmakers aren't always in sync.
Austin voters reinstate city’s ban on public homeless encampments in one of several local Texas elections
May 03, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.03 MBProposition B on that city’s ballot will also criminalize panhandling at certain places and during certain times.
Texas enabled the worst carbon monoxide poisoning catastrophe in recent U.S. history
April 30, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.61 MBThey used their car to stay warm when a winter storm brought down the Texas power grid. In a state that doesn't require carbon monoxide alarms in homes, they had no warning they were poisoning themselves.
Donald Trump makes late push for Susan Wright in special election to fill her late husband's U.S. House seat
April 29, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.27 MBThe former president is set to appear on a tele-town hall Thursday to get out the vote for Wright in Saturday's contest.
Lubbock voters will decide May 1 if West Texas city will become largest “sanctuary city for the unborn”
April 28, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 2.97 MBWhile proponents of the ordinance view abortion as an "inconceivably wicked action," detractors say it would be immediately challenged in court and that battles over abortion access are best fought at the state and federal levels.
Texas will gain two seats in Congress as residents of color drive population gains
April 27, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 3.9 MBTexas will have 38 congressional seats as a result of the latest U.S. census. The state’s political heft has been growing steadily for decades, gaining at least two seats after every census since 1980.
State of Texas recommends resuming Johnson & Johnson vaccine shots after CDC, FDA give green light
April 26, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.11 MBThe news comes a day after state health officials said that a Texas woman who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been hospitalized with blood clots and whose condition was being investigated by the CDC as potentially connected to the vaccine. No other details were released.
East Texas doctor on a mission to vaccinate people against COVID-19
April 24, 2021 11:00 - 7 minutes - 14.2 MBAfter months of testing for COVID-19 and treating patients, Dr. Carolyn Salter is determined to mitigate the spread of the virus in the region. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast.
House votes to ban school vouchers, cap attorney general spending in ongoing debate of the $246 billion state budget
April 23, 2021 04:35 - 3 minutes - 3.53 MBHouse members filed nearly 240 proposed tweaks to the massive spending plan and spent hours taking votes on controversial issues ranging from Medicaid expansion to border security.
Texas officials and activists say murder conviction for George Floyd’s death “is only one step” in reforming policing
April 22, 2021 10:00 - 5 minutes - 5.45 MBBefore moving to Minneapolis, Floyd had been a longtime Houston resident. That city's mayor says he and the Houston Police Department would be announcing police reforms next week.
Lawmakers in Texas advance bills blocking access to gender-affirming health care despite opposition from LGBTQ Texans, medical associations
April 21, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 2.8 MBEquality Texas CEO Ricardo Martinez said Texas has filed more anti-LGBTQ bills this session than any other state legislature.
Business leaders say the Texas Legislature’s anti-LGBTQ bills could hurt the state’s economy
April 20, 2021 10:00 - 3 minutes - 3.5 MBTexas Competes, which is made up of more than 1,450 Texas employers, chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus and industry associations, is advocating the “economic case for equality.”
Texas Republicans are vowing to defy any new federal gun rules. Experts say it's largely a symbolic gesture.
April 19, 2021 10:00 - 4 minutes - 4.34 MBThe push to steel Texas against new federal rules comes amid several recent incidents of gun violence nationwide — including shootings in Bryan and Austin. Democrats are calling for an assault weapons ban and stronger background checks, among other changes.