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Key coverage
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* [Water Crisis](https://www.texastribune.org/series/texas-water-supply-drought/)
* [Sylvester Turner](https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-sylvester-turner-memorial-state-house/)
* [Measles Outbreak](https://www.texastribune.org/series/texas-measles-outbreak/)
* [Population Growth](https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-urban-population-census-2024/)
* [2025 Legislative Session](https://www.texastribune.org/series/texas-legislature-2025/)
[Paxton says trans Texans can’t use court orders to change sex on driver’s licenses, birth certificates](/2025/03/14/texas-trans-drivers-license-birth-certificate-paxton/)
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By [Eleanor Klibanoff](/about/staff/eleanor-klibanoff/) 36 minutes ago
Per the attorney general’s nonbinding opinion, state agencies should change gender markers on government documents back to a person’s sex assigned at birth.
[](/2025/03/14/texas-trans-drivers-license-birth-certificate-paxton/)
Credit: Luke Johnson for The Texas Tribune
[University of North Texas and Rice University under federal investigation for “race-exclusionary practices”](/2025/03/14/doe-university-north-texas-rice-civil-rights-investigation/)
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By [Jessica Priest](/about/staff/jessica-priest/) 1 hour ago
The Texas universities are among dozens accused of violating the law by partnering with a group that had sought to increase diversity in graduate programs.
[](/2025/03/14/doe-university-north-texas-rice-civil-rights-investigation/)
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune
### [courts](/topics/courts/)
[](/2025/03/14/texas-criminal-enhancement-punishment-bills/)
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune
[Texas lawmakers are pushing harsher criminal penalties while prison and jail populations soar](/2025/03/14/texas-criminal-enhancement-punishment-bills/)
### [Texas Legislature 2025](/series/texas-legislature-2025/)
[](/2025/03/13/texas-sylvester-turner-memorial-state-house/)
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune
[Orator, conscience, advocate: State lawmakers honor Sylvester Turner with bipartisan accolades in Capitol ceremony](/2025/03/13/texas-sylvester-turner-memorial-state-house/)
[](/2025/03/13/texas-water-explained-supply-demand/)
### [Texas is running out of water. Here’s why and what state leaders plan to do about it.](/2025/03/13/texas-water-explained-supply-demand/)
Featured series
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**Latest News**
* [Texas measles cases rise to 259. Here is what you need to know.](/2025/02/18/texas-measles-outbreak-climbs/)
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By [Stephen Simpson](/about/staff/stephen-simpson/), [Terri Langford](/about/staff/terri-langford/) and [Eleanor Klibanoff](/about/staff/eleanor-klibanoff/) Updated: 4 hours ago
Measles now detected in two new counties, as of Friday: Lamar and Cochran. All but two of the cases involved unvaccinated individuals. [Full Story](/2025/02/18/texas-measles-outbreak-climbs/)Â
[](/2025/02/18/texas-measles-outbreak-climbs/)
Credit: REUTERS/Annie Rice
* [Texas lawmakers and charter leaders push back on the $870K paid to Valere schools’ superintendent](/2025/03/14/texas-charter-superintendent-valere-salary-salvador-cavazos/)
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By [Lexi Churchill](/about/staff/lexi-churchill/), The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, and Ellis Simani, ProPublica 9 hours ago
The rebuke from lawmakers and charter school leaders came after an investigation from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune revealed that Salvador Cavazos, who oversees fewer than 1,000 students, is among the most well-paid superintendents in the country. [Full Story](/2025/03/14/texas-charter-superintendent-valere-salary-salvador-cavazos/)Â
[](/2025/03/14/texas-charter-superintendent-valere-salary-salvador-cavazos/)
Credit: Lauren Crow for The Texas Tribune and ProPublica
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. [**Become one**](https://mediakit.texastribune.org/).
* [Feds are opening more detention centers in Texas as Trump administration steps up deportations](/2025/03/14/texas-immigration-migrant-detention-centers/)
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By [Alejandro Serrano](/about/staff/alejandro-serrano/) 10 hours ago
The feds are adding thousands of beds to hold families in Texas, which reportedly holds the most immigrants of any state at its 21 detention centers. [Full Story](/2025/03/14/texas-immigration-migrant-detention-centers/)Â
[](/2025/03/14/texas-immigration-migrant-detention-centers/)
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune
* [In lawsuit settlement, Texas Tech’s med school promises it won’t consider race in admissions](/2025/03/13/america-first-legal-texas-tech-settlement/)
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By [Jessica Priest](/about/staff/jessica-priest/) Updated: March 13, 2025
George Stewart sued Texas Tech University Health Science Center and five other medical schools claiming they rejected him in favor of lesser qualified students of color. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/america-first-legal-texas-tech-settlement/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/america-first-legal-texas-tech-settlement/)
Credit: Texas Tech University
* [Texas bill would increase oversight of universities’ hiring, curriculum and compliance](/2025/03/13/texas-universities-governing-boards-hiring-curricula-faculty-senates/)
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By [Jessica Priest](/about/staff/jessica-priest/) Updated: March 13, 2025
Senate Bill 37 would create a state office to investigate complaints against universities and require governing boards to ensure courses don’t endorse certain ideologies. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-universities-governing-boards-hiring-curricula-faculty-senates/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-universities-governing-boards-hiring-curricula-faculty-senates/)
Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune
* [Texas lawmakers will debate saving the state’s water supply after key legislation is introduced](/2025/03/13/texas-water-fund-new-supply-infrastructure/)
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By [Alejandra Martinez](/about/staff/alejandra-martinez/) and [Jayme Lozano Carver](/about/staff/jayme-lozano-carver/) March 13, 2025
The state House and Senate have similar proposals to solve the state's water crisis, but there are stark differences on how to invest billions of dollars to resolve. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-water-fund-new-supply-infrastructure/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-water-fund-new-supply-infrastructure/)
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune
* [Texas Tech officials trying to determine what caused explosion and fires that prompted campus closure](/2025/03/12/texas-tech-university-lubbock-explosion-closure/)
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By [Ayden Runnels](/about/staff/ayden-runnels/) Updated: March 13, 2025
A day after the incident in which green flames could be seen coming out of manholes, 40% of the university in Lubbock remains without power. [Full Story](/2025/03/12/texas-tech-university-lubbock-explosion-closure/)Â
[](/2025/03/12/texas-tech-university-lubbock-explosion-closure/)
Credit: Courtesy of Jacob Lujan/The Daily Toreador
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* [DOJ drops fight against Texas political maps as Trump administration retreats from voting rights cases](/2025/03/13/texas-redistricting-lawsuit-justice-department-withdraws/)
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By [Natalia Contreras](/about/staff/natalia-contreras-votebeat-and-the-texas-tribune/), Votebeat and The Texas Tribune March 13, 2025
The Biden administration had challenged a Republican-led redistricting plan that diluted the political power of minorities. Other legal challenges will continue. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-redistricting-lawsuit-justice-department-withdraws/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-redistricting-lawsuit-justice-department-withdraws/)
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune
* [FEMA wants the names and addresses of migrants helped by Texas nonprofits and local governments that got federal grant money](/2025/03/13/texas-fema-federal-grants-immigrants/)
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By [Uriel J. GarcĂa](/about/staff/uriel-j-garcia/), [Alejandro Serrano](/about/staff/alejandro-serrano/) and [Berenice Garcia](/about/staff/berenice-garcia/) Updated: March 13, 2025
A letter sent this week claims the grant recipients, including many Texas cities and counties, may have illegally “induced” undocumented immigrants to enter the country. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-fema-federal-grants-immigrants/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-fema-federal-grants-immigrants/)
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune
* [Texas Senate panel advances bill banning DEI in K-12 public schools](/2025/02/24/texas-dei-public-schools-k12/)
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By [Jaden Edison](/about/staff/jaden-edison/) and [Pavan Acharya](/about/staff/pavan-acharya/) Updated: March 13, 2025
Sen. Brandon Creighton has filed bills that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion policies related to hiring and programming, while creating ways for parents to complain about violations. [Full Story](/2025/02/24/texas-dei-public-schools-k12/)Â
[](/2025/02/24/texas-dei-public-schools-k12/)
Credit: Rachel Zein for The Texas Tribune
Explore our data
----------------
* ### [Elected Officials Directory](/directory/)
Bios, contact information and more for the occupants of the state’s highest offices.
* ### [Government Salaries Explorer](https://salaries.texastribune.org/)
Review the compensation of state government employees in Texas.
* ### [Texas Public Schools Explorer](https://schools.texastribune.org/)
Demographics, academic performance, college readiness and average teacher salaries for Texas' public schools.
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There are several ways you can securely send tips, documents and photographs to our reporters and editors. [Learn more.](/about/tips)
* [Paxton investigates Dallas for alleged sanctuary city policies](/2025/03/13/texas-paxton-investigation-dallas-sanctuary-city/)
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By [Alejandro Serrano](/about/staff/alejandro-serrano/) March 13, 2025
Attorney General Ken Paxton said a recent statement by Dallas’ interim police chief raised concerns that the city might be violating a state law against so-called sanctuary city policies. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-paxton-investigation-dallas-sanctuary-city/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-paxton-investigation-dallas-sanctuary-city/)
Credit: Photo by Emil T. Lippe for The Texas Tribune
* [Want to understand Texas’ water crisis? Start with the guide to water terms.](/2025/03/13/texas-water-language-glossary/)
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By [Jayme Lozano Carver](/about/staff/jayme-lozano-carver/) and [Alejandra Martinez](/about/staff/alejandra-martinez/) March 13, 2025
Water is complex. So are the terms used to describe it. Get to know the language as Texas debates how to save its water supply. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-water-language-glossary/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-water-language-glossary/)
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune
* [Texas is running out of water. Here’s why and what state leaders plan to do about it.](/2025/03/13/texas-water-explained-supply-demand/)
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By [Alejandra Martinez](/about/staff/alejandra-martinez/) and [Jayme Lozano Carver](/about/staff/jayme-lozano-carver/), Graphics by [Carla Astudillo](/about/staff/carla-astudillo/) and [Yuriko Schumacher](/about/staff/yuriko-schumacher/) March 13, 2025
The state’s water supply faces numerous threats. And by one estimate, the state’s municipal supply will not meet demand by 2030 if there’s a severe drought and no water solutions are implemented. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-water-explained-supply-demand/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-water-explained-supply-demand/)
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. [**Become one**](https://mediakit.texastribune.org/).
The Blast Newsletter
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### A premium newsletter powered by the nation's largest statehouse bureau.
[Subscribe to The Blast](https://support.texastribune.org/blastform)
* [Rafael Cruz, father of Ted Cruz, wants Texas to require school lessons about “evil” of communism](/2025/03/11/rafael-cruz-communism-texas-schools-christianity/)
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By [Pavan Acharya](/about/staff/pavan-acharya/) and [Robert Downen](/about/staff/robert-downen/) Updated: March 13, 2025
The prominent right-wing pastor told state lawmakers that an anti-communist curriculum is crucial to reaffirming that America is a “Christian country.” [Full Story](/2025/03/11/rafael-cruz-communism-texas-schools-christianity/)Â
[](/2025/03/11/rafael-cruz-communism-texas-schools-christianity/)
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune
* [Texas Southern University asks for $120 million to replace aging law school](/2025/03/13/texas-southern-university-thurgood-marshall-law-school/)
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By [Jessica Priest](/about/staff/jessica-priest/) March 13, 2025
Law students might lose financial aid if TSU does not address health and safety concerns about the building. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-southern-university-thurgood-marshall-law-school/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-southern-university-thurgood-marshall-law-school/)
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune
* [These four Texas counties are among the fastest growing in the country](/2025/03/13/texas-urban-population-census-2024/)
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By [Joshua Fechter](/about/staff/joshua-fechter/), Graphics by [Chris Essig](/about/staff/chris-essig/) March 13, 2025
Texas’ population growth has slowed, but the state’s major urban areas are still adding hundreds of thousands of residents. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-urban-population-census-2024/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-urban-population-census-2024/)
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune
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* [In Texas, private firms cash in on property tax late fees, piling debt onto struggling homeowners](/2025/03/13/texas-property-tax-delinquent-fees-attorneys/)
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By [Zach Despart](/about/staff/zach-despart/), Graphics by [Carla Astudillo](/about/staff/carla-astudillo/) March 13, 2025
Texans who fall behind on their property taxes face one of the most punitive systems in the nation, where private collection companies can tack up to 20% onto their bill. [Full Story](/2025/03/13/texas-property-tax-delinquent-fees-attorneys/)Â
[](/2025/03/13/texas-property-tax-delinquent-fees-attorneys/)
Credit: Callie Cummings for The Texas Tribune
* [Texas House bill would weaken renters’ rights, advocates say](/2025/03/12/texas-bill-evictions-landlords-renters-legislature/)
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By [Joshua Fechter](/about/staff/joshua-fechter/) March 12, 2025
The proposal is part of a push by Republican legislators aimed at helping property owners deal with squatters. [Full Story](/2025/03/12/texas-bill-evictions-landlords-renters-legislature/)Â
[](/2025/03/12/texas-bill-evictions-landlords-renters-legislature/)
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune
* [Robert Morris, former Texas megachurch pastor and Trump adviser, indicted for child sex crimes](/2025/03/12/robert-morris-texas-megachurch-indicted-sexual-abuse/)
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By [Robert Downen](/about/staff/robert-downen/) March 12, 2025
Morris is a former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, and Gateway — one of the nation’s largest megachurches — has been particularly active in Dallas-area GOP politics. [Full Story](/2025/03/12/robert-morris-texas-megachurch-indicted-sexual-abuse/)Â
[](/2025/03/12/robert-morris-texas-megachurch-indicted-sexual-abuse/)
Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
* [More News](/all?page=2)
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