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The Latest Breaking News from Paul Bettencourt

Texas Senate advances bill to allow smaller homes on smaller lots

Lawmakers, who are preempting locals on lot sizes in new subdivisions, have been eyeing ways to allow more homes to be built as the state faces a shortage.

The Texas Tribune

Texas countywide voting bill would allow fewer polling sites

Senate Bill 985 would revise a 2023 law that raised the minimum number of voting locations. County election officials say they’ve struggled to comply with it.

The Texas Tribune

The Texas Senate wants more — and smaller — starter homes in new neighborhoods

The goal of the new legislation is to help drive down the cost of housing so that more Texans can afford homes.

The Texas Tribune

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Republican senators threaten not to boost Texas public universities’ funding over DEI ban

In a letter, Sens. Brandon Creighton and Paul Bettencourt said they found “numerous” violations of the law, but didn’t provide specifics.

The Texas Tribune

Texas Senate unanimously approves tax cuts for homeowners

The marquee proposal would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000. The legislation must win approval from the House next.

The Texas Tribune

With vouchers fast-tracked, other Texas public education issues to watch this session

From teacher pay and preparation to special education and DEI, here are issues Texas lawmakers are prioritizing this legislative session.

The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott wants to set a high bar for local tax increases

Local officials, school advocates and tax policy experts said such a proposal could have dire impacts on basic services.

The Texas Tribune

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Texas Republicans want more property tax cuts. Here’s how they may do it.

Gov. Greg Abbott said cutting taxes is a top priority, however, state lawmakers don’t have as much money to plug into tax cuts as they did two years ago.

The Texas Tribune

Texas lawmakers signal push to require proof of citizenship from voters

Gov. Greg Abbott gave an inflated number of noncitizens removed from the state’s voter rolls, officials acknowledged, confirming findings by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, and Votebeat.

The Texas Tribune

Texas Attorney General continues targeting Latino-heavy Harris and Bexar counties over voter registration

According to 2022 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinos make up around 40.2% of the Texas' total population

Latin Times

Harris County voter outreach proposal sparks another fight with Texas Republicans

The county plans to ID eligible voters and send them registration forms. GOP officials say it’s an end-run around state law.

The Texas Tribune

Texas legislators want to help property owners deal with squatters. But the changes could affect tenants.

Housing advocates say Texas laws fall short when it comes to property trespassers but they warn changes could worsen the state’s evictions crisis.

The Texas Tribune

Texans get their first crack at electing the people overseeing the state’s complicated property appraisal process

In the state’s larger counties, voters can now elect people to the agencies that appraise property values.

The Texas Tribune

After a boom in cash aid to tackle poverty, some states are now banning it

Four states so far have passed laws prohibiting the use of public money for no-strings cash aid. Advocates for basic income say the backlash is being fueled by a conservative think tank.

WEKU

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The Texas Tribune

Texas Supreme Court justice implies Democrats will cheat in 2024 election

Justice John Devine’s comments at a conservative event are the latest to prompt concerns about his impartiality as a jurist.

Texas Observer

Texas Counties Try to Fight Poverty with Cash

A Harris County poverty relief program intended to put money into needy pockets faces a challenge from a Texas state senator.

The Texas Tribune

Texans will face another election after approving property tax cuts

Voters in Texas’ 50 largest counties will now elect new three members of their respective property appraisal district boards.

The Texas Tribune

We ranked Texas senators across the ideological spectrum based on their 2023 votes

Here’s a look at Senate members, ranked from most conservative to most liberal, based on their votes cast during the 2023 regular session and four special sessions.

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The Texas Tribune

Tax cuts, teacher pension increases at stake after misinformation-led challenge to 2023 election

Tax cuts were a major legislative priority for Republican leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott. The governor cannot certify the election results until the challenges are resolved.

The Texas Tribune

Texas homeowners and businesses will get a tax cut after voters approve Proposition 4

The $18 billion property tax-cut package is aimed squarely at lowering school district property taxes, which make up the lion’s share of a Texas landowner’s property tax bill.

The Texas Tribune

Texas proposition lets voters decide whether to cut property taxes for homeowners and businesses

Proposition 4 could usher in a bevy of property tax changes. That includes using $12.7 billion from a record state budget surplus to lower school district taxes.

The Texas Tribune

GOP senators, open to Paxton conviction, flipped when they realized they were still short the votes

“I feel there were six senators who were ready to be the 21st vote,” said Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas. “But they didn’t want to be the 20th vote.”

The Texas Tribune

Senate Republicans say House managers failed to meet high burden of proof

Democrats, however, said their GOP colleagues “caved” to outside pressure in voting to acquit and return Ken Paxton to his job as attorney general.

WEKU

Paxton impeachment trial begins in the Texas Senate

The suspended Texas AG pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include bribery, corruption, and abuse of office. Here's what happened on the first day of his trial in the TX Senate.

The Texas Tribune

Texas Supreme Court lets state law eliminating Harris County elections chief stand, for now

The ruling means the November elections in the state’s largest county will be overseen by two other county officials. Legislators targeted Harris County’s elections department after taking issue with the way the 2022 elections were run.

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