Blaise Gainey | The Texas Newsroom

Lawmakers worked this year to address Texas' property taxes by increasing the tax break homeowners get on their property — and new proposals have already been made for the 2027 legislative session.

From the Texas battle for U.S. Senate to who's running to be the state's next governor, here are the key races — and candidates — to be watching as we head into 2026.

A federal court in El Paso had earlier Tuesday placed a temporary block on the map that Republican lawmakers passed this summer and ordered the state to use the district maps from the last two elections.

Paxton announced Wednesday he has filed the necessary paperwork to enter the 2026 race. The Republican first declared his intentions to run earlier this year.

Nacar Devine has been showing up to federal court in El Paso every day since last week, when a panel of three federal judges began hearing arguments around a lawsuit attempting to block the state's controversial new map of congressional districts. Given that no cameras or recording devices are allowed inside, she's one of just a few dozen people bearing witness to the consequential legal battle.

A panel of three federal judges in El Paso are now hearing arguments in a lawsuit challenging the controversial new map of Texas' congressional districts. The judges' decision will determine whether Texas can use the map in the 2026 midterm elections.

Last week's deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas is the latest in a disturbing pattern of politically charged violence. From the 2017 attack on a congressional baseball game to recent assassination attempts, experts warn of escalating rhetoric fueling real-world harm.

The governor signed Texas' Senate Bill 8 into law on Monday. The so-called "bathroom bill" prohibits people in many publicly owned spaces from using restrooms that don't align with the sex listed on their birth certificate. LGBTQ+ groups and advocates are calling the measure another attack on transgender Texans.

Texas' governor issued an executive order Wednesday mandating age restrictions on consumable hemp products containing THC. This comes after Abbott's veto earlier this year of legislation that would have banned the products outright.

When the governor called the Texas Legislature into special session after July's historic floods, he topped his priority list with passing bills to better prepare the state for future natural disasters. Here's a look at six new measures lawmakers just passed.