Laura Thompson is the first Independent to serve in the Texas Legislature in more than a half-century, even though she won't be there long. The last was Howard Green, the grandfather of actor Ethan Hawke.

Health care providers, funeral operators and women's rights activists on Thursday were expected to tell Texas health officials that a rule requiring the cremation or burial of fetal remains will do little to improve public health and could be burdensome to women.

After less than two months on the job Dallas County's Republican chairman has quit, leaving behind an organization in financial distress and setting off a breakneck race to replace him, with a state senator's twin brother deep in the fray.

The fault lines that will define efforts to improve the state's system of funding education came into sharp focus Wednesday as a Senate panel began studying how to improve the "efficiency" of public schools in Texas.

Texas agreed Wednesday to terms that will weaken its voter ID law and that lawyers suing the state say will make it easier for minorities to cast a ballot in the November general election.