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State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, is resigning in January, a decision she said is a result of health issues related to a 2013 car accident and concerns over caring for her 9-year-old daughter. Her name will still be on the November ballot, and if she wins, Gov. Greg Abbott could call a special election to fill her vacant seat.

Walnut Springs Elementary School's decision to allow a transgender student, born a boy, to use girls' bathrooms sparked contentious debate during a Monday night meeting of the Dripping Springs ISD school board.

After more than two decades of effort by lawmakers to install a monument at the Capitol celebrating African-Americans, the main components of a bronze and granite memorial were quietly lowered onto the south lawn on Tuesday.

Former Gov. Rick Perry was eliminated from the ABC program “Dancing with the Stars” on Tuesday night. The loss came at the hand of another Texan, Vanilla Ice. On Monday night, the two were pitted against each other ahead of Tuesday's elimination round with Ice winning immunity in a tiebreaker.

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw told state lawmakers Wednesday that the $800 million border surge has made two counties safer. But he conceded that the rest of the border is more vulnerable.

Texas House budget and public education leaders said Wednesday that the best way to overhaul the state’s school finance system is to increase the base amount of money it gives to each district per student.

University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall has filed an appeal to the Texas Supreme Court to get access to confidential student records that UT System Chancellor Bill McRaven has denied him.

Disclosure: The University of Texas System has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.