Aurora Berry
Legislative Fellow for The Texas NewsroomAurora Berry is The Texas Newsroom’s 2023 legislative reporting fellow and covers a wide variety of topics from the Capitol. She is a journalism major at the University of Texas at Austin and set to graduate in May 2023.
Before joining The Texas Newsroom, Berry worked as an investigative intern at KXAN, Austin’s NBC affiliate. She is also an executive producer at The Drag, UT Austin’s audio production house. At The Drag, Berry hosts Planet Texas, a podcast about how climate change is affecting the Lone Star State.
In 2022, Berry placed third Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program Audio Championship.
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The Texas Legislature passed a measure this year that prohibits the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for transgender people under 18. -
The Texas Legislature just gaveled out of their regular session Monday…and then right back in for a special session. If you’re wondering what’s going on (and what it all means), here’s a guide on what to expect from Texas politics this summer. -
Lawmakers considered measures on university tenure, school safety and border security. -
In a state like Texas, as many as 10,000 bills are introduced in the Legislature every session, but only a fraction of those eventually become law, and there are many ways a bill can meet its maker.
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Only two other state government officers have been impeached: a governor in 1917 and a district judge in 1975. -
The clipped video shows Phelan speaking after more than 11 hours of floor debate. Before and after that moment, his speech appears fine. The attorney general also asked for an investigation into Phelan for “violation of House rules, state law, and for conduct unbecoming his position.” -
The majority of bills lawmakers propose never become laws in Texas. As the legislative session winds down, strategy and the mere brutal passage of time have taken their toll. -
If Senate Bill 14 becomes law, Texas would prohibit the administration of puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender youth under 18 years old. On Monday, the bill received final approval from the Texas House, with several Democrats voting with their Republican colleagues. It now heads back to the Texas Senate for review. -
Sure, the Texas Capitol is open late…but exactly how late? My mission was to arrive around sunset and see how long I could stay before someone asked me to leave. -
The proposal would also create a statewide policy for how school libraries stock their shelves and require parental permission for materials deemed “sexually relevant.” -
The crowd gathered in Austin on Monday, waving pride flags and signs of support. The rally served as a platform to protest a slew of bills under consideration in the Texas Legislature affecting transgender youth and drag performers. -
Texas State Rep. Donna Howard authored a proposal this legislative session that would exempt period products – as well as additional supplies including diapers, breast pumps and maternity clothes – from sales tax.
