After six years and three legislative sessions of sharp debate divided along party lines, the Texas Legislature passed a law in 2011 that required voters to show a photo ID in order to vote. The House passed its version in March, 101-48. After differences between the Senate and House versions were ironed out, both chambers approved the final version, SB ...
The Hispanic Republican Conference has thrown its weight behind the controversial Voter ID legislation slated to hit the House floor next week.
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The House Calendars Committee voted this evening to place the voter ID bill, SB 14, on the schedule for Monday.
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In the House, what starts with substance — abortion sonogram legislation, in this case — often ends with procedure.
Full StoryTexas lawmakers, out to protect their interests this session, appear to be ratcheting up their rhetoric. Politics as usual or a serious lapse in civil discourse?
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The voter ID bill came before House lawmakers this morning — and it was a tense scene. Even supporters of the measure had to grapple with testimony from people who endorse the bill on anti-illegal immigration grounds.
Full StoryRepublican analysts said at today's Texas Tribune "New Day Rising" forum that as Texas' Hispanic population continues to surge, its traditionally Democratic electorate is more and more up for grabs.
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A majority of the state's voters say they're ready for full-blown casino gambling, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.
Full StoryIf there's one thing that politicians are good at, it's talking. And chubbing is a kind of talking that's used to stall legislation in the Texas House. While state representatives do have the power to talk something to death, this session it will be harder to do than in the past.
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Both sides cite stats and research papers to support their positions, with Democrats saying the photo voter ID law will suppress minority voting, and Republicans saying it won't do anything but stop fraud. Whatever it is, it's on its way into the law books.
Full StoryFor the latest installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked whether voter fraud is a policy issue or a political one, what should and shouldn't be on the governor's list of emergency items for the Legislature, how those designations should be used and whether the Legislature ought to be allowed to set its own early priorities.
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Abortion politics is back on center stage, with Gov. Rick Perry putting it, voter photo ID, state support for a balanced federal budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, eminent domain and a ban on sanctuary cities at the top of his list of priorities. Why?
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As expected, the Texas Senate approved the controversial voter ID bill on Wednesday. Next, the measure will move to the Republican-dominated House, where it is also expected to pass easily.
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Late Tuesday, in what was a foregone conclusion, the Texas Senate passed its version of voter ID legislation out of the chamber's committee of the whole.
Full StoryMost of the drama was saved for another day in the Texas Senate after the first installment of the planned debate over the contentious voter ID bill was postponed. Senate Democrats did their best, however, to derail Republicans’ attempts to fast track the issue, which Gov. Rick Perry declared an emergency item last week.
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Usually dormant for its first two months, the Legislature could get cracking as soon as next week.
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Today, Gov. Rick Perry added two more issues — voter ID legislation and a call for a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget — to his list of "emergency items" that state legislators can begin deliberating on right away.
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In a party-line vote, the Texas Senate adopted its rules today without making any changes to the rule that requires the consent of two-thirds of the body to bring an issue to the floor. Of course, no change means that controversial legislation on voter ID — as it was last session — is exempt.
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Texas alternates election years with governing years, with legislative sessions set in the odd-numbered years after voters choose their leaders. There are variations, but it’s got a rhythm: Choose them, watch them govern, choose, watch. The elections behind us, it’s time to see what this particular bunch will do.
Full StoryOn the heels of a defection by state Rep. Tan Parker, R-Denton, House GOP chairmen release a letter supporting the re-election of House Speaker Joe Straus.
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Republican state lawmakers, buoyed by their party’s resounding victories on Election Day, have filed several bills ahead of the next legislative session that signal how far they're willing to go in tackling illegal immigration. State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, filed a nine-bill bundle that included a proposal to require picture IDs at polling places.
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Monday was the first day that state lawmakers could file bills for the 2011 session. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, the substance of the legislation is a reflection of conservative success on Election Day.
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When a party wins everything, as the GOP has in Texas this year, it gets almost everything its way. It also has everything to lose.
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