Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's voice has largely left the airwaves of KSEV-700 AM. But he still owns the radio station that launched his political profile, and it's helping him maintain power.
<p>Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's voice has largely left the airwaves of KSEV-700 AM. But he still owns&nbsp;the radio station that launched his political profile, and it's helping him maintain power.</p>

Radio made Dan Patrick powerful in Texas. And it's helping him stay that way.

As a political outsider, radio launched Dan Patrick's career. But now that he's mostly off the airwaves and in the lieutenant governor's seat, Patrick's station continues to push his conservative agenda. KSEV-700 AM keeps diehard fans fuming against Patrick’s foes, including House Speaker Joe Straus.

 
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gavels out the state Senate on July 26.&nbsp;
Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune
<p>Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gavels out the state Senate on July 26.&nbsp;</p>

The Brief: With most of Abbott’s special session items passed, Senate takes the day off

The Senate ended their Wednesday with what Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called a milestone — in one week, senators had passed most of Gov. Greg Abbott's special session items, and they only had to plow through several hours of debate and late nights to get the job done.

The Brief: With most of Abbott’s special session items passed, Senate takes the day off

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gavels out the state Senate on July 26.&nbsp;
Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune
<p>Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gavels out the state Senate on July 26.&nbsp;</p>

The Senate ended their Wednesday with what Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called a milestone — in one week, senators had passed most of Gov. Greg Abbott's special session items, and they only had to plow through several hours of debate and late nights to get the job done.

 

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Texas Senate approves anti-abortion bill in overnight vote

State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 27, 2017. &nbsp;The committee is consider several bills related to long-term care facilities including S.B. 1130 by Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and others. &nbsp;
<p>State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on March 27, 2017. &nbsp;The committee is consider several bills related to long-term care facilities including S.B. 1130 by Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and others. &nbsp;</p>

The Senate has approved a measure that prohibits local and state government agencies from contracting with abortion providers and their affiliates. 

Texas Senate approves teacher bonuses, benefits — but not pay raises

State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, and Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, are shown during a special session debate on July 25, 2017.&nbsp;
<p>State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, and Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, are shown during a special session debate on July 25, 2017.&nbsp;</p>

The Texas Senate passed a bill that would provide funding for teacher bonuses and retirement benefits, slashing a controversial provision that would require school districts to increase teacher salaries without additional state money.

Miller on transgender ban: Military no place for "social experimentation"

Sid Miller, who was elected agriculture commissioner in November 2014, is shown at Day 3 of the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth on June 7, 2014.
Sid Miller, who was elected agriculture commissioner in November 2014, is shown at Day 3 of the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth on June 7, 2014.

A tweet by President Donald Trump asserting that transgender people would no longer be able to serve in the U.S. military garnered the support of at least one Texas official: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.

 

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Senate votes again to advance "bathroom bill"

State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, talked with fellow Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, during the Senate discussion of Senate Bill 3 on July 25, 2017.
<p>State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, talked with fellow Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, during the Senate discussion of Senate Bill 3 on July 25, 2017.</p>

The Texas Senate backed a bill that would bar some transgender people from using bathrooms that match their gender identity in schools and buildings overseen by local governments. The bill would also nix parts of local nondiscrimination ordinances.

Persistence pays off for rural Texans besieged by sky-high power prices

Hugh and Nancy Raney in front of a pair of fields, one currently fallow, on their farm near Big Spring in January 2016. The couple had to stop farming part of their land when running the electric pumps to get well water to the fields became too expensive.
<p>Hugh and Nancy Raney in front of a pair of fields, one currently fallow, on their farm near Big Spring in January 2016. The couple had to stop farming part of their land when running the electric pumps to get well water to the fields became too expensive.</p>

After struggling to pay sky-high power line rates for more than three years, thousands of rural Texans are set to get relief.