Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said leaders in the House and Senate had agreed on a school finance plan as he left a meeting with education and budget chiefs from both chambers.
May 2011
Posted in
State Government
Southbound Checkpoints Face Uphill Battle
A measure eyed by some lawmakers as a means to stop the flow of illicit cash and weapons into Mexico via the Texas border is on life support.
Posted inState Government
The Midday Brief: May 27, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Perry says he’ll “think about” running for president; 5 p.m. deadline for school finance deal; Dan Patrick announces exploratory committee for U.S. Senate
Posted in
State Government
Updated: House Passes Bill to Save Car Theft Agency
Police across the state are watching the House anxiously today, hoping for the passage of HB 1541. It’s a last-ditch effort to keep alive a small state agency lawmakers created in 1991 that awards grants to police agencies to help prevent and investigate auto theft and burglary.
Posted in
Congress
Patrick Considering U.S. Senate Run With Exploratory Committee
State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, appeared on conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham’s show Friday morning to announce he is considering a run for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Posted in
Politics
Updated: Perry Flirting With White House Run
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in his boldest statement yet about a possible run for national office, said Friday he will think about launching a campaign for president in coming days. “I’m going to think about it,” Perry said. He quickly added, “I think about a lot of things.”
Posted in
Health care
Guest Column: The Case for Family Planning Funding
Eliminating funds for family planning services is not a responsible or compassionate choice. It will shift the burden of care to our already overloaded local hospitals and leave the women who depend on these services with few options.
Posted in
Health care
Guest Column: The Case Against Family Planning Funding
At a time when we are scouring the budget and questioning every expenditure, when funding for essential services like public education must be reduced, it is time to stop subsidizing abortion providers under the guise of “family planning.”
Posted inState Government
The Brief: May 27, 2011
In a change of pace, things have taken a decidedly, ahem, prurient turn in the closing days of the legislative session.
Posted in
Politics
Conservative “Outsiders” Have Inside Track in Legislative Session
His nickname around the Texas Capitol is “mucus.” It’s a play on Michael Quinn Sullivan’s initials — MQS — but the moniker underscores how much of an irritant the conservative activist has become to politicians who dare buck his Tea Party orthodoxy. It also says something about his staying power.