Little Movement So Far on Abbott's Ethics Wish List
Gov. Greg Abbott declared ethics reform a legislative "emergency" earlier this session, but his wish list of legislation has so far seen little momentum. Full Story
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![Greg Abbott at a Nov. 24, 2014, press event on President Obama's executive action on immigration.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: April 9, 2015
Republicans leery of granting more eminent domain authority acted to fast-track to nowhere a proposed high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas. Full Story
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Senate Bill Targeting Bullet Train Project Advances
On a 5-4 vote, the Senate Transportation Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would hobble a private company’s plan to build a $12 billion high-speed rail line from Dallas to Houston. Full Story
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![The Japanese Shinkansen is a high-speed trail used by JR Central in Japan. A private company is planning to build a rail line between Dallas and Houston using the same trains.]()
Credit: Norihiro Kataoka -
Sanctuary Cities Bill Heads to Full Senate
Along party lines, a Senate committee Wednesday advanced a controversial "sanctuary cities" bill from Lubbock Sen. Charles Perry that would cut state funds to cities that don't let their peace officers enforce immigration laws. Full Story
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![Sen. Charles Perry during a March 16th, 2015 Senate Subcommittee on border security]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
UT Regents Will Let Wallace Hall Review More Documents
The University of Texas System Board of Regents will allow member Wallace Hall to see some data and documents compiled during an outside investigation into outside influence on UT-Austin admissions. Full Story
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![UT Regent Wallace Hall on April 28, 2014. Lawmakers admonished and censured Hall, who was waging a personal investigation into lawmaker influence in the UT-Austin admissions process.]()
Credit: Charlie Pearce for The Texas Tribune -
Spurning Tea Party, House Passes Pre-K Bill
Key early education legislation backed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott overwhelmingly passed the House Wednesday after surviving multiple challenges from Tea Party-backed representatives. Full Story
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![Rep. Dan Huberty R-Humble, votes on one of the 165 amendments to House Bill 5 on March 26, 2013.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Bill Repealing In-State Tuition for Undocumented Heads to Senate
A Senate committee has passed state Sen. Donna Campbell's bill to repeal in-state college tuition for undocumented students on to the full chamber with a party-line vote. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Senate Committee Moves $211.4 Billion Budget Forward
Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, said she expected the Senate version of the budget to be debated by the full Senate next week, “probably Tuesday.” Full Story
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![Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, lays out the property tax relief portion of Senate Bill 1 for final passage in the Senate on March 25, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House Tentatively OKs Campus Construction Bond Plan
The Texas House on Wednesday tentatively approved a package of bonds worth $3.1 billion to support construction on college campuses. Legislators haven't authorized such spending in a decade. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senate Backs Bill That Would Relocate Public Integrity Unit
The Texas Senate has preliminarily passed a bill that would move the state’s public integrity unit from the Travis County district attorney’s office to the Texas Rangers. Full Story
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![State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, speaks during a Texas Tribune event on Jan. 12, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
TribCast: In-State Tuition and Bathroom Bills
In this week's TribCast Emily talks with Evan, Julián and Alexa about the fight over in-state tuition for kids of undocumented immigrants, the San Antonio mayoral race and bills aimed at transgender Texans' use of public bathrooms. Full Story
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Sales Tax Cut a Key Piece in Bonnen's $4.9 Billion Tax Cut Plan
House Ways and Means Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, laid out a $4.9 billion tax cut plan Wednesday featuring cuts in sales taxes and business taxes. The Senate's plan cuts business taxes and property taxes. Full Story
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![Ways and Means chair State Rep.Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, while debating State Rep. Sylvester Turner on HB11 border security bill March 18, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Committees Moving on Bills to Limit Tuition Increases
A Senate committee has approved a bill that would limit tuition increases to the rate of inflation unless universities meet "performance measures." Meanwhile, a House committee is considering a bill to tie tuition increases only to inflation. Full Story
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New Super PACs Backing Cruz Expect $31 Million First-Week Haul
A quartet of super PACs is coming to the aid of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz as he embarks on his 2016 presidential campaign, and they expect to raise a whopping $31 million during their first week. Full Story
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Credit: Matt McClain, The Washington Post -
Analysis: When It Comes to Tax Cuts, Does Size Really Matter?
The House and Senate have some differences over which taxes to cut, but their plans have one thing in common: When they trickle down to average taxpayers, the benefits are small. Full Story
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Video: The Fight to Decriminalize Truancy
In Texas, children who miss a certain number of school days can be sent to truancy court, where they could face a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to $500. Advocates are pushing to make truancy a civil, rather than criminal, offense. Full Story
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TedTracker: Follow Cruz on the Campaign Trail
Use the TedTracker to check the public events — past and future — Ted Cruz has announced since making his run for president official. Full Story
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Don't Fear the Reefer: House Mulls Lower Pot Penalties
Three bills up for House committee hearings Wednesday would lower the penalties for possessing small amounts of pot in Texas. A fourth would decriminalize pot entirely. Full Story
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New in Trib+Water: California Cuts Back on Water
In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: California cuts back on water use in face of prolonged drought, more on the Central Texas water fights and an interview with Sharlene Leurig, hydrologist and producer of “Our Desired Future.” Full Story
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The Brief: April 8, 2015
Lawmakers are talking about giving taxpayers billions in tax relief this session. But in a state with 27 million residents, it turns out that even $4.5 billion doesn't stretch as far as the politicians would like it to. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
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