The bill, introduced months after the Uvalde school shooting, also allocates more funds to the state’s school safety allotment, which is money given to districts to improve campus security.
March 2023
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Texas Legislature 2023
Lawmakers could no longer “double dip” into pension funds under newly filed bill
State Sen. Joan Huffman filed a bill that would repeal a provision that allowed longtime lawmakers to increase their yearly take-home income by $140,000 by collecting pension payments without retiring.
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T-Squared
T-Squared: Matt Ewalt is The Texas Tribune’s new director of events and live journalism
He is currently the vice president for education at the Chautauqua Institution, where he curates and produces programming for one of the oldest and most respected lecture series in the country.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Aging state vehicle fleet fuels tens of millions in new money requests by agencies
Many state-owned vehicles are aging past the standards for replacement. Early budget drafts signal that lawmakers are considering funding some $237.6 million in requests for new ones.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas legislative leaders — Dan Patrick, Dade Phelan — jab each other’s priorities in dueling speeches
During dueling speeches to a conservative think tank in Austin, state House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who have a history of animus, split over property tax relief, criminal justice reform and school choice.
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Politics
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales defiant as he faces censure for breaking with Republican Party
The censure resolution cites Gonzales’ rejection of a border security proposal by fellow Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, and his support of a bill for same-sex marriage protections and a bipartisan gun safety law.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas senators, facing criticism, soften proposed ban on Chinese purchases of land
The measure, endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, originally would have banned citizens of China, Iran, Russia or North Korea from buying land in Texas. Under a new version considered Thursday, the ban wouldn’t apply to dual citizens or lawful permanent residents.
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Politics
Ted Cruz continues to take aim at AG Merrick Garland at CPAC
At the conservative political convention, the Texas senator also criticized President Joe Biden for his response to the Ohio train derailment and Dr. Anthony Fauci for his role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House’s property tax bill calls for $17 billion in cuts, tighter appraisal cap
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan’s proposal reveals the different roads the Texas House and Senate want to take on property taxes — and the fight that might emerge between the two chambers this session.
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Politics
Plurality of Texas voters say they support school voucher-like program
The poll from the University of Texas at Austin, released Thursday, found a plurality of voters support redirecting tax revenue to help parents pay to school their kids outside the traditional public education system.