Justices Again Avoid Underground Trespassing Question
The Texas Supreme Court won’t re-examine a high-profile case that asked a perplexing question: If industrial wastewater pollutes your groundwater, can you sue for trespassing? Full Story
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![Fracking water during different stages of a purification and recycling process.]()
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Panel to Investigate After Lawmaker Ejected From Committee Hearing
The chairman of the House Committee on General Investigating and Ethics said he plans to investigate allegations that witnesses were signed up improperly to speak at a meeting from which state Rep. Jonathan Stickland was escorted out. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, during the gun bill debate on April 17, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: A Conversation With Julián Castro
Full video of my 5/1 conversation with Julián Castro, the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Full Story
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Analysis: Does "Voucher" Label Fit the Bill?
You can slow down or even kill a piece of legislation with a single word or phrase, if it's poisonous enough. Full Story
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Outgoing President Powers Touts UT-Austin's Gains, Has No Regrets
Outgoing UT-Austin President Bill Powers said this week that he felt he always acted in the best interest of the school and is proud of the reforms he helped implement. He also defended his actions related to university admissions. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
From Loudmouth to Mouth of the House
State Rep. Dennis Bonnen has become a go-to mouthpiece for House leadership, and the votes for his legislation are indicative of how closely in step with him his colleagues are. If he were out of line, someone would yank his leash. Nobody has. 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 -
Roundup: Abortion Bills, Drug Testing and #Hashtags
As state lawmakers enter the last month of the 84th Legislature, they advanced a number of measures that would further restrict abortions, drug test political candidates and facilitate engagement with constituents on social media. Full Story
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New in Texas Weekly: Working a Long Friday Shift
The House adds a long Friday shift this week, the Senate passes an ethics bill and a fight on tax cuts looms — all that and more in the latest issue of our subscriber-only newsletter for political insiders ($). Full Story
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The Brief: May 1, 2015
The decision earlier this week by Gov. Greg Abbott to get involved in the controversy over a planned military exercise taking place across several Southwestern states continues to draw comment. Full Story
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House Advances Bill to Speed Permits, Limit Protests
Contending that Texas is struggling to lure businesses, House lawmakers on Thursday gave initial approval to bill to quicken the pace at which regulators crank out permits for major industrial projects – by limiting public scrutiny. Full Story
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Jade Helm 15: The Black Helicopters Are Coming. Well, Maybe Not.
Gov. Greg Abbott only made matters worse by wading into long-simmering paranoia over a military training exercise scheduled to begin this summer in Texas. He has asked the State Guard to keep an eye on the operation, a fascination of conspiracy theorists. Full Story
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Abbott's Pre-K Bill Headed to Full Senate
The bill that helped spark last week's blowup between the state's top officials is suddenly moving in the Senate, despite fierce opposition from Tea Party conservatives. Full Story
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![TPPF economist Dr. Arthur Laffer and Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, at the 2015 Policy Orientation session on School Choice on Jan. 7, 2015.]()
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Senate Bill Makes It Harder to Sue Insurers
A controversial bill that would make it harder for homeowners and companies to recover certain damages from their insurance companies — cheered by the insurance industry and criticized by liberal groups and some businesses — cleared the Texas Senate on Thursday. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, speaks during the "House vs. Senate" panel at The Texas Tribune's "On the Road: A Symposium Previewing the 84th Legislature" event on Dec. 5, 2014. Taylor is the chairman of the Senate Education Committee.]()
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With Amendment, Bettencourt Aims to Limit Property Tax Growth
State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, managed to add an amendment to a bill Thursday that would make it more difficult for some local entities to raise property taxes. Full Story
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![Paul Bettencourt, now a state senator, is shown on Dec. 5, 2014, during the "What the Tea Party Wants" panel at a Texas Tribune event previewing the 2014 legislative session.]()
Credit: Charlie Pearce -
House Approves Use of Sales Tax for Highways
The Texas House gave initial approval Thursday to a major boost in transportation funding from sales taxes, setting the stage for a showdown with the Senate over the best way to pay for Texas roads. Full Story
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![State Sen. Robert Nichols R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, speak at a Texas Tribune event on April 7, 2015.]()
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Senate Passes Tax-Free Holiday to Spur Gun Sales
The state Senate on Thursday gave the green light to a proposal to designate one weekend a year when Texas shoppers would not have to pay sales tax on guns. Full Story
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Texas Republicans Push Energy Changes in Congress
At issue is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a stockpile of over 700 million barrels of crude oil stored in Texas and Louisiana. Congressional lawmakers are uncertain of the reserve's role in an age of abundance. Full Story
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Amid Truancy Debate, Whitmire Questions Program's Referrals
State Sen. John Whitmire is asking questions about a program for at-risk youths run by the Texas Military Department where more than half of the applicants are truant students referred by justice of the peace courts or from the schools themselves. Full Story
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House Panel Debates Bills to Rein In Film Incentives
A Texas House committee on Thursday considered a pair of bills taking aim at the state film incentives program. One would block state grants for films and video games containing adult content. Another would abolish the program altogether. Full Story
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![Texas A&M University System Regent Jim Schwertner and former Regent Richard Box participate in an interview for a new movie, produced by John Robison, that revisits the decision to move to the SEC.]()
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Lawmakers Call for End to Controversial Driver Responsibility Program
A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Thursday called for the repeal of a state program that requires drivers convicted of certain traffic offenses to pay annual surcharges to keep their driver's licenses. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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