They acknowledge they're pushing a boulder up a hill in the conservative Texas Legislature. But three House Democrats remain laser-focused on repealing the 24-hour waiting period for abortion imposed by the state’s 2011 sonogram law. Full Story
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Full video of my 2/12 conversation with state Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, the newly appointed chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Full Story
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The House’s chief budget writer on Thursday praised a proposal to overhaul the school finance system by grouping the state’s 1,026 regular school districts into a few "school finance districts" — a tax move aimed at equalizing per-student funding statewide. Full Story
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In the emerging field of telemedicine, doctors diagnose symptoms and prescribe drugs without ever meeting patients face-to-face. The Texas Medical Board doesn't believe that is a good idea. Full Story
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Gun rights activists haven't been shy about making their presence felt at the Capitol. They'll have their first chance to weigh in on actual legislation on Thursday, when a Senate committee takes up two gun bills. Full Story
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State Sen. Donna Campbell, who has succeeded Leticia Van de Putte as the chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations, says her health care background will be an asset in helping the state’s growing population of veterans. Full Story
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The debate over the expansion of rights to carry guns onto university campuses and openly with a permit moves from rallies outside the Capitol to legislative hearings inside the building today. Full Story
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Citing concerns over threats of violence, a group that advocates for stricter firearm laws has retained a security guard to protect members planning to testify at the Texas Capitol on Thursday. Full Story
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Speaker Joe Straus said Wednesday that House members will not allow conservative activists threatening political retaliation, or gun activists threatening physical retaliation, to impact their votes. Full Story
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Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is in Houston this week to speak at an oil and gas summit, writes that "drill, baby, drill" is more than just a political slogan — it's a strategy that's working for America. Full Story
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Joined by the father of a Texas high school student who died of sudden cardiac arrest, three state lawmakers on Wednesday proposed requiring heart screenings for high school athletes. Full Story
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The Teacher Retirement System of Texas – the state's largest public retirement system – expects its health insurance program to become insolvent in the 2016 fiscal year. Lawmakers on the Senate's budget-writing committee promised to keep the fund afloat. Full Story
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Reeve, Terri, Emily and Evan dive into the ongoing scandals at the state's Health and Human Services Commission, including the purchase of $2,800 executive chairs and roughly 300 high-dollar badges. And they also discuss the politics of vaccines. Full Story
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U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is refusing to cede the argument many of his likely Republican presidential rivals are making: that governors are better equipped than legislators to be commander in chief. Full Story
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Officials with the Texas Department of Transportation and Xerox surprised senators Wednesday by reporting that 30,000 drivers with valid TxTag accounts were erroneously mailed bills for using the state’s toll roads. Full Story
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Months after three people in Texas were diagnosed with Ebola, several key state lawmakers on Wednesday proposed ways to prepare the state for the next disease-related emergency. Full Story
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The multimillion-dollar influx of state police on the border is stemming the tide of illegal immigration, but parts of the operation are largely inefficient, the state’s top law enforcement officer told the House budget-writing committee. Full Story
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Education Commissioner Michael Williams said Wednesday that the state does not have the authority to satisfy federal officials’ desire for a more overarching system. Full Story
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A proposal from state lawmakers to sell off part or all of the Texas School for the Deaf, a 150-year-old facility in Austin located on prime real estate, has stirred anger and anxiety among alumni and supporters. Full Story
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Anger boiled over at a town hall meeting Tuesday night as Hays County residents decried a company's plan to pump and sell millions of gallons of groundwater. The heated dispute foreshadows more to come in a growing state that's running out of water. Full Story
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