A Businesslike Budget, After a Fashion
When Texas lawmakers said they wanted to run government like a business, they left out the part about using Enron and Countrywide as their models. Full Story
When Texas lawmakers said they wanted to run government like a business, they left out the part about using Enron and Countrywide as their models. Full Story
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. Full Story
At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their GOP colleagues fared this session. Full Story
A proposal adopted by the Legislature's budget conference committee Thursday would provide funding for TEXAS Grants for about 33,100 incoming freshmen — far less than the number of eligible students but better than what the House originally proposed. Full Story
State Sen. Dan Patrick, a radio talk show host who has been courting Tea Party activists, is promising to tell reporters Friday whether or not he will try to make a jump to the U.S Senate to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Full Story
State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, gave an impassioned personal privilege speech on the floor of the Texas House this afternoon in response to graphic flyers passed out in the House chamber about an insurance bill, HB 2093. The women in the chamber stood up with Thompson. "We have not earned this kind of disrespect!" she said. Afterward, state Rep. Debbie Riddle accused some of the men in the chamber of having pornography on the House floor. (Video courtesy legetv.org) Full Story
Rick Perry has said he's not running for president, but state Rep. Aaron Peña, chairman of the Hispanic Republican Conference, hopes his group's support might change the governor's mind. Full Story
Hope for a smoke-free Texas seems officially snuffed. State Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, said today that a statewide smoking ban would not live on as an amendment to Senate Bill 1811. Full Story
The lower chamber erupted into a gender war of sorts Thursday afternoon, with Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, accusing a special interest group of sexism, and Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, suggesting some lawmakers have pornography on the House floor. Full Story
At a meeting of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, chairman Richard Box appeared to shrug off a controversial set of “breakthrough solutions” for higher education, saying it is time to "move on." Full Story
Your afternoon reading: radio host says Perry's running for president; Democrats predict strong showing in U.S. Senate race; budget negotiators pass $15 billion in cuts Full Story
The Women's Health Program — long believed to require legislative renewal — lives on, at least for now, in the form of a budget rider. Full Story
The debate over whether to set up an animal cruelty registry continues. In a close vote, 63 to 78, the House sent HB 1103 to conference. Full Story
Payday lending could soon become much more transparent for borrowers looking for a quick money fix. The House concurred with the Senate version of a bill today that would require payday lenders to disclose interest rates and fees associated with the loans. The bill now moves to the governor for final approval. Full Story
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, expressed confidence that the House and Senate will agree to a school finance deal before the end of the regular session. Full Story
Budget negotiators adopted a report Thursday that cuts state spending by $15 billion. The measure is scheduled for a vote on the House and Senate floors as early as Saturday afternoon. Full Story
Tense budget negotiations continued Wednesday, but it didn't take long for an airport "groping" ban, an ensuing rowdy protest and vicious political sniping to steal some of the spotlight. Full Story
State Sen. Dan Patrick says he knows why the federal government has intervened on two key bills facing Texas lawmakers in the final days of the legislative session: “retribution.” But is it that simple? Full Story
Texans think it's more important to elect people who think like them than to elect people who look like them, and a small plurality believes redistricting should be turned over to an independent panel, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll. Full Story
On Fox News' On the Record with Greta van Susteren, Gov. Rick Perry admitted that running for president is tempting but said it isn't something he wants to do. Full Story