Texplainer: Are There Deadlines for Considering Legislation?
Hey, Texplainer: What's all the talk about deadlines at the Legislature this week? Aren't there three weeks left in the session? Full Story
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![Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, (left) calls a point of order on redistricting.]()
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Update: UT President: "We Need to Do More"
University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers delivered a speech today — two days before the University of Texas System Board of Regents gathers in Austin for a highly anticipated meeting — outlining the university's budget concerns and plans for innovation. Full Story
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Birdwell Tries, Fails to Hike Tuition for Undocumented
An effort by Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, to require undocumented Texas students to pay out-of-state tuition rates sparked emotional debate in the Senate today, and forced Birdwell to pull the measure down. Full Story
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Loser-Pays Bill Clears Texas House
Texas got one step closer today to becoming one of the few states with a rule that awards legal fees to prevailing parties in lawsuits. Full Story
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Senate Adopts Voter ID Report
The state Senate today approved a conference committee report on the voter identification bill that includes changes that would allow citizens to use a new form of documentation to cast their ballots. Full Story
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The Midday Brief: May 9, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Senate approves concealed carry for legislators; tweaked voter ID bill gets final approval; Obama signaling he'll campaign in Texas Full Story
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Fraudulent Fishermen Could Face Felony
Fraudulent fishermen better reel it in. The Senate passed a bill today to make cheating in a fishing tournament up to a third-degree felony, sending the measure on to the governor. Full Story
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Senate OKs Concealed Carry for Lawmakers
Texas lawmakers — current and former — may soon be able to pack heat at church, the hospital, a sporting event or even bars. Full Story
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The Brief: May 9, 2011
House debate hit dramatic heights on Saturday in what could go down as the Great Mother's Day Fight of 2011. Full Story
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T-Squared: Trib Spring Pledge Drive a Huge Success
I'm overjoyed to report that last week's brief membership drive — our first ever — exceeded our wildest expectations on the number of members generated, the amount of money raised and the size of the average gift. Full Story
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Brownsville Debates the Merits of Plastic Bag Ban
At stores in Brownsville, customers must pay $1 for plastic bags — so many bring their own, or go without. The policy, which also restricts paper bags, has removed hundreds of thousands of bags daily — but not without controversy. Full Story
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![Brownsville resident Rosie Orozco bags her own groceries in a reusable bag after shopping at an A.V. Lopez grocery store. Orozco says she always carries reusable bags in her car.]()
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Inside Intelligence: With the End of the Session Looming...
For the latest installment of our unscientific survey of political and policy insiders, we asked whether lawmakers will agree on a budget and redistricting during the regular session and about what might be left undone. Full Story
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Is David Dewhurst Goofy — or Goofy Like a Fox?
It’s funny that you can win four statewide elections and still have people think you’re a goofball, in over your head. But maybe Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s fumbles leading to the Texas Senate’s budget vote give the lie to that. Maybe he’s goofy like a fox. Full Story
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Playing by the Rules
The real rule of the Texas Legislature is that there are no rules when the rules get in the way. If the Senate needs to pass a budget and can't get a two-thirds vote to do so, and if there's a way to squint at the rules and do it with a simple majority, then that's what they'll do. Full Story
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Death Row Inmate Faces Same Prosecutors Who Committed Misconduct
At a hearing Monday in a Bowie County state district court, lawyers for Delma Banks Jr. will ask the court to disqualify prosecutors who the U.S. Supreme Court ruled suppressed evidence and deliberately covered up mistakes in a 1980 murder trial that sent the young black man to death row. Full Story
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House Meltdown Ends in GOP Show of Force
A day of parliamentary chaos in the House ended with the passage of Gov. Rick Perry’s newest emergency item: a tort reform bill. And a powerful message from Republicans to Democrats: mess with us at your own peril. Full Story
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Liveblog: Parliamentary Deadlock Grips the House Floor
With 37 members missing from House's first Saturday meeting— many of them Republicans — Democrats seized a chance to cause some procedural mischief when they realized only 14 of them would have to walk out to break a quorum. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson on the latest attack on Planned Parenthood, Aguilar previews the sanctuary cities debate, Grissom on a death row inmate's unsuccessful appeal, Hamilton on the UT System's faculty "productivity" data dump, Philpott on the prospect of lawsuits over education cuts, Ramsey on puppies and other distractions, Ramshaw on a tobacco fight, my interview with the presidents of UT-Austin and Texas A&M, M. Smith on a former State Board of Ed member who may have violated state ethics law, Stiles interactively displays the effects of House redistricting and Tan on the Senate budget end game: The best of our best content from May 2 to 6, 2011. Full Story
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Attempt to Lift Class Size Ratio Stumbles Again
Lawmakers in the House took a second swing at state Rep. Rob Eissler's school mandate relief bill late Friday night. And once again, they whiffed. Full Story
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House Committee Advances Gambling, Without Casinos
Attention, gamblers. A Texas House committee surprised the casino lobby Friday night when it voted out legislation that would allow video lottery terminals — slot machines — at state racetracks and Indian reservations. The casinos were left behind. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
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