Some Texas lawmakers are renewing an effort to make Texas’ stance on Washington policies official through resolutions reaffirming the state’s sovereignty.
Alana Rocha
Alana Rocha was the director of news partnerships for The Texas Tribune until June 2022. She was previously a multimedia reporter, after working in television and radio news for eight years. Alana covered politics for stations in Florida, Kansas and Texas and traveled the country reporting from the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaign trails. She was the lead reporter on several award-winning projects and launched “The Brief,” a daily audio update. A native of Tampa, Florida, Alana received bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish from the University of Florida.
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State Government
Video: Term Limits Legislation Passes Out of Senate
Legislation that could lead to term limits on statewide officeholders made its way through the Senate on Tuesday. Lawmakers also heard testimony on several high-profile bills in committee hearings.
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Politics
Video: Cruz Electrifies CPAC Conference
In a rousing closing keynote at the three-day Conservative Political Action Conference, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, warned that “liberty is under assault from every direction.”
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State Government
Video: Freshman Lawmakers Seek Common “Purple” Ground
The freshmen in the Texas House wear something purple every Thursday as a symbol of their willingness to compromise across the aisle. Now that the bill-filing deadline has passed, it’s time to identify which issues are negotiable.
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State Government
At 43 Hours, Senator Set Filibuster Record in ’77
Thirty-six years before U.S. Sen. Rand Paul held a nearly 13-hour filibuster, a Texas senator filibustered for 43 hours in the Texas Senate, setting a world record.
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Health care
Video: Cruz Delivers First Formal Senate Speech
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Wednesday gave his first formal speech on the Senate floor, urging his colleagues to support an amendment to defund federal health reform.
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Politics
Video: George P. Bush Announces Bid for Land Commissioner
George P. Bush told state election officials Tuesday he will run for land commissioner in 2014. He had previously filed papers required for anyone raising campaign funds in the state, but hadn’t officially specified what office he might seek.
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Public Education
Video: Educators Visit Capitol, Push to Restore Cuts
Ask any of the estimated 2,700 members of the American Federation of Teachers who came out Monday for the group’s lobby day, and they’ll tell you their top priority is restoring the $5.4 billion in cuts made last session to public education.
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State Government
Video: Lawmakers Again Pushing for TWIA Overhaul
After months of planning, state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, filed bills on Tuesday to overhaul the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association and rein in rate hikes on coastal residents.
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Health care
Video: At Rally, Texans Urge Lawmakers to Expand Medicaid
Texans rallied at the Capitol on Tuesday, hoping to persuade Gov. Rick Perry and other Texas lawmakers to expand Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act.