The so-called Pastor Protection Act, which aims to clarify a clergy member’s right to refuse to conduct a marriage that violates his or her beliefs, tentatively passed the Texas House 141-2 Thursday.
Aman Batheja
Aman Batheja was a political reporter and editor for the Tribune from 2012 to 2019. Previously he worked for eight years at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, most of that time covering state and local politics. A native of Cedarhurst, New York, he has an undergraduate degree in journalism and psychology from New York University and a master's in economics from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Budget Writers Settle School Funding, Border Security
The House and Senate stepped closer to a final deal on a two-year budget Wednesday evening, settling dozens of differences between the two chambers including funding for public education and border security.
Posted in
Transportation
House, Senate at Odds Over Provision That Would Block Bullet Train
House and Senate leaders are in the midst of intense negotiations over a budget rider that could kill a proposed $12 billion bullet train project connecting Dallas and Houston.
Posted in
State Government
Senate Wants Property Tax Cut This Year; House Wants to Delay It
The House and Senate negotiations over a tax cut deal have narrowed to a single sticking point: when a proposed property tax cut should go into effect.
Posted in
State Government
Senate’s Procedural Change Has an Impact, but Not a Dramatic One
When the Texas Senate changed requirements on bringing legislation up for debate, Democrats said a process intended to encourage compromise would suffer. Several bills have been unblocked, but the conservative steamroller that Democrats feared hasn’t emerged.
Posted inState Government
Officials Dispute Stickland’s Claim That Investigation is Over
Two officials involved in an investigation into whether state Rep. Jonathan Stickland improperly registered witnesses to testify on a bill banning red light cameras disputed Stickland’s claims Monday that he has been cleared of wrongdoing.
Posted in
Health care
Cannabis Oil Approved for Epilepsy Patients
Epilepsy patients in Texas suffering from seizures could get prescriptions for medicinal oils containing a non-euphoric, therapeutic component found in marijuana under a bill tentatively approved by the state House on Monday.
Posted in
State Government
Budgetline: Numbers Aren’t Everything
In this episode of Budgetline, Aman and Ross explore riders — descriptive items in the state budget meant to direct agencies how to spend state money. Often, they’re a place where budget writers sneak policy and legislative instructions into state law.
Posted inState Government
Head of GSD&M Urges Opposition to Gay Marriage Bill
The big question in the House on Thursday was whether the midnight deadline would strike before Republicans could bring up a controversial gay marriage bill.
Posted in
Politics
State Leaders Juggle Deals on Five Key Issues
Top state leaders were negotiating intensely — and optimistically — Thursday afternoon on a master settlement on tax cuts, restraints on local property tax increases, border security, prosecutions of state ethics cases and open carry of handguns.
