Texplainer: Where Did the Sunset Commission Get Its Name?
Nothing scares the good men and women of state agencies more than one word: Sunset. But where did the Sunset Commission get its name? Full Story
The latest Texas House of Representatives news from The Texas Tribune.
Nothing scares the good men and women of state agencies more than one word: Sunset. But where did the Sunset Commission get its name? Full Story
Would you recognize state Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, if he passed you on the street? Could you pick state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, out of a lineup? How well do you know the faces of other Texas elected officials? Test your knowledge by playing this simple, addictive game. Full Story
Rep. Donna Howard won the HD-48 seat by four votes over Republican Dan Neil, according to state Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas. Hartnett was appointed to investigate their election after Neil challenged the results. Full Story
This week's episode of the TribCast features Evan, Ross, Reeve, and Ben mulling over the State of the State, the new House committee assignments, and the politics of abortion. Full Story
Speaker Joe Straus appointed members to committees today, shuffling the assignments in a Texas House where one in four members is a freshman and where Republicans have a two-to-one numerical advantage. Full Story
After three days of testimony and today's closing arguments, state Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas, is expected to recommend a winner of the disputed HD-48 seat on Friday. Full Story
The chairman of the House Public Education Committee on how many public school teachers, administrators and non-instructional staff members are at risk of being laid off as a result of the budget shortfall. Full Story
For our latest TribLive conversation, I sat down with the chairman of the House Public Education Committee to talk about the coming cuts to public ed: how big they're likely to be, the prospect of tens of thousands of teacher and non-instructional-staff layoffs, whether new revenue sources are on the table and more. Full Story
For our latest TribLive conversation, I sat down with the chairman of the House Public Education Committee to talk about the coming cuts to public ed: how big they're likely to be, the prospect of tens of thousands of teacher and non-instructional-staff layoffs and whether new revenue sources are on the table. Full Story
The chairman of the House Public Education Committee on whether the cuts to public ed will be as bad as everyone says they'll be. Full Story
The chairman of the House Public Education Committee on whether the Rainy Day Fund should be used, in part or in whole, to reduce the size of the budget shortfall. Full Story
In our TribLive conversation this morning, state Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, the chair of the House Public Education Committee, said he opposed a bill by state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Houston, that would require school districts to check the immigration status of students enrolling in Texas public schools. Full Story
The long-awaited Daily Show segment on alleged anti-Semitism in the 2011 Speaker's race was, predictably, funny. And that John Oliver: such a punim! Full Story
In our TribLive conversation this morning, state Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, said he opposed a bill that would require school districts to check the immigration status of public school students. Full Story
If there's one thing that politicians are good at, it's talking. And chubbing is a kind of talking that's used to stall legislation in the Texas House. While state representatives do have the power to talk something to death, this session it will be harder to do than in the past. Full Story
A Texas House investigation to determine the winner of the District 48 race between state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, and Republican challenger Dan Neil has begun. Testimony is expected to last at least a couple of days. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story
More than a dozen witnesses took the stand today to testify about where they lived and how they voted in the House District 48 contest in the November 2010 election. Full Story
Republican Dan Neil discusses his election contest against state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. Full Story
Travis County Republican Dan Neil lost his first race for elective office in November by just 12 votes. Now he's asking the Texas House of Representatives to declare some of the voters in that election ineligible and to put him in first place and state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, in second. Full Story
No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Take a look back at the top political news from Jan. 24 to Jan. 28. Full Story