Analysis: Votes Count, but the Rules Can Count More
At the end of the legislative session, votes still count and majorities are important. But the rules come into play as well, and so do the political minorities. Full Story
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![Texas House Parliamentarian Chris Griesel and Speaker Joe Straus with several other House members on dias May 1, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Lawmakers: Bill Slaughter Not a Partisan Deal
After a night of dramatic maneuvers in the Texas House, lawmakers were back at it on Wednesday morning, with a handful of irked conservatives using parliamentary tactics to kill previously uncontested Senate bills. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, on the back mic during the reading of local and consent bils, May 15, 2015.]()
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In Senate, Smooth Sailing for Shark Fin Ban
A measure to ban the trade of shark fins in Texas is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk after clearing the Texas Senate on Wednesday. The fins are collected by a brutal fishing process: cutting off a live shark's fin and leaving the shark to die. Full Story
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![A bowl of shark fin soup with crab meat at Ho Ho Chinese BBQ in Austin.]()
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Hopes Fading for New Limits for Tuition Growth
With the death of all legislation specifically aiming to re-regulate tuition costs at Texas' public universities, proponents of the idea see few avenues for implementing the idea this year. Full Story
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After Day of Rules Warfare, Both Sides Claim Some Wins
A daylong parliamentary battle ensued Tuesday as the Texas House faced a crucial deadline to pass many major bills before they died. Democrats succeeded in killing an abortion bill, while Republicans managed to pass ethics reform legislation and a version of campus carry. Full Story
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![House Parliamentarian Chris Griesel is handed another stack of bills during debate on S.B. 19 Tuesday evening May 26, 2015 in the Texas House.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Health Insurance Card Bill Clears Senate
House Bill 1514, which would add a special label to the health insurance cards of people purchasing health plans on the exchange created by the Affordable Care Act, passed the Texas Senate late Tuesday evening. Full Story
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House Republicans Fail to Move Up Bills
House Democrats narrowly avoided a Republican-led effort on Tuesday to rearrange the chamber's calendar to make sure controversial measures got a vote before a midnight deadline. Full Story
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![Chairman State Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman, sponsor of HB 910 open carry legislation, just before final passage of the bill April 17, 2015 by a 96-35 House vote.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: A Short List With Some Explosive Issues
It's not the end of the session, but Tuesday marks the end of the line for a lot of legislation. And the fates of the items at the bottom of the House's list could be determined by long debates on ethics, guns, abortion and state spending limits. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol, May 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Senate Clears Bill Restricting Minors Seeking Abortions
After four hours of debate and more than a dozen failed amendments by Democrats, the Senate on Monday gave preliminary approval to far-reaching restrictions on minors seeking abortions in Texas without parental consent. Full Story
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![Sen.Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, continues debate with Sen. Kirk Watson on HB3994 an abortion reform measure on May 25, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Proposal Targets Residency Requirement for Statewide Elected Officials
Statewide elected officials would no longer be required to live in Austin under a constitutional amendment that could be headed to voters on a general election ballot. The House tentatively backed the measure on Monday. Full Story
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![House Appropriations Chair John Otto explains a budget amendment to a colleague during House Bill 1 debate March 31, 2015.]()
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Analysis: With a Week to Go, the Most Important Fights Are Over
With one week left in this legislative session, hundreds of bills are still pending. But if legislative action ended right now, there would be little reason for Gov. Greg Abbott to call lawmakers back for overtime. Full Story
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![From left: Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are shown on May 21, 2015.]()
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Texas House Approves TWIA Overhaul
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, the often-tapped insurer of last resort for Gulf Coast property owners, looks poised to get a major overhaul. Full Story
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Video: Veterans' Tuition Benefit Largely Unchanged in House
After months of debate over how to rein in the growing costs associated with the Hazlewood Act – the state’s tuition benefits program for veterans and their dependents – it appears as though it will largely stay the same. Full Story
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House Will Take Up Abortion Insurance Coverage Ban
In a dramatic turn of events, the House Calendars Committee reversed course and sent a controversial bill prohibiting health insurance plans sold on the Affordable Care Act's marketplace from covering abortions to the full chamber. Full Story
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House Unanimously Backs Property Tax Break
In a 136-1 vote, the House favored Senate Bill 1, which would raise the homestead exemption from $15,000 to $25,000 if voters approve an amendment to the state Constitution in November. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, on the House floor on May 13, 2015.]()
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Senate Won't Include "Abortion ID" Provision
The sponsor of a bill meant to impose additional restrictions on minors seeking abortions without parental consent will not pursue a controversial provision that would have required women to show a form of identification. Full Story
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![State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, and state Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, are shepherding legislation to tighten the requirements on "judicial bypass," abortions.]()
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House Votes to Preserve Free Tuition for Some Veterans' Kids
At the last minute, the House voted to scrap changes to the Hazlewood program that would have made many children of veterans ineligible for free tuition. The bill will still need to be reconciled with the Senate's more restrictive version. Full Story
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Texas Legislators Move Closer to Overhauling State's Grand Jury System
The Texas House on Sunday gave final approval to an overhaul of the state's grand juries, moving one step closer to getting rid of a controversial way of seating the panels. Full Story
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Former State Rep. Leo Berman Dies at 79
Tributes poured in this weekend from Texas conservatives and Democrats alike for former state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, who died Saturday. He served in the House from 1999 to 2013. Full Story
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![Former state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, is shown in 2011.]()
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Inside Texas Politics: Waco Shootout and Secret Tapings
On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics, talk turns to the shootout in Waco and its effect on the open carry debate and the not-so-secret tapings of state lawmakers. Full Story
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![Texas Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey on WFAA's "Inside Texas Politics" on May 24, 2015.]()
Credit: WFAA
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