Analysis: A Senate Trying to Regulate Its Own Spending Habits
The Texas Senate wants to limit growth in the state budget — by adding a fifth spending limit to state law. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, speaking at the Texas Public Policy Foundation legislative orientation session on Jan. 7, 2015.]()
Credit: Robin Daemmrich -
Interactive: Where Undocumented Students Pay In-State Tuition
Just 2 percent of students enrolled in an institution of higher education in Texas are undocumented and pay in-state tuition — and most of them attend community college. Check out these students' enrollment by campus. Full Story
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Lawmaker Says Death Penalty Could End if Drug Suppliers Revealed
If the names of the compounding pharmacies providing execution drugs to Texas officials are made public, it could end the death penalty, state Rep. John Smithee told a house committee on Wednesday. Full Story
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![The view of Texas' execution chamber from a witness viewing room.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
Universities Plead for Help With Hazlewood
School officials say the cost of providing free tuition for veterans and their dependents is growing at an unsustainable pace. Lawmakers in the House are considering tweaks to the law. Full Story
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Lawmakers Consider End-of-Life Care for Pregnant Women
The family of the late Marlise Muñoz, a pregnant Fort Worth woman who in 2013 was kept on life support against her family’s wishes, asked state lawmakers on Wednesday to help prevent other families from going through similar trauma. Full Story
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![Erick Muñoz, widow of Marlise Muñoz, speaks during a press conference at Texas Capitol, where "Marlise's Law" was introduced on March 12, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Senators Approve Partial Consolidation of Health Agencies
The Texas Senate on Wednesday tentatively approved a measure to partially consolidate the state’s massive health and human services system. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Jessica Schaefers -
Shark Fin Ban Back on the House Menu
A proposal to ban the trade of shark fins in Texas sailed through the Texas House on Wednesday, but it faces choppier waters ahead: the Texas Senate, where similar legislation foundered in 2013. Full Story
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![A bowl of shark fin soup with crab meat at Ho Ho Chinese BBQ in Austin.]()
Credit: Ryan McCrimmon -
Lawmakers in No Rush to Disclose Lobbyist Wining and Dining
Two bills aimed at disclosure of lobbyist wining and dining are on the verge of being snuffed out in a Senate committee, according to the sponsor of the measures. That's despite Greg Abbott’s vow to “dedicate this session to ethics reform." Full Story
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![Sen. Kirk Watson D-Austin and Sen. Joan Huffman R-Houston, discuss language to amendment for SB #11 relating to campus carry on March 18th, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
School Finance Plan Praised in Capitol Hearing
A plan to overhaul the state’s public education funding system from a top House lawmaker received largely favorable reviews from school districts during a marathon legislative hearing that ended late Tuesday night. Full Story
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![House Public Education Committee chair Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, on the floor during House Bill 1 debate March 31, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
John Legend Targets Texas Incarceration Rates
Ahead of a trip to Texas to advocate for an end to mass incarceration, the Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer talked with the Tribune about why the state is so crucial to the criminal justice reform movement. Full Story
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![John Legend]()
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Video: Senate Budget Debate Presents a Contrast
The Texas Senate passed out a state budget plan Tuesday that spends $211 billion over the next two years. The budget debate on the Senate floor contrasted greatly with the marathon budget debate in the House two weeks ago. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Business Groups Offer Support for House Sales Tax Cut Plan
The House Ways and Means Committee heard mostly praise for Chairman Dennis Bonnen's plan to cut the state's sales tax and the business margins tax. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the Senate remains committed to a property tax cut. Full Story
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![State Rep. Denis Bonnen at the front microphone while taking amendments on HB11 border security bill March 18, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Uber, Lyft Back in House Headlights
Another round of sparring between Texas cities and car service companies Lyft and Uber played out on Tuesday, when a panel of Texas lawmakers considered letting cities regulate Lyft and Uber the same way they regulate cab companies. Full Story
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![Uber and Lyft, two San Francisco-based transportation networking companies, have launched services in several Texas cities.]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Video: The Future of Transportation
On 4/10, I talked about the future of transportation policy in Texas with Deirdre Delisi, former chair of the Texas Transportation Commission; Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins; former U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk; and state Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman. Full Story
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Texas Senate Approves $211 Billion Budget
Senators on Tuesday voted 30-1 to approve the state's two-year budget. It will now go to conference committee to be reconciled with the House version. Full Story
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![Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, lays out the property tax relief portion of Senate Bill 1 for final passage in the Senate on March 25, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
After Delay, House to Take up Open Carry Bill on Friday
UPDATED: After a technical error caused the Texas House to delay its debate on open carry legislation Tuesday, the legislation is now cleared to go back to the full House floor on Friday. Full Story
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![San Antonio Democratic Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, center, confronts State Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman, with a Point of Order on HB 910 that delayed the open carry gun bill on April 14, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Tesla Makes Sales Pitch to House Panel
At a packed committee hearing Monday evening, advocates for Tesla Motors told a panel of Texas House members that it was time to bring state laws into the 21st century and let the company sell its luxury electric cars in Texas. Full Story
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![Tesla vehicle on display outside the Texas Capitol on Jan. 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Unable to Tighten Spending Cap, Senate Built a New One
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Senate Republicans had hoped to amend the Texas Constitution to tighten the state's spending cap. Short of the needed votes, they passed a measure creating a new cap in state law instead. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick touted legislation to exempt tax cuts from counting toward the state spending limit at a Capitol press conference on March 10, 2015.]()
Credit: Ryan McCrimmon -
Senate Votes to Close Austin Institution
The Austin State Supported Living Center will be the first closed, but more are to come as the state continues moving away from residential centers for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Full Story
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![Austin State-Supported Living Center employee Tamika Mays is shown with resident Rebecca Hadnot in 2011.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
House Approves Heart Exams for High School Athletes
Almost three years after a Texas high school football player died from sudden cardiac arrest, the Texas House has tentatively approved mandatory electrocardiograms for high school athletes. Full Story
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![Cody Stephens, a Crosby High School football player, died in 2012 of sudden cardiac arrest.]()
Credit: The Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Foundation