Don't Fear the Reefer: House Mulls Lower Pot Penalties
Three bills up for House committee hearings Wednesday would lower the penalties for possessing small amounts of pot in Texas. A fourth would decriminalize pot entirely. Full Story
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Video: The Fight to Decriminalize Truancy
In Texas, children who miss a certain number of school days can be sent to truancy court, where they could face a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to $500. Advocates are pushing to make truancy a civil, rather than criminal, offense. Full Story
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Analysis: When It Comes to Tax Cuts, Does Size Really Matter?
The House and Senate have some differences over which taxes to cut, but their plans have one thing in common: When they trickle down to average taxpayers, the benefits are small. Full Story
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Aycock: School Finance Plan is "First Best Attempt"
Most Texas school districts would see increased funding under proposed changes to the state's public education funding system, House Public Education Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, said Tuesday. 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 -
Report: State Lawmaker Threatened Paxton's DPS Detail
State Rep. Borris Miles threatened to "beat up" a plainclothes DPS trooper while the lawman was guarding Attorney General Ken Paxton during a meeting at an Austin steakhouse, according to a report obtained by the Tribune. Full Story
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House Democrats Push Minimum Wage Hike
A handful of Democrats on Tuesday asked the House Business and Industry Committee to support a package of bills that would increase the minimum wage in Texas. Full Story
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House Panel Weighs Property, Gun Rights
UPDATED: Business groups are weighing in on gun legislation, trying to preserve a business owner's rights to ban guns from private property. A House committee took up the question up Tuesday. Full Story
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Bid for Rainy Day Fund Changes Moves Forward
The Texas House on Tuesday approved a resolution calling for a constitutional election over whether to send surplus dollars from the Rainy Day Fund into a new account to pay down state debt. 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.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Lawmaker's Bill Aims to Prevent Another Fertilizer Plant Blast
State Rep. Kyle Kacal has introduced legislation that he hopes would prevent another accident like the explosion of a West fertilizer plant in 2013 that killed 15 and injured more than 200. Full Story
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![A vehicle near the remains of a fertilizer plant burning after an explosion in West, Texas, near Waco.]()
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Video: Nichols and Pickett on High-Speed Rail
At our 4/7 conversation, state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso — the chairmen, respectively, of the Senate and House Transportation Committees — took a dim view of the prospects for high-speed rail. Full Story
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Video: Nichols and Pickett on Road Funding
At our 4/7 conversation, state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso — the chairmen, respectively, of the Senate and House Transportation Committees — talked about their preferred methods of transportation funding. Full Story
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Video: Nichols and Pickett on Tolls
At our 4/7 conversation, state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso — the chairmen, respectively, of the Senate and House Transportation Committees — discussed the state's reliance on toll roads. Full Story
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Video: A Conversation With Nichols and Pickett
Full video of my 4/7 conversation with state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso — the chairmen, respectively, of the Senate and House Transportation Committees. Full Story
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House Bill Would Untangle Hair Braiding Rules
For nearly two decades, the state of Texas has been trying to shut down Isis Brantley's hair braiding business. Prodded by a federal court, state lawmakers are now considering exempting hair braiders from regulation and leaving Brantley alone. Full Story
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Analysis: Moving Integrity Unit Won't Curb Conflicts
Legislators frustrated and angry with public corruption prosecutions in Travis County want to move them somewhere else. But the problems are likely to tag along: It's always hard to prosecute the people who pay for the prosecutors. Full Story
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GOP Gun Measures Could Backfire With Minorities
Republican lawmakers backing open carry and guns on campus are heading in the wrong direction for many black and Hispanic Texans who would prefer stricter gun laws, polling shows. It's another disconnect with minorities the GOP might regret. Full Story
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![Gun rights supporters participate in an open carry march during South by Southwest led by the Austin chapter of Come and Take It on March 12, 2014.]()
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"Bathroom Bills" Pit Transgender Texans Against the GOP
A set of bills from conservative lawmakers would make it illegal for people to use the bathroom other than the one designated for their gender assigned at birth. Members of the transgender community say the legislation specifically targets them and even places a bounty on their heads. Full Story
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![Caomhán Ó Raghallaigh, a transgender advocate, visits with Sarah Byers, left, in the Capitol office of Sen. Kirk Watson, right.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
The Tribune's Local Debt Explorer Gets an Update
Use our Local Debt Explorer to find out how much tax-supported debt is held by your city, county and school district. The data is collected by the Texas Bond Review Board and reflects each entity’s debt load as of August 2014. Full Story
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Analysis: Two Tax Plans, but Only One Comes With a Distinct Sales Pitch
The Texas Senate has touted its plans for cuts to property and business taxes publicly. The House has some alternatives, but it is way behind in the race to build public support. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announces the filing of SB1 with a series of property and business tax cuts for Texans on Feb. 24, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Roundup: The House Budget Marathon and Cruz's Campaign
In the Roundup: The House debates hundreds of budget amendments, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz raises money and moves up in the polls in his first couple of weeks as a 2016 presidential contender. Full Story
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