The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.
Abortion is usually a contentious issue in the Texas Legislature, but this session, lawmakers have had relatively few public debates on it. Use this Tribune interactive to track the progress of bills related to abortion. Full Story
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A handful of gun rights expansion bills debated over the weekend received final passage in the House Monday, including two measures that could impact how students of Texas colleges, universities and public schools see firearms carried and used on campus. Full Story
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We have reached the "Month of May," which, in addition to being the final month of the Legislature's 83rd regular session, is the title of a song by Arcade Fire. It leads off our latest playlist inspired by the Texas political news of the week. Full Story
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In the latest Newsreel: The House fights over whether and how to tap the Rainy Day Fund, lawmakers hold hearings on the explosion in West and Gov. Rick Perry says there is plenty of time left in this session to get things done. Full Story
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The marginalization of Planned Parenthood probably makes the discussion of women’s health care less contentious — among Republicans, anyway. Full Story
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At the Trib's April 25 symposium on health care at the University of Texas at Austin, Emily Ramshaw talked about the state of women's health in Texas with state Reps. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, and Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola; Amy Hagstrom Miller of Whole Woman's Health; and Joe Potter of UT-Austin's Population Research Center. Full Story
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A House bill would cut the tax on mixed beverage sales for clubs that prove they’re using the savings to present live music. Advocates for some Texas cities and counties say the proposal would rob their coffers of much-needed tax revenue. Full Story
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Budget decisions revolve around numbers, but talking about money is just a way to talk about policy. Consider the case of volunteer fire departments. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples explained his strong reluctance to use money from the Rainy Day Fund to jump-start the state water plan. Full Story
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UPDATED: Officials from more than a dozen hospital systems will gather at the Capitol with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Friday to try to iron out a solution to how they are reimbursed for uncompensated care. Full Story
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A $250 million franchise and sales tax exemption for business research and development won tentative approval from the House on Wednesday. A similar exemption expired in 2006. Full Story
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: We look at the ways Texas lawmakers use legislative technicalities — or points of order — to derail legislation they don't like. Full Story
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A dozen officials from six different state agencies came before the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee on Wednesday to reflect on what worked and what didn't in the West fertilizer plant explosion. Full Story
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While not downplaying the devastation of the deadly fertilizer plant explosion in the town of West, the head of the state's emergency management operations told lawmakers on Wednesday that "the system worked." Full Story
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At the Trib's April 25 symposium on health care at the University of Texas at Austin, Becca Aaronson talked about federal health reform with state Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, John Davidson of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Anne Dunkelberg of the Center for Public Policy Priorities and former deputy comptroller Billy Hamilton. Full Story
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The best way to finance Texas' pressing water and transportation needs — and to supplement spending on public education — is to let voters decide whether to use the state's Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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With just four weeks remaining in the legislative session, there has been little to no pressure from the top — including key committee chairs — to pass measures that would force greater transparency upon Texas’ elected officials. Full Story
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State lawmakers have talked a big game this year on transparency and ethics, but with less than a month to go in the 83rd legislative session, the bills they’ve filed haven’t made much progress. Use our interactive to see where they stand. Full Story
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The day after the leading measure to fund state water projects stumbled in the House, legislators shifted their focus to a bill that some members hope will also include money for education. Full Story
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Republican leaders in Texas want the Legislature to take up redistricting this session. That's a bad idea, writes Matt Angle, director of the Lone Star Project. Full Story
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