The Love-Hate Relationship With Transparency
One Texan's transparency is another’s right to privacy, and people in politics generally find it easier to demand openness than to provide it. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: April 24, 2013
Surprise votes in both chambers of the Legislature capped off a dramatic day at the Capitol on Tuesday. Full Story
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Senate Backs $5.7 Billion Plan for Roads, Water, Schools
After spending most of the day locked away in negotiations, the Senate unanimously approved a measure pulling $5.7 billion from the Rainy Day Fund for water and road projects and public education. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House Committee Gives Tesla Motors a Chance
UPDATED: A bill that would allow Tesla Motors to circumvent the state's franchise dealer system and sell cars directly to Texans is advancing to the full House. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senate Approves Bill Targeting Child Hunger
UPDATED: The one in four Texas children who are food insecure could be assured a free meal every school day — breakfast — if a bill approved by the Senate on Tuesday continues to advance. Full Story
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House Makes Switch on Texas Lottery Commission
UPDATED: After unexpectedly voting to end the Texas Lottery Commission earlier Tuesday, the Texas House reversed course Tuesday afternoon with a vote to continue the commission. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Campaign Finance Loophole Targeted
Politically active nonprofits, which are playing an increasingly important role in state elections, would no longer be able to hide the identity of their major donors under a bill making its way through the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Bill That Would End "Double Dipping" Gets Hearing
The obscure law that allows Gov. Rick Perry to collect both his pension and salary was the subject of a hearing Monday. A proposed bill would prevent future state officeholders from using the provision. Full Story
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Doctored Payday Lending Bill Passes Senate
UPDATED: A heavily amended bill to regulate short-term lenders passed the Texas Senate on Monday night, but it faces an uphill battle in the House. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senate OKs Electric Rebates From Fund to Assist Poor
All but 10 percent of a nearly $1 billion state fund intended to assist the poor with utility payments would be rebated to electric customers under a measure that preliminarily passed the Texas Senate on Monday. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House Panel Hears Testimony on Climate Change
At a House panel hearing Monday, witnesses largely agreed on the causes and magnitude of climate change, and they told legislators to speed up consideration of how to deal with the results of a warming climate. Full Story
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Credit: Earl Nottingham/Texas Parks & Wildlife -
Straus Picks Lead Budget Negotiators
The House on Monday sent five members to negotiate a budget with the Senate, with instructions to avoid anything that looks like it would expand the state's Medicaid program. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
TribLive: Huffman on Water and the Lege
At Monday's TribLive conversation, Laura Huffman, the Texas state director of The Nature Conservancy, talked about the prospects for meaningful water legislation to emerge from the 83rd session. Full Story
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Texas Weekly Newsreel: Testing, Texting, Taxes
In this edition of the Newsreel: A Senate committee approves an education bill cutting some current requirements for high school diplomas, the House wants to make texting and driving a crime, and the governor calls for tax cuts. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson tracks the latest on Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on lawmakers’ openness to driving permits for non-citizens, Batheja on surprising support for higher state spending, Root and Galbraith on the state’s search for answers after the West explosion, M. Smith covers the debate over high school standards, Grissom finds a shadow payroll at the Capitol, Hamilton on the man with a plan at UT, Rocha spots a special deal for lawmakers accused of crimes, KUT’s Philpott on obstacles to road funding and Ramshaw on the privileges of legislative membership: The best of our best for the week of April 15-19, 2013. Full Story
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Perry Stuns Lawmakers by Urging House to Bust Spending Cap
UPDATE: Gov. Rick Perry told House Republicans in a private meeting this week that he could support a budget that breaks the state's constitutional spending cap, according to several attendees. But many are still wary of doing so. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Instead of New Ethics Laws, a Study — Again
Lawmakers started the legislative session talking about changes they would like to make in the state's ethics laws. Now — and it is not the first time — they're sending some of the most delicate items back for more study. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Michael Glasgow -
Senate Approves End-of-Life Legislation
UPDATED: Without debate, the Texas Senate approved a bill by Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, to alter Texas' end-of-life laws. Full Story
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![Dr. Leigh Fredholm, medical director of Seton Palliative Care, and Liz Powell, Seton’s Network Palliative Care Chaplain, visit a patient at the University Medical Center at Brackenridge in Austin.]()
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House Budget Writers Support $500 Million More for Schools
The House Appropriations Committee unanimously approved an $874.9 million supplemental budget bill Thursday that includes $500 million more for schools and covers bills for last year's wildfires. Full Story
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Legislators Facing Charges Can Get Courtroom Pass
While state code allows lawmakers due in court to delay their appearance while the Legislature is in session, most waivers for those charged with crimes result from simple agreements between the defense, prosecutors and judges. Full Story
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![Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, during a House Environmental Regulations Committee meeting on April 16, 2013.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
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