The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.
Former Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia is headed for the Texas Senate after beating state Rep. Carol Alvarado in a Saturday special election runoff to succeed the late Mario Gallegos, D-Houston. Full Story
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In this week's Newsreel: The Supreme Court heard arguments in a voting rights case that could have a big impact on Texas, Republican legislators side with Gov. Rick Perry on Medicaid expansion, and voters will decide on Saturday who will represent Senate District 6. Full Story
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Republican legislators have proposed adding $100 million to a state-run primary care program specifically for women’s health services, which could avert a political fight over subsidizing specialty family planning clinics. Full Story
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A bill in the Texas Senate would make the penalty for failing to stop and render aid in certain hit-and-run cases equal to that of intoxication manslaughter. It's a move lawmakers and law enforcement hope causes more drivers to do the right thing and stay put. Full Story
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Full video of Emily Ramshaw's 2/27 TribLive conversation about health care with state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown. Full Story
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Rep. Giovanni Capriglione got a rude awakening in his transparency bill's hearing before the House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday when members suggested his legislation was a political "vendetta." Full Story
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Proponents and critics weighed in Wednesday on a bill that would allow the sale of raw milk at farmer’s markets and other sites like fairs and flea markets. Full Story
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At Wednesday's TribLive conversation, state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, talked to Emily Ramshaw about the state's role in providing access to preventative health care for women. Full Story
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At Wednesday's TribLive conversation, state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, told Emily Ramshaw they back Gov. Rick Perry's refusal to expand Medicaid. Full Story
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Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told Texas senators on Wednesday "to go big or go home" when it comes to pushing changes to public education policy. Full Story
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Two key Republicans legislators — both of them doctors — say they're sticking with Gov. Rick Perry’s position that Texas will reject the Medicaid expansion provision of federal health reform. Full Story
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Widely variable discovery practices in Texas makes access to justice dependent upon where a defendant is charged, according to a report released Wednesday, giving weight to bills that would create uniform discovery procedures. Full Story
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Ambulance drivers, nurses and trauma surgeons lobbied lawmakers on Tuesday to allocate more funds to emergency services. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday voiced his support for revamping the state's newly implemented student assessment system. Full Story
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UPDATED: Looking to save Texas millions of Medicaid dollars, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard four hours of testimony on a proposed redesign of long-term care services for disabled Texans. Full Story
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At last Friday's Hot Seat conversation at Baylor University, state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, and state Reps. Charles "Doc" Anderson, R-Waco, and Kyle Kacal, R-College Station, talked about public ed, health care and other issues in play in the 83rd session. Full Story
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Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act appears to be in danger of being overturned, according to various news outlets covering oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday. Full Story
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At a news conference leading up to Wednesday’s oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court, some Democratic lawmakers said the issue at hand — whether to uphold Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act — deals with a statute that has helped propel minorities to more equal ground in a state with a history of racial discrimination. Full Story
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In this edition of the Newsreel: The Texas budget battle is finally under way (quietly), Medicaid expansion may be taking shape and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst tells the regents of the University of Texas System to lay off the administration at UT-Austin. Full Story
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Full video of Julián Aguilar's February 21 TribLive conversation about the impact of demographic change on public policy with state Reps. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, and Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock. Full Story
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