Texas Legislature

Dewhurst Tears Up the Seating Chart

By Ross Ramsey Oct. 19, 2012

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, fresh off a stinging loss to Ted Cruz in the race for the GOP nomination to the U.S. Senate, reshuffled the Senate committee chairs. Full Story

Credit: Michael Stravato
TribLive: The Future of Medicare

By Evan Smith Oct. 17, 2012

Full video of my Monday conversation about the future of Medicare with state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, Anne Dunkelberg of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, John Goodman of the National Center for Policy Analysis and Leo Linbeck III of the Health Care Compact Alliance. Full Story
Guest Column: A More Conservative Texas Senate

By Mark P. Jones Oct. 17, 2012

Four new senators are coming from the Texas House, where their voting records can be analyzed. Compared to the people they're replacing, they're more conservative. Full Story

Credit: Tommy LaVergne of Rice University
To Hold a Senate Seat, Democrats Must Vote for the Dearly Departed

By Ross Ramsey Oct. 17, 2012

It's a cringe-inducing moment in politics: To keep his seat in the Democrats' column, voters in Houston will have to cast one last vote for the late state Sen. Mario Gallegos Jr. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
State Sen. Mario Gallegos Jr. Dies at Age 62

By Nick Swartsell Oct. 16, 2012

State Sen. Mario Gallegos Jr., D-Houston, who served in the Legislature for more than 20 years, has died at the age of 62. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
TribLive: A Conversation with Three House Hopefuls

By Evan Smith Oct. 12, 2012

Full video of my TribLive conversation with three Texas House hopefuls: Republicans Stephanie Klick and Chris Paddie and Democrat Justin Rodriguez. Full Story
With Tea Party Support, East Texas Republican Takes On House Speaker

By Brandi Grissom Oct. 12, 2012

State Rep. Bryan Hughes is a fiscal and social conservative who has become a Tea Party favorite in his effort to replace House Speaker Joe Straus. But the East Texan has one trait that is very un-Republican: He's a trial lawyer. Full Story

Credit: Laura Buckman
TribLive: New State Reps. on Speaker Politics

By Evan Smith Oct. 11, 2012

At this morning's TribLive conversation, presumptive incoming state Reps. Stephanie Klick, Chris Paddie and Justin Rodriguez were asked if they were prepared to sign pledge cards for Speaker Joe Straus or his challenger, state Rep. Bryan Hughes. Full Story
Bobby Guerra: The TT Interview

By Audrey White Oct. 9, 2012

The new state representative for the Rio Grande Valley's House District 41 on his unusual path to office, what he hopes to accomplish before his re-election bid in November and how he's approaching the general election. Full Story
Providers Seek More State Funds for Homeless Services

By Audrey White Oct. 8, 2012

Leaders of homeless service programs on Monday addressed a joint hearing of a House appropriations subcommittee and the Urban Affairs Committee, saying any funding cuts would hinder their ability to provide services. Full Story

Credit: Emiliano Spada
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Debates and Committee Assignments

By Justin Dehn Oct. 6, 2012

This week in the Newsreel, we look at the two debates held this week and check out Senate committee assignments. Full Story
TribLive: A Conversation with Greg Abbott

By Evan Smith Oct. 5, 2012

At Thursday's TribLive conversation, I talked with Attorney General Greg Abbott about voter ID, redistricting, the cost of suing the feds 24 times and whether he's going to run for governor. Full Story
Primary's Shadow Lingers Amid Shuffling of Chairs

By Aman Batheja Oct. 5, 2012

After a crushing loss in his bid for U.S. Senate, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's influence in next year's legislative session remains a question mark. Thursday's committee assignments may reflect efforts to appease some critics. Full Story

Credit: Eric Kayne
Dewhurst Shuffles Senate Committee Chairs

By Reeve Hamilton and Morgan Smith Oct. 4, 2012

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Thursday appointed state Sen. Dan Patrick as chairman of the education committee. He also replaced state Sen. Judith Zaffirini with state Sen. Kel Seliger as chair of the higher education committee. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Inside Intelligence: About Those Money-Makers...

By Ross Ramsey Oct. 2, 2012

For this week's nonscientific survey of government and political insiders, we asked about tax reform, swapping local property taxes for something else, and whether voters and legislators are on the same page on casinos. Full Story
Davis' Legal Work At Issue in Senate Race

By Aman Batheja Sept. 28, 2012

In state Sen. Wendy Davis' hotly contested bid for re-election, her legal practice — and, in particular, her closely held list of government and quasi-public clients — is drawing heat from her Republican opponent, state Rep. Mark Shelton. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
TribuneFest: A Conversation with Four Superintendents

By Evan Smith Sept. 28, 2012

At the unofficial kickoff of the 2012 Texas Tribune Festival, I talked with the superintendents of the Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Houston and Northwest school districts about the state of public education. Full Story
In State Politics, Outsiders Become Insiders in January

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 28, 2012

Getting elected takes a particular set of skills, governing another. And some members of the incoming freshman legislative class have no experience running things. Full Story

Credit: Elise Hu
Liveblog: Speaker Straus at the Texas Tribune Festival

By Emily Ramshaw Sept. 23, 2012

We're liveblogging this weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival, and from this special morning session with Texas House Speaker Joe Straus. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Paul Sadler, Committees, Dancing

By Justin Dehn Sept. 22, 2012

This week in the Newsreel: Paul Sadler tries to get the word out about his campaign for U.S. Senate, state senators (and others) wait for committee assignments, and Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright resigns. And there's some dancing. Full Story