The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.
In papers filed in federal court today, officials who administer the state's elections said the April 3 primaries — agreed to by the Democratic and Republican parties and ordered by a panel of federal judges — create an impossible situation. Full Story
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The election experts in the room were a beehive of nonverbal communication. Their reaction was on their faces: “Is this a drill? They’re kidding, right?” Full Story
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For this week's nonscientific survey of governmental and political insiders, we asked about the mess with the Texas primaries — whether split primaries are a good idea and who might benefit. Full Story
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Texas Democrats and Republicans agreed to hold unified primary elections on April 3, avoiding the costs and confusion brought on by litigation over new political maps for congressional and legislative districts. Full Story
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Animal welfare activists are hoping for a renewed crackdown on illegal cockfighting now that laws passed last legislative session are in effect. Forcing the birds to fight was already illegal; now, it's also against the law to breed the birds or attend a fight. Full Story
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The attorney general is in the happy position of defending redistricting maps that benefit his allies and punish his foes — all in the name of official state business. Full Story
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When is a filing deadline not a filing deadline? When you don't have maps. Full Story
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If you can't hold congressional and legislative primaries on March 6 — because you don't have maps in time — what happens next? Full Story
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The state doesn't have maps for its congressional and legislative districts, throwing the date what was going to be a March 6 primary into question. It seemed like a good time to ask the insiders about this. Full Story
When will the elections be held? Sometime next year. The dates for the congressional and legislative elections won't be certain until maps have been approved. But candidates are filing, and endorsements haven't stopped. Full Story
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The warning from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was polite but firm: The U.S. Department of Justice will not stand idly by if it feels Texas intends to halt or reverse gains for minority voting rights. Full Story
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The Texas primary elections are still set — precariously — for March 6 but a panel of three federal judges extended the filing deadlines for candidates to Monday. Full Story
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has turned down Texas’ request to run a family planning program that excludes some providers — namely Planned Parenthood. But it approved Texas' request for a waiver to expand Medicaid managed care. Full Story
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One question has dominated education conversations in Texas since even before the 2011 legislative session and budget slashing began: How will public schools be affected? The answers are many and varied. Full Story
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After 20 years, Scott Hochberg is bailing out of the Texas Legislature. He’ll get back his nights and weekends. But he also won't be at the Capitol to help sort out education policy and financing. Full Story
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Forget everything. The candidate announcements, the relocations, the decisions not to run again, the who vs. who and the campaign finance. With a Friday night order, the U.S. Supreme Court turned Texas election season into chaos. Full Story
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In a late Friday afternoon order, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the use of court-drawn maps for legislative and congressional districts in Texas, telling the lawyers involved to be ready for oral arguments next month. Full Story
State Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, won't seek re-election. The seven-term legislator told her hometown paper, the Victoria Advocate, that the court-drawn redistricting maps made another run difficult. Full Story
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Redistricting is right where we left it last week — in the U.S. Supreme Court. Full Story
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So far, 26 members of the Texas House have said they won't seek reelection — 27 if you count Rep. Fred Brown, R-Bryan, who resigned after the legislative session. The list could grow by next Thursday, the deadline for filing for the 2012 elections. And four more incumbents will lose their elections next year — to four incumbents. Full Story
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