The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas lawmakers actually finished their redistricting work this year, drawing new maps for Congress, the Texas House and Senate, and for the State Board of Education. But the fight is just starting, and could last beyond next year’s elections. Full Story
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An amendment attached to SB 1 during the special session will require applicants for driver's licenses and other state-issued identification cards to produce government-issued documents affirming their legal status. Full Story
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Opposing legal teams presented arguments at the first courtroom hearing on Texas' new abortion sonogram law on Wednesday, and U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks said he hoped to rule by September on whether the measure could take effect. Full Story
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For the latest installment of our unscientific survey of political and policy insiders, we asked whether this will be the last special session, how many lawmakers will return for another term and what issues from the session will play in the elections next year. Full Story
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Michael Crosno is working on lowering the cost of higher education by applying pressure from the outside. He is not a policy wonk. He is a businessman who has built and sold a string of successful companies. His latest is called MyEdu. Full Story
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If Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst moves into another job — and he’s got two ways to do that — the 31 senators will elect one of their own to serve the rest of his four-year term. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry may or may not try to become the leader of what was once called the free world. In the meantime, he has cemented his reputation as one of the most powerful governors ever to walk the corridors of the Texas Capitol. Full Story
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Want a quick recap of some of the happenings this week in the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly video rundown of the action under the dome. Full Story
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Tan on how it all came out in the special session, Tan and Dehn on what the Tea Party folks thought of the results, Aguilar on Rick Perry's uneasy relationship with Latinos, Root on Perry's past positions on various controversies and how those would figure into a presidential race, Ramshaw on a $90 million health care mistake, yours truly on the candidates falling out of the race for the U.S. Senate, Hamilton's exit interview with former University of Texas advisor Rick O'Donnell, Grissom on Anthony Graves' payday, and Galbraith on the Texas drought's effect on hallowed athletic grounds: The best of our best content from June 27 to July 1, 2011. Full Story
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The Center for Reproductive Rights, a national abortion rights advocacy group, filed a motion Thursday in U.S. District Court to postpone implementation of Texas’ recently signed abortion sonogram bill. Full Story
Your afternoon reading: Rick Perry may or may not be running for president, but he definitely had back surgery today. Also, his security detail may not have to disclose their travel records after all. Full Story
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CNN is anticipating another redistricting showdown in Texas. The Mexican American Legislative Caucus, led by state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, is preparing for a court battle over the newly-passed congressional map. Full Story
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Since most Texas counties have fireworks bans in effect this July 4 weekend, what better way to celebrate than recalling the legislative fireworks of recent weeks and imagining those still to come on the campaign trail? Full Story
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Tea Partiers thought this session was their time to shine, after helping to elect and elevate the GOP to supermajority status in the state House. As The Texas Tribune's Thanh Tan reports, they're disappointed some of their pet issues were not resolved. Full Story
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You can let your children out of the storm cellar — the Texas Legislature has gone home. Better still, our insiders don't think lawmakers will be back in session before January 2013, when the 83rd Legislature will convene. Full Story
Though university officials around the state were hoping that the special session might open the door for the issuance of bonds for campus construction projects, that opportunity never developed in a significant way. Full Story
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Call it the biggest consolation prize in recent history of the state legislature. Democrats, outnumbered in both chambers, actually won the battle over immigration after losing out to the Republican supermajority on abortion and Voter ID legislation and deep cuts to public services, mainly health care and education. Full Story
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Lawmakers have officially made their exit from the Pink Building, leaving two bills that will bring major changes to Texas school districts awaiting the governor's signature. Lawmakers, meanwhile, are wondering whether and how the two measures will play in next year's elections. Full Story
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Maybe it's our imagination, but everyone seemed to leave town in a hurry. Full Story
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State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, talked Wednesday about the tough battle Democrats waged this session, why she believes the budget outcome is not the success portrayed by the GOP and how this session may affect the next. Full Story
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