The latest Texas Senate news from The Texas Tribune.
The upcoming face-off between state Sen. Carlos Uresti of San Antonio and Helen Madla, the widow of the senator Uresti defeated in 2006, flips the script on a storied battle between two prominent San Antonio families. Full Story
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Full video of our 2/4 conversation with state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Texas Senate in District 26. Full Story
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Senate Republicans unanimously selected state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, as the next chairman of their caucus at a meeting of the group Tuesday night. Full Story
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It remains a daunting political reality in Texas. While women make up more than half the state, they are underrepresented in the halls of power, and it appears the 2016 elections will do little to change that. Full Story
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During the 2015 legislative session, the Tribune kept you updated daily on the various policy debates and legislative votes at the Texas Capitol. Use our Texas Legislative Guide to see that coverage, discover the fate of every bill and learn even more about the session. Full Story
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In August, we featured 31 ways in which Texans' lives would change starting Sept. 1, when many bills passed by the Legislature — including the budget — took effect. Take a look back at our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday announced the appointment of conservative firebrand Allen West, a former Florida congressman and prominent Fox News contributor, to the state's Sunset Commission. Full Story
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Now that the political candidates have filed, some of the races in the 2016 election cycle have come to an end. It's not that the elections are over, but 75 federal and state lawmakers don't have any major-party opponents. Full Story
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The candidates for the 2016 elections have filed their papers, and the ballots have some familiar names. There are perennial candidates, former officeholders who want their own jobs back and candidates with the same names as their opponents. Full Story
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When political districts are based on population, each official represents the same number of people. If the lines were based instead on voting-age populations, their districts could have large variations in the numbers of people — voters plus nonvoters — they represent and serve. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus issued more than 150 interim charges Wednesday, directing committees to study issues such as the effectiveness of border security operations and the impact of the plummeting cost of oil on the local economy. Full Story
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During the keynote sessions of the 2015 Texas Tribune Festival, we featured one-on-one conversations with Dan Patrick, Joe Straus, Nancy Pelosi and Julián Castro. You can watch those interviews and videos of our other keynote sessions here. Full Story
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The State Keynote track at the 2015 Texas Tribune Festival included interviews with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, as well as a pair of panel discussions focused on the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Here's full video of our conversation with Texas House Speaker Joe Straus on Oct. 17 at the 2015 Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
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Here's video of our "Really, How Conservative Was the 84th Session?" panel from Oct. 17 at The 2015 Texas Tribune Festival. Panelists included State Sens. Paul Bettencourt and Konni Burton and state Reps. Stephanie Klick, Matt Rinaldi and Jonathan Stickland. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick unapologetically stuck to his guns in an on-stage interview Friday evening — and his religious views, and the Legislature’s conservative budget and the state’s reluctance to embrace Medicaid expansion and the federal health care law. Full Story
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Here's full video of my conversation Friday with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick at The Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
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Following a legislative session in which lawmakers debated whether to cut property taxes, business taxes, sales taxes or a combination of the three, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick signaled an interest Wednesday in continuing the conversation. Full Story
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Legislation that would have blocked public employees from paying union or association dues with paycheck deductions failed last session. But the Senate is reopening the issue, and it could play against a powerful House chairman up for reelection next year. Full Story
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State leaders are sending a signal that lawmakers are going to continue walking the margins between church and state, and religion and politics, through another election and legislative cycle. Full Story
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