Guest Column: When Mob Rule Overwhelmed Democracy
The "gallery filibuster" last Tuesday — when loud demonstrations made it impossible for senators to vote on anti-abortion legislation — wasn't democracy in action. It was mob rule. Full Story
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How Activists Yelled an Abortion Bill to Death
When efforts by state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, and other Senate Democrats to run out the clock on an abortion bill fell short, protesters made enough noise to grind the Senate chamber to a halt. Full Story
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![Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, cheering with activists to disrupt the last minutes of the vote on Senate Bill 5.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond -
For Dewhurst, a Critical Failure With a Large Audience
The state's lieutenant governor was hoping the special session would revive his support among conservatives. It might have done exactly the opposite. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst ends the 83rd regular session an announces a special session to begin at 6:00PM on May 27, 2013.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Guest Column: What Really Happened With the State Budget
When a fellow senator voted against the state budget because certain programs weren't funded, he forgot to mention that he was directly responsible for those funding decisions. Full Story
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TribLive: How'd the Senate Do?
Here's full video of my May 30 TribLive conversation debriefing the 83rd Legislature with state Sens. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Kirk Watson, D-Austin. Full Story
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TribLive: Patrick and Watson on Public Education
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Kirk Watson, D-Austin, talked about the 83rd Legislature's approach to public education reform. Full Story
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TribLive: Patrick and Watson on the Budget
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Kirk Watson, D-Austin, explained their different votes on the state budget. Full Story
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Redistricting Lawyers: Keep the Senate Maps for 2014
UPDATED: At a federal redistricting hearing in San Antonio, lawyers for the state and the various plaintiffs agreed that the state Senate maps used in 2012 should be left as is for the 2014 elections. But they still differ on the House and Congress plans. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Muliadi Soenaryo/Todd Wiseman -
Perry Hails Water Bill, is Evasive on His Future
Gov. Rick Perry signed a major water infrastructure bill into law on May 28. Speaking to reporters afterward, he remained coy about his political future and wouldn't say if he will add any items to the special session agenda. Full Story
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![Texas Governor Rick Perry ceremonially signed House Bill 4, which lays the foundation for Texas' future water needs. He is joined by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Speaker Joe Straus, Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland and Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay on May 28, 2013]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
This Session, Lawmakers Put Down Their Swords
If Texas’ less-than-theatrical 83rd legislative session is remembered at all, it will be known for accords, not discord. Here's a look at top storylines from this session and what they could portend for the future. Full Story
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News App: Tracking the Status of House and Senate Bills
The deadline for bills to win approval from the House and the Senate passed earlier this week, resulting in the death of a lot of legislation. Most of what remains is to reconcile differences between versions of legislation passed by both chambers. Our updated bill apps — one for House bills and one for Senate legislation — detail the results. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Dewhurst's Run to the Right Falls Short
David Dewhurst, the state's lieutenant governor for the past decade, started this legislative session looking for some momentous conservative victories. He's still looking. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Budget Agreement Leaves About $8 Billion in Fund
The budget deal that took a step closer to passage Wednesday evening would spend $3.9 billion from the state's Rainy Day Fund. That would leave more in the fund than many lawmakers or Gov. Rick Perry had earlier proposed. Full Story
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For 83rd Lege, More Civility Than Drama
Texas lawmakers have 10 days left in the regular session. They haven't embarrassed themselves, spent much time in bitter fights or generated the sorts of headlines that have made voters think so little of Washington. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol on the opening day of the 83rd legislative session, Jan. 8, 2013.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Guest Column: An Early Look at Legislative Partisanship
A political scientist's analysis of Texas legislators' votes through April, and where those votes locate lawmakers on the partisan scale. Spoiler alert: The Republicans and the Democrats don't overlap much. Full Story
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Credit: Tommy LaVergne of Rice University -
Senate's High School Graduation Measure Differs From House Plan
The Senate version of House Bill 5, which it approved Monday, still allows students to complete diplomas in specialized areas, or "endorsements." But it changes the courses required to graduate under those endorsements. Full Story
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![Sen. Dan Patrick R-Houston, speaks during budget bill SB1 discussion on March 20th, 2013]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Love-Hate Relationship With Transparency
One Texan's transparency is another’s right to privacy, and people in politics generally find it easier to demand openness than to provide it. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
A Rumor of Peace
It’s a little funny to talk to people at the Capitol who have been steeled in a culture of political warfare about the outbreak of peace. Many differences remain, but those blood veins that were sticking out on everyone’s foreheads and necks in 2009 and 2011 have smoothed out. For the moment, Texas civics is downright civil. Full Story
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![January 14th, 2013: Senator John Whitmire D-Houston smiles as fellow Senators praise his 40 years in the Texas legislature]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
TribLive: A Conversation About the Texas Senate
Full video of my 4/11 TribLive conversation with state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. Full Story
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TribLive: Three Senators on the Latino Vote
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, weighed in on outreach to Latino voters. Full Story
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