The latest Texas Senate news from The Texas Tribune.
If a set of bills filed by Sens. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, and Royce West, D-Dallas, passes this session, consumers who take out short-term, high-interest loans could be protected from exorbitant interest rate charges. Full Story
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No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Full Story
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Triblive: Evan Smith interviews Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams. Full Story
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Nothing scares the good men and women of state agencies more than one word: Sunset. But where did the Sunset Commission get its name? Full Story
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This week, lawmakers from two senate committees called the power players in the electricity industry to Austin to grill them about the rolling blackouts on Feb. 2. As it turns out, many of those executives and their companies' PACs have contributed thousands to the senators who were questioning them. Full Story
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Abortion sonogram legislation passed the Senate 21 to 10, and is moving to the House, where the overwhelming Republican majority is expected to pass it. Here's a look at the floor debate. Full Story
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Abortion sonogram legislation passed the Senate 21 to 10, and is moving to the House, where the overwhelming Republican majority is expected to pass it. Here's a look at the floor debate. Full Story
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Would you recognize state Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, if he passed you on the street? Could you pick state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, out of a lineup? How well do you know the faces of other Texas elected officials? Test your knowledge by playing this simple, addictive game. Full Story
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The big power companies in Texas on the hot seat during a Senate hearing about this month's rolling blackouts have donated more than $400,000 since 2000 to members of the two committees asking questions. The donations are part of nearly $4 million in campaign money the companies and their employees have spent on political candidates during that time. Full Story
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Cries of "Texas fight" and "It's 8:45, and we're still underfunded" rang across a crowd of nearly 100 students, who marched to the Capitol this morning to rally for adequate funding for the University of Texas. Full Story
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Under the proposed legislation, teens caught "sexting" could face up to a Class A Misdemeanor. Parents could also face penalties. Full Story
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State Comptroller Susan Combs may test that question. She is considering a run for lieutenant governor in 2014. Full Story
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The Senate Finance Committee heard public testimony today on proposed cuts to health and human services. Full Story
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The lieutenant governor believes he knows how to save Texas money and improve patient care by overhauling how doctors and hospitals are paid: with carrots, not sticks. In an interview with the Tribune, he talks about what he sees as the root of the health care crisis, and his proposed solutions. Full Story
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No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Take a look back at the top political news from Jan. 24 to Jan. 28. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst appointed senators to committees late this afternoon Full Story
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The voter ID legislation passed by the Texas Senate on Wednesday night may be controversial, but it’s a familiar debate, as is the issue of “sanctuary cities.” Less well known but no less controversial are many of the provisions found in more than three dozen immigration-related bills filed so far. Some Hispanic Republicans in the Texas House say they are not going to support bills they believe are too extreme. Full Story
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Watch our abbreviated version of the daylong Senate debate, the dismissal of three dozen amendments and the ultimate passage of Senate Bill 14, a.k.a. the voter ID bill. The measure's now headed to the House. Full Story
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As expected, the Texas Senate approved the controversial voter ID bill on Wednesday. Next, the measure will move to the Republican-dominated House, where it is also expected to pass easily. Full Story
Legislation has to go through committees before the entire House or Senate can have a look. It's a way of dividing up the work and getting things straightened out as much as possible before they get the full treatment from the Legislature. But there's a pecking order involved. And that's when the COW gets called in. Full Story