The latest Charles Perry news from The Texas Tribune.
Crime labs repeatedly told lawmakers and budget officials that they couldn't distinguish between hemp and marijuana without new testing resources. The issue got almost no attention. Full Story
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The new law changed the definition of marijuana, and prosecutors and crime labs say they don't have the resources to test if a substance is legal hemp or marijuana. Full Story
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With the damage from Hurricane Harvey in mind, lawmakers approved two bills aimed at better preparing the state for natural disasters. Full Story
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The Senate Committee on Water and Rural Affairs took public testimony on a bill that would strengthen state oversight of above-ground tanks that hold hazardous hydrocarbons. Full Story
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The groups are targeting two priority bills in the Texas Senate. Full Story
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State Sen. Charles Perry, chairman of the Senate Committee on Water and Rural Affairs, has a package of bills that could create Texas' first statewide flood plan. He says coastal Texans aren't the only ones at risk of property loss. Full Story
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Under Texas law, landlords cannot be punished for discriminating against families with federal housing vouchers. The impact is clear in Houston, where one in four families who receive housing assistance never gets to use it. Full Story
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The Senate gave early approval to a measure Tuesday night that would require physicians to take certain steps before issuing do-not-resuscitate orders to patients. Full Story
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A lawsuit in federal court charges that Senate Bill 4, if enacted, would violate several provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Full Story
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Facing sky-high electricity rates, several West Texas churches hope lawmakers will answer their calls for relief in the final days of the Legislative session, but the odds look slim. Full Story
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In a March 3 meeting with a constituent, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller suggested that his agency could change the label on a hog poison to eliminate important warnings and a requirement to bury the carcasses of poisoned animals, which he said simply wasn't "doable." Full Story
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The Texas Senate on Wednesday voted to send to Gov. Greg Abbott a bill that would ban "sanctuary" jurisdictions in Texas and allow police to inquire about the immigration status of people they lawfully detain. Full Story
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The Texas Senate took up its first two bills of the session on Tuesday: a wide-ranging ethics reform measure and a bill to punish local cities, counties and college campuses that act as sanctuary jurisdictions. Full Story
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After hearing more than 16 hours of testimony, the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee voted 7-2 along party lines early Friday morning to advance a bill that would punish local government entities and college campuses that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials or enforce immigration laws. Full Story
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The Senate State Affairs committee meets Thursday beginning at 8:30 a.m., CST, to hear state Sen. Charles Perry's bill banning sanctuary cities and sanctuary college campuses in Texas. Hundreds are expected to testify. Full Story
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Only one committee received a new committee chair in the Texas Senate. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, will chair the Senate Administration Committee. Full Story
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Bills targeting "sanctuary cities" failed to pass the Texas Legislature in 2011 and 2015, but similar efforts this session have better chances of making it to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Full Story
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On the same day that Texas House Republicans doubled down on border security efforts and announced plans to send an invoice to the federal government, Senate Democrats said they were committed to fighting bills to eliminate sanctuary cities. Full Story
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On 1/26, I talked about the future of higher education in Texas with Robert Duncan, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System; Juliet Garcia, the former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville; state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock; and Wynn Rosser, president and CEO of the Greater Texas Foundation. Full Story
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Some are waiting to see what the courts will do. Others want to see if any opponents surface. Regardless, with six days to go until the filing deadline, how many incumbents haven't filed yet? A whole bunch. Full Story
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