The latest Dan Patrick news from The Texas Tribune.
Immediately after wrapping up the legislative session Monday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that he would never run against Greg Abbott for governor. "This will be my last position," the lieutenant governor said. Full Story
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The 84th Legislative Session is wrapping up today. Here's a selection of what journalists, lawmakers and others shared on social media, along with the Tribune's on-the-ground reporting. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers started the legislative session without a list of big problems to solve or election mandates to fulfill. And they are ending it without the kinds of results that fill the history books. Full Story
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The state’s constitutional spending cap will remain untouched this session, and House and Senate leaders are blaming each other for the lack of action on the arcane but politically important measure. Full Story
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The $209.4 billion budget sent to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk includes hundreds of concessions made by the House and Senate. Yet on most of the high-profile disputes, the Senate won out. Full Story
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The Dallas Morning News takes a detailed look at the evolution of the deal on tax cuts this session and finds that at a few critical junctures, the deal almost derailed entirely. Full Story
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State Sen. José Rodríguez said Thursday that if the opportunity arises, he plans to filibuster a bill allowing the open carry of handguns in Texas. Full Story
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Legislation pushed by a politically connected company would increase unemployment taxes for Texas employers. Proponents say it would help outsourcing companies avoid "double taxation." Critics say it's a special interest perk. Full Story
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Four large donors to the nonprofit currently documenting Texas lawmakers this session are well-known backers of conservative causes. Full Story
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The House and Senate negotiations over a tax cut deal have narrowed to a single sticking point: when a proposed property tax cut should go into effect. Full Story
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When the Texas Senate changed requirements on bringing legislation up for debate, Democrats said a process intended to encourage compromise would suffer. Several bills have been unblocked, but the conservative steamroller that Democrats feared hasn't emerged. Full Story
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Lawmakers are quick to say that the incident that left nine biker gang members dead wasn't relevant to the discussion of open carry despite some committee witnesses who attempted to draw a connection. Full Story
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At our 5/13 conversation, state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, talked about his relationship with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — and the prospect of compromise with the Senate on taxes. Full Story
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Full video of my 5/13 conversation with state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Full Story
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The nonprofit group that has been secretly videotaping legislators this session has drawn the scrutiny of the Texas Rangers, the Houston Chronicle reports. Full Story
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The news organization Breitbart Texas confirmed that it has received footage of lawmakers shot by a nonprofit tied to conservative causes, but it has no plans to release any of it before the end of the legislative session in three weeks. Full Story
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After surviving Tea Party-backed opposition in the House, the early education bill that Gov. Greg Abbott has called his top priority this session could face its final test in the Texas Senate as early as Thursday. Full Story
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The Legislature's two chambers are still not on the same page when it comes to figuring out how to extend tax relief. The prognosis on whether they find room to compromise varies as well. Full Story
You can slow down or even kill a piece of legislation with a single word or phrase, if it's poisonous enough. Full Story
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The decision earlier this week by Gov. Greg Abbott to get involved in the controversy over a planned military exercise taking place across several Southwestern states continues to draw comment. Full Story
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