Analysis: How Private Opinions Can Diverge From Public Votes
Tax cuts and politics ethics legislation have this in common: When lawmakers have to vote in public view, they're often forced to set aside their private opinions. Full Story
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The Brief: April 29, 2015
Gone are accusations of gamesmanship as lawmakers get to work finding common ground on the session's border security bill. Full Story
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![Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, speaks his concerns about law enforcement agencies working together on the border surge during a discussion at the Legislative Budget Board meeting on Dec. 1, 2014.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senate Strengthens and Passes Ethics Bill
The Senate voted in often odd coalitions to reveal more about the money members make, prohibit themselves from immediately becoming lobbyists, post their financial statements online and even subject themselves and other elected officials to drug testing. Full Story
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![State Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, at a Tribune event on Dec. 11, 2014.]()
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The Brief: April 28, 2015
The House is set to consider its tax relief package today as the impasse between its approach emphasizing a cut to the sales tax rate and the Senate's recipe that relies on a property tax reduction shows no sign of resolution. Full Story
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![Texas House Ways and Means Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, talks over amendments to border security legislation on March 1, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Health Agency Mergers Get House Look
The House Human Services Committee heard testimony Monday evening on a bill that would partially consolidate the state’s massive health and human services system. Full Story
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Video: Abbott Reports for Jury Duty
Gov. Greg Abbott answered a jury duty summons on Monday afternoon, reporting to the Travis County criminal court building in downtown Austin. After about two hours of waiting and chatting with fellow potential jurors, he learned he was not selected. Full Story
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Inside Texas Politics: Breakfast Blowup
On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics, host Jason Whitely, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy and Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey talk about last week's "breakfast blowup." Full Story
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![Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey talks to WFAA "Inside Texas Politics" host Jason Whitely on April 26, 2015.]()
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Analysis: Tax Cuts an Easy Way to Grade State Lawmakers' Work
The Texas Legislature has fewer than six weeks left in this session and thousands of bills to consider. But you can get a pretty good feel for how things are going by watching their efforts to cut taxes. Full Story
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![State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick at a budget press conference on Jan. 27, 2015.]()
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Grassroots Advisory Panel Creates Drama for Patrick
The panel of conservative activists that is advising Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is putting him in a tricky spot as he navigates leadership politics under the dome. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during inaugural parade up Congress Ave. on January 20th, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: April 23, 2015
The word of the day on Wednesday was tension, which infected the traditional weekly breakfast work meeting held by the state's top three leaders and later manifested itself on the House floor as members selected their budget negotiators. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus (left) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
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Legislative Tensions Peak at Leadership Breakfast
A weekly leadership breakfast went sour Wednesday as the state's top three officials complained to one another about legislative packages and the tensions between a House and Senate that have just weeks left to complete their work. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during Texas Public Policy Foundation's grand opening of new building on April 21st, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: April 22, 2015
A shift in the public debate over the relationship between oil and gas production and earthquakes happened Tuesday with a new study in Texas and a turnabout by the Oklahoma government on the issue. Full Story
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Patrick Advisers Blast Abbott's Pre-K Plans
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's grassroots advisers are blasting Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to enhance pre-kindergarten programs, a move sure to increase tension between the top two Republican leaders. Full Story
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![Newly sworn in, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick watch the inaugural parade up Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas on January 20, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: April 21, 2015
The House gave the OK on Monday to legislation overhauling the way public corruption cases are handled in the state, but not before criticism that the new mechanism creates "a new protected class" of elected officials. Full Story
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Ethics Legislation Headed to Senate Floor
A heavily watered-down ethics reform bill will soon be taken up by the full Senate. Lawmakers on Monday rejected an amendment that would have required legislators to publicly disclose their tax returns each year. Full Story
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Open Carry Wins Final Passage in House
Last-ditch efforts to let big cities opt out went nowhere, and the Texas House on Monday moved all Texans a step closer to the public carrying of handguns by license holders. Full Story
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With Hospital Funds in Question, Abbott Holds Firm On Medicaid
Following news that billions of federal dollars for hospitals could be in jeopardy if the state does not expand its public health insurance program to cover more low-income Texans, Gov. Greg Abbott reiterated his opposition to Medicaid expansion. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
The Brief: April 20, 2015
The federal government is putting new pressure on Texas to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, possibly pushing the issue to the front burner of a Legislature entering its final six weeks. Full Story
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Inside Texas Politics: The Finance Primary
On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics with host Shelly Slater, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy and Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey, talk turns to presidential hopefuls and fundraising in Texas. Full Story
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![Tribune Executive editor Ross Ramsey on WFAA's "Inside Texas Politics" on April 19, 2015.]()
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At Amazon Hub, Abbott Presses Legislative Agenda
Gov. Greg Abbott used a speech Friday at Amazon's massive new distribution center outside San Antonio to press his legislative agenda. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott tours Amazon's new distribution center Friday outside San Antonio. The hub in Schertz is one of three in Texas.]()
Credit: Patrick Svitek
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