The Brief: May 7, 2015
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
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
The Brief: May 6, 2015
News broke Tuesday afternoon of plans by an activist group to release videos this summer of state lawmakers that purportedly capture "a whole variety of bad behavior" but that lawmakers said was harassment. Full Story
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![Empty Texas House seat with paperwork, May 1, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas to Sue Feds Over "Clean Power Plan"
Attorney General Ken Paxton says he plans to sue the Obama administration over the proposed “Clean Power Plan,” its sweeping plan to combat climate change by slashing carbon emissions from power plants. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the grand opening of the Texas Public Policy Foundation's new Austin building on April 21, 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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2 Attorneys Appointed to Replace Collin County DA in Paxton Probe
Two Houston attorneys have been appointed to replace Collin District Attorney Greg Willis as the Texas Rangers look into his friend and business partner Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the grand opening of the Texas Public Policy Foundation's new Austin building on April 21, 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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Collin DA Asks to Step Aside in Paxton Probe
Amid public pressure to step aside, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis is looking to recuse himself from any potential prosecution of Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaking at the Texas Public Policy Foundation's opening of its new building on April 21, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: April 15, 2015
Discussion in a House committee Tuesday on a proposed change to the name of a state holiday honoring soldiers who fought for the Confederacy took on an extra dose of notoriety because of the identity of the main proponent of the change. Full Story
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![Student Jacob Hale listens to testimony on HB 1242 a Donna Howard-sponsored bill that would change the name of Confederate Heroes Day on April 14, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: April 10, 2015
The question of whether Attorney General Ken Paxton will be charged in connection with his failure to register with the State Securities Board while soliciting clients for investment firms could now rest in the hands of the Texas Rangers. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton, r, with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott during the press conference praising federal Judge Andrew S. Hanen's immigration ruling on Feb. 18, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Collin County DA Asks Texas Rangers to Look Into Paxton Case
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis has asked the Texas Rangers to look into Attorney General Ken Paxton's violation of state securities law, Willis' office said Thursday. Full Story
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![State Sen. Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee for attorney general, celebrated his GOP primary win with supporters on May 27, 2014.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman -
The Brief: April 9, 2015
Republicans leery of granting more eminent domain authority acted to fast-track to nowhere a proposed high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas. Full Story
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Analysis: Moving Integrity Unit Won't Curb Conflicts
Legislators frustrated and angry with public corruption prosecutions in Travis County want to move them somewhere else. But the problems are likely to tag along: It's always hard to prosecute the people who pay for the prosecutors. Full Story
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The Brief: March 31, 2015
A busy day is on tap as the state's two-year budget comes up for debate on the floor of the Texas House and a special election takes place to fill the last vacancy in that chamber. Full Story
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![Rep. John Otto R-Dayton, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, during Tribune Conversation event on February 12th, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: March 27, 2015
Agents with the FBI have spoken with Health and Human Services Commission about the troubled no-bid software contract with technology firm 21CT. Full Story
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![Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek whispers to an aide at a hearing of the Sunset Advisory Commission on Jan. 14, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Paxton: Court Blocks Rule Change Giving Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
A federal court has temporarily blocked a federal rule change that would give medical leave benefits to certain same-sex couples, according to an announcement Thursday from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Republican Leaders Vow to Continue Fight Against Gay Marriage
With the future of Texas’ constitutional ban on same-sex marriage uncertain, Republican leaders on Monday pledged to continue the state’s fight against allowing gay couples to wed. Full Story
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![Advocates gathered outside the Texas Capitol on March 23 to rally in support of the state's ban on same-sex marriage.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: March 19, 2015
Lawmakers late Wednesday afternoon signaled that they will tap the brakes on plans to consolidate the state's health and human services agencies. Full Story
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![State Rep. Four Price, R-Amarillo and Sen Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, at the final Sunset Advisory Commission meeting on Jan. 14, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Texas Sues Feds Over Benefits for Same-Sex Couples
The state of Texas is suing the Obama administration for giving medical leave benefits to certain same-sex couples, according to an announcement Wednesday from Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
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The Brief: March 2, 2015
The Tribune's Jay Root and Neena Satija filed a story over the weekend on the problem of deferred maintenance at state government buildings in multiple agencies. It makes for some grim reading. Full Story
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![The Texas School for the Deaf in Austin.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez, KUT News -
Paxton Asks Court to Void Marriage License of Gay Couple
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday asked the state Supreme Court to void a marriage license issued to two Austin women who became the first same-sex couple to legally wed in the state. Full Story
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![Sarah Goodfriend, second from left, and Suzanne Bryant, center, with their daughters (far left and far right) and Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir, second from right. DeBeauvoir issued Goodfriend and Bryant a marriage license on Feb. 19, 2015.]()
Credit: Joe Deshotel