Point of Order

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Rep. Donna Howard and state Sen. Kel Seliger about sniping and snark on the road to sine die. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Rep. Lyle Larson about his quixotic efforts to move his fellow Republicans to the center on issues like Medicaid expansion, local control and election law — to put the public good ahead of politics and partisanship, he says. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Land Commissioner George P. Bush about the state of the state and the issues in play as the 2021 session winds down — and about his rumored plans to challenge Ken Paxton in the GOP primary for Texas attorney general. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to former state Rep. Pete Gallego about his first year as the president of his alma mater, Sul Ross State University in Alpine, and the challenges and opportunities ahead for higher ed as the state comes out of the pandemic. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to LaTonya Goffney, the superintendent of Aldine Independent School District, about public education’s disrupted year — pivoting online, learning loss, budget woes, and what it will take to put the whole thing back together by fall. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Elena Marks, the president and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation, about long-shot efforts to expand Medicaid in the 2021 legislative session. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Imelda Garcia, the chair of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Panel, about what it takes to get needles in the arms of Texans — and how long it will really be before we’ve reached herd immunity. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Senate Transportation Chair Robert Nichols about Infrastructure Week and the challenges of getting people and goods from point to point in a fast-growing, rapidly urbanizing state. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Chris Turner and Carol Alvarado, the chairs of the Democratic Caucuses of the Texas House and Texas Senate, about a challenging year for their party. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Houston’s top cop, Art Acevedo, about why he’s leaving for Miami, police funding, constitutional carry, qualified immunity and what he really thinks of Greg Abbott and Sylvester Turner. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to former speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus about life as a civilian, what he’d do about repricing electricity, the conservative case for expanding Medicaid, why he didn’t vote for Donald Trump — twice — and whether he’ll run for something again. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo about Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to end coronavirus restrictions — including the mask mandate — as well other points of conflict and tension between cities, counties and the state. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Renu Khator, the president of the University of Houston, about a difficult 12 months of disruption and dislocation for the more than 47,000 students on her campus — and what state lawmakers can do to help. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to University of Texas at Austin professor Michael Webber about the state’s failure to prepare for a brutal winter storm, the fragile electric grid we depend on, and whether the future of energy is bright or bleak. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Rep. Trent Ashby about his bill to create a state broadband plan — a long-overdue effort to address our digital deficiency at a time when school, work and health care have all moved online. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Rep. Nicole Collier, chairwoman of the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, about the George Floyd Act, bail reform, marijuana, public safety funding and other items on the agenda in the 2021 session. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks with Dr. Peter Hotez, a virologist at Baylor College of Medicine, about mask mandates, vaccine availability, reopening schools and businesses, and the trajectory of the pandemic. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Sen. Larry Taylor, chair of the Senate Education Committee, about whether it’s possible to fully fund last session's school finance bill, learning loss, broadband access, the STAAR test and more. Full Story 

In this episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, recorded on Jan. 15, 2021, Evan Smith interviews 25-term state Rep. Senfronia Thompson about COVID-19, race, public ed and that whippersnapper Dade Phelan. Full Story 

In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks politics, policy, priorities and the pandemic with Dade Phelan, the presumptive speaker of the Texas House. Full Story