The fight over property tax rates is really about state leaders telling local officials how much their revenues can grow before voters get to step in.
Texas Legislature 2019
The 86th Legislature runs from Jan. 8 to May 27. From the state budget to health care to education policy — and the politics behind it all — we focus on what Texans need to know about the biennial legislative session.
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Texas Legislature 2019
After Texas’ second Supreme Court loss in a death penalty case, reform bill lands key GOP support
The chairs of two House committees signed on as joint authors of a bill that would set the method of determining if a capital murder defendant is intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for execution.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: Skirting the rules in the Texas Senate — but doing it by the book
Sometimes, the way around the established traditions of the Texas Senate is to be found in the least obvious place: the Senate’s own rulebook.
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How do Texas governments calculate your property taxes? Here’s a primer.
Several government entities — from appraisal districts to city councils — play independent roles that collectively determine how much money Texas landowners owe local governments each year.
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Texas Legislature 2019
After state leaders’ unified rollout, 2.5 percent rollback rate on property tax bill looks unlikely to stick
Weeks after state leaders trumpeted a consensus property tax reform proposal, few seem married to the bill’s pitch to cut the rollback rate to 2.5 percent.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas community colleges warn they may consider tuition hikes in the face of property tax reform
Property taxes are one of three main sources of revenue for community colleges. If growth in those taxes is limited, the colleges say they may have to look elsewhere for revenue.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas lawmakers look to the “cloud” for storing sensitive government data
In hopes of saving money on data storage, legislators are considering downsizing the state’s data centers and relying more on private tech companies.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: Need money for property tax cuts? Ask voters first
Texas legislators are filing more property tax bills — several of which would require approval from voters. Among other things, that could shift any blame for new taxes away from lawmakers.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Sen. Angela Paxton files bill that would allow her husband, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, to issue exemptions from securities regulations
Billed as a consumer-protection effort, the proposal would allow approved individuals to serve as investment advisers without registering with the state board — a felony under Texas law that Ken Paxton was charged with in 2015.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas’ school finance system is unpopular and complex. Here’s how it works.
Average Texans and lawmakers alike are going back to the basics on school finance, as the state Legislature prepares to tackle a longstanding challenge.