Tribune readers, wondering what was personally at stake for the state’s education policy makers, asked us to check where lawmakers send their children to school. We obliged, and posed that question to all 181 members of the Legislature and 15 members of the State Board of Education.
82nd Legislative Session
Posted in
State Government
Election Contest Committee Sides With Howard
The House Election Contest Committee unanimously voted today to uphold Rep. Will Hartnett’s determination that Donna Howard won the long-disputed HD-48 seat.
Posted in
State Government
Voter ID to Hit House Next Week
The House Calendars Committee voted this evening to place the voter ID bill, SB 14, on the schedule for Monday.
Posted in
State Government
Ban Synthetic Drugs, Lawmakers Say
Synthetic drugs and hallucinogenic plants shouldn’t stand a chance in Texas, lawmakers on the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee said today, as they considered a set of bills that would ban the substances.
Posted in
State Government
Appropriations Votes to Spend $3.1 Billion From Rainy Day Fund
Late Tuesday afternoon, the House Appropriations Committee voted 27-0 to move HB 275 to the floor. The substitute bill authorizes the state to draw down about $3.1 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.
Posted in
Demographics
GOP Lawmakers Call for Reform, Guest-Worker Program
Calling on Washington to fix the country’s “discriminatory” immigration system, Hispanic Republicans in the Texas Legislature also fired off the first salvos in what could be a divisive battle within the party over immigration legislation.
Posted in
Public Education
Update: Protesters Gather Against Paddling
Some small school districts in Texas still paddle poorly behaving students, and protesters at the Capitol today said they want the swatting to stop.
Posted in
Public Education
Slideshow: Fighting for Public Education Funding
The past few days have seen thousands of students, educators and parents at the Texas Capitol to protest the budget cuts they say will do long-term harm to Texas students. Here are some images of the action.
Posted in
State Government
Lacking Governor’s OK, Pitts Adjourns Rainy Day Fund Hearing
House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, thought he had a deal with Gov. Rick Perry and his staff to tap the Rainy Day Fund to close the current biennium shortfall. But with no public support from the governor’s office, Pitts adjourned his hearing.
Posted in
State Government
Bills Would Consolidate State Agencies to Cut Cost
In an effort to cut administrative costs, state Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, filed a group of bills last week that would eliminate four state agencies.
