A Senate bill that arrived in the House less than two weeks ago would let Republicans put the hurt on unions and on Democrats, if it can move through the legislative gauntlet this late in the legislative session.
84th Legislative Session
Posted in
State Government
Senate Wants Property Tax Cut This Year; House Wants to Delay It
The House and Senate negotiations over a tax cut deal have narrowed to a single sticking point: when a proposed property tax cut should go into effect.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
House Backs Senate Bill Making Execution Drug Providers Secret
Legislation that would keep the names of execution drug providers secret is headed to the governor’s office after the Texas House gave final approval on Tuesday to a Senate measure.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Campus Carry Faces Last Hurdle in Legislature
With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, the Texas House is all that is keeping a stalled measure requiring public universities and colleges to allow concealed handguns on their campuses from reaching the governor’s desk.
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State Government
Senate’s Procedural Change Has an Impact, but Not a Dramatic One
When the Texas Senate changed requirements on bringing legislation up for debate, Democrats said a process intended to encourage compromise would suffer. Several bills have been unblocked, but the conservative steamroller that Democrats feared hasn’t emerged.
Posted inState Government
Officials Dispute Stickland’s Claim That Investigation is Over
Two officials involved in an investigation into whether state Rep. Jonathan Stickland improperly registered witnesses to testify on a bill banning red light cameras disputed Stickland’s claims Monday that he has been cleared of wrongdoing.
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Health care
Cannabis Oil Approved for Epilepsy Patients
Epilepsy patients in Texas suffering from seizures could get prescriptions for medicinal oils containing a non-euphoric, therapeutic component found in marijuana under a bill tentatively approved by the state House on Monday.
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State Government
Budgetline: Numbers Aren’t Everything
In this episode of Budgetline, Aman and Ross explore riders — descriptive items in the state budget meant to direct agencies how to spend state money. Often, they’re a place where budget writers sneak policy and legislative instructions into state law.
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State Government
Trojan Horse Resolution Draws Abbott’s First Veto
In his first veto, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday killed a seemingly routine resolution honoring mental health workers after finding a surprise hiding in the text.
Posted in
State Government
Analysis: Ethics Reform Placed at Center Stage, but Hurting for Attention
In February, Gov. Greg Abbott asked lawmakers to dedicate this legislative session to ethics reform. With only two weeks left, he’s still waiting.