On this week’s edition of WFAA-TV’s Inside Texas Politics, talk turns to the final two weeks of the 84th Texas Legislature: Will lawmakers be able to get together, or will they be back for a special session?
84th Legislative Session
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Politics
A Slideshow of Day 122: A Texas House Marathon
With a crucial deadline looming at midnight May 14, the Texas House embarked on a 15-hour legislative day that alternated between drama, comedy and forced march. Photographer Bob Daemmrich chronicles the day’s waning hours.
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Politics
Analysis: Should We Take Judges Out of the Fundraising Business?
The U.S. Supreme Court says it’s okay for states to bar judges from raising their own campaign cash. A lot of judges (and lawyers, too) think that’s a pretty good idea that Texas might want to consider.
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State Government
Roundup: Bills, Deadlines and “Chubbing”
In the Roundup: The end of the week marked the death of scores of bills in the Texas House, including school finance reform legislation. Lawmakers were strategically long-winded when considering bills, leaving little time to take up legislation before a key deadline.
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Politics
Texas House Approves A-F School Ratings
After a heated late-night debate, a controversial plan to start assigning public schools A-through-F grades cleared the Texas House on Thursday.
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Politics
State Leaders Juggle Deals on Five Key Issues
Top state leaders were negotiating intensely — and optimistically — Thursday afternoon on a master settlement on tax cuts, restraints on local property tax increases, border security, prosecutions of state ethics cases and open carry of handguns.
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Politics
House Backs Bill Denying Pensions to Lawbreakers
Texas politicians convicted of major public corruption crimes would lose their lucrative pensions under a bill that the Texas House tentatively passed Thursday in a unanimous vote.
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Politics
With Midnight Deadline Looming, Democrats Drag Their Feet
Facing a midnight deadline in the House to take initial votes on that chamber’s bills, Democrats dragged their feet, working to delay a vote on a bill forbidding the use of state or local funds to issue same-sex marriage licenses.
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Public Education
Plan for School Finance Overhaul Dies in Texas House
A months-long effort to reform the problem-plagued school finance system came to an end Thursday as House Public Education Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock withdrew a bill proposing fixes less than an hour into a scheduled debate.
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Politics
For 84th #txlege, an Emoji’s Worth 140 Days
There are generic Texas-themed emoji on the way, but they won’t do the trick. What we really need — what you really want — are ones specially designed with the 84th Legislature in mind. Here are the 14 we came up with.