State Rep. Dennis Bonnen said there weren’t the votes on the House Ways and Means Committee to pass Senate Bill 2 if it had new election requirements for tax rates local governments set.
85th Legislative Session
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Public Education
After impassioned speech, Giddings hopeful school lunch bill can still pass
State Rep. Helen Giddings, D-DeSoto, isn’t giving up hope on passing a bill that she said would help starving school kids, despite some lawmakers killing its consideration earlier in the week.
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State Government
Tears and shouting on Texas House floor as Freedom Caucus delays bills to death
The deep fractures in the Texas House GOP were on full display Thursday evening as lawmakers faced down a midnight deadline to pass bills out of the chamber.
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Blocked Out
A lawmaker might have just lost his fight to address West Dallas gentrification
State Rep. Eric Johnson’s bill aimed at providing relief for the epicenter of Dallas’ affordable housing crisis is among legislation expected to be blocked from a House vote on Friday. That would likely kill his bill.
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State Government
Signing “sanctuary” jurisdiction ban tops the week in Texas politics
A spokesman for Gov. Greg Abbott said they opted to sign Senate Bill 4 into law on Facebook to maximize the audience. Abbott’s move kicked off a drama-filled week in the Texas House where lawmakers debated vaccine requirements for foster kids.
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Politics
Analysis: The eyes of Texas reveal a legislative opening for social conservatives
In a legislative process where so many issues die quietly in committees and parliamentary actions, making politicians attach their names to their positions can be a powerful thing. The “sanctuary cities” bill tested that theory.
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State Government
Powerful Abbott appointee’s lobbying sparks blowback in Legislature
In an ironic twist for Gov. Greg Abbott, who has made ethics reform an urgent political priority, the Texas House is taking aim at what critics call a “pay to play” culture among his appointees.
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Politics
Everything you need to know about voting in Texas
What the Legislature is doing to fix Texas’ controversial photo ID law — and what that means for the 2018 primaries.
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Public Education
Senate panel tacks “school choice” provision onto education finance bill
A Senate committee passed the House’s major school finance reform bill, after adding a controversial provision subsidizing private school tuition for special needs students — a move unlikely to go over well in the House.
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State Government
Texas Senate unsticks proposals to plug public records “loopholes”
With looming deadlines threatening to kill a slew of bills aiming to bolster access to public records in Texas, Sen. Kirk Watson muscled them closer to the governor’s desk — all at once.
