Texas senators voted 19-10 on Wednesday afternoon to require women to pay a separate premium if they want their health plan to cover an elective abortion.
85th Legislative Session
Posted in
Demographics
Texas poised to maintain most of its border funding for Trump’s first years
Despite the Trump administration’s early moves to ramp up detentions and deportations and build a border wall, Texas budget writers don’t appear likely to significantly dial back funding for state-based border security operations this year.
Posted inState Government
Texas Senate accounting maneuver finds $2.5B in budget; Straus calls it “cooking the books”
By delaying a diversion of sales tax money for transportation projects, Texas Senate leaders said they had an additional $2.5 billion to spend on needs such as health care and schools.
Posted in
Public Education
Analysis: Can Abbott assemble an army for this session’s pre-K fight?
Gov. Greg Abbott has hit tough sledding with his call for more spending on early education in Texas. Lawmakers aren’t warm to the idea, to say the least, and the governor hasn’t assembled an army of supporters to back up his position.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas senators weigh bills that would limit college tuition growth
The Senate Higher Education Committee on Wednesday considered several bills related to limiting tuition increases.
Posted in
Public Education
School choice bill proponents, foes debate what’s best for families
Tuesday’s Senate Education Committee debate on private school subsidies lasted more than seven hours and saw experts on both sides arguing they knew best how to educate black and Latino Texas students.
Posted in
Public Education
School leaders welcome proposed changes to A-F system
During a House Public Education Committee hearing, education experts and activists testified on legislation related to the state’s A-F accountability system for public schools and districts.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Senate panel OKs bill requiring schools to teach teens about interacting with police
The proposal, Senate Bill 30, is a bipartisan response to deadly encounters between law enforcement and civilians seen in recent years throughout the country.
Posted in
Economy
Texas Senate passes bill to cut franchise tax paid by businesses — later
The Texas Senate approved legislation Tuesday that aims to eventually slice — and possibly eliminate — the state’s franchise tax, a levy on businesses earnings that’s widely unpopular among the state’s Republican leadership.
Posted in
Politics
Abbott wants “broad-based law” that pre-empts local regulations
As local control battles rage at the Texas Capitol, Gov. Greg Abbott is voicing support for a much more sweeping approach to the issues that have captured headlines.
