Abortion opponents say the bill protects children living with disabilities and prevents doctors from potentially encouraging abortions to avoid lawsuits.
85th Legislative Session
Posted in
Politics
Analysis: In bathroom bill, politics disguised as policy
As policy, the proposed regulations for transgender Texan’s restroom choices have some gaping holes. The politics, however, are easy to understand.
Posted in
Public Education
Unlikely allies: some homeschoolers fighting to kill school choice bill
Rural conservatives and homeschoolers are joining forces with public education advocates against Senate Bill 3, which pushes private school choice. Their state senators are not all on the same page.
Posted in
Politics
Trump impact felt in legislative districts, new election data shows
Newly released data from the Texas Legislative Council shows 10 state House districts and one Senate district where Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton received more votes, despite those districts being represented by Republicans.
Posted inState Government
Zerwas on Texas budget, school choice and bathroom bill (video)
Full video of Evan Smith’s 2/23 conversation with Texas House Appropriations Chair John Zerwas, R-Richmond.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas House’s chief budget writer: State shouldn’t cut border security funding
The Texas’ House’s chief budget writer said that President Trump’s emergence in Washington shouldn’t give state lawmakers license to slice hefty appropriations for border security — at least not yet.
Posted in
Economy
“Come and take it”: Eminent domain dispute at heart of bullet train battles
In both courthouses and at the Capitol, opponents of a private company’s plans to build a Dallas-Houston bullet train have zeroed on in the firm’s claim that it has the authority to take land by condemnation if necessary.
Posted in
Economy
Texas’ rural roots and urban future are on a high-speed collision course
A private firm’s proposed Houston-Dallas bullet train would connect two of America’s biggest metropolitan areas. But the 240-mile line would require a lot of country land that many Texans don’t want to give up.
Posted in
Health care
Child welfare bill heads to Senate floor
Senate Health and Human Services Committee members voted unanimously Wednesday morning to send a bill aimed at overhauling the state’s child welfare system to the full Senate for a vote.
Posted in
Higher Education
Senate panel takes step toward repealing college financial aid law
The Texas Senate Education Committee took an early step in the Senate’s efforts to eliminate a rule that forces universities to set aside a portion of tuition revenue to fund scholarships for the needy.
