The Texas Senate took up its first two bills of the session on Tuesday: a wide-ranging ethics reform measure and a bill to punish local cities, counties and college campuses that act as sanctuary jurisdictions.
Charles Perry
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Senate committee advances anti-sanctuary cities bill
After hearing more than 16 hours of testimony, the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee voted 7-2 along party lines early Friday morning to advance a bill that would punish local government entities and college campuses that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials or enforce immigration laws.
Posted inState Government
Texas Senate committee weighs sanctuary city ban
The Senate State Affairs committee meets Thursday beginning at 8:30 a.m., CST, to hear state Sen. Charles Perry’s bill banning sanctuary cities and sanctuary college campuses in Texas. Hundreds are expected to testify.
Posted in
Politics
Dan Patrick makes only one change atop Senate committees
Only one committee received a new committee chair in the Texas Senate. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, will chair the Senate Administration Committee.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Six years later, fight over anti-sanctuary cities bill has changed
Bills targeting “sanctuary cities” failed to pass the Texas Legislature in 2011 and 2015, but similar efforts this session have better chances of making it to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Lawmakers draw battle lines on border security, sanctuary cities
On the same day that Texas House Republicans doubled down on border security efforts and announced plans to send an invoice to the federal government, Senate Democrats said they were committed to fighting bills to eliminate sanctuary cities.
Posted in
Higher Education
Video: The Future of Higher Ed
On 1/26, I talked about the future of higher education in Texas with Robert Duncan, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System; Juliet Garcia, the former president of the University of Texas at Brownsville; state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock; and Wynn Rosser, president and CEO of the Greater Texas Foundation.
Posted inState Government
Updated: The 2012 Holdouts List
Some are waiting to see what the courts will do. Others want to see if any opponents surface. Regardless, with six days to go until the filing deadline, how many incumbents haven’t filed yet? A whole bunch.
Posted inState Government
Defeated Candidates Ask Voters for Another Shot
They lost in 2010, but some candidates are hoping by now that voters have changed their minds. The 2012 ballot will be stippled with officeholders who were cast out by voters last election but want to try again.
Posted in
Health care
That $6 Billion Left in the Rainy Day Fund? Already Used, Some Say
Gov. Rick Perry’s neon-light promotion on the national stage of the $6 billion left in the Rainy Day Fund exposes a disconnect with the conservative lawmakers battling for his principles at home, where his party is working to divert negative public sentiment about the deep budget reductions.
