The House and Senate made some gestures of goodwill on Thursday designed to lower the tensions that had developed between the chambers this week.
Dan Patrick
Grassroots Advisory Panel Creates Drama for Patrick
The panel of conservative activists that is advising Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is putting him in a tricky spot as he navigates leadership politics under the dome.
Senate Announces Budget Negotiation Team
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has named the Senate lineup of budget negotiators who will meet with House counterparts and hash out a final version of the two-year state budget.
The Brief: April 23, 2015
The word of the day on Wednesday was tension, which infected the traditional weekly breakfast work meeting held by the state’s top three leaders and later manifested itself on the House floor as members selected their budget negotiators.
Legislative Tensions Peak at Leadership Breakfast
A weekly leadership breakfast went sour Wednesday as the state’s top three officials complained to one another about legislative packages and the tensions between a House and Senate that have just weeks left to complete their work.
Analysis: Legislative Dance Partners Stepping on Each Other’s Toes
The Texas House and Senate are ignoring each other’s work, slowing progress on bills like open carry and border security legislation. They’re ruffling feathers, too.
The Brief: April 22, 2015
A shift in the public debate over the relationship between oil and gas production and earthquakes happened Tuesday with a new study in Texas and a turnabout by the Oklahoma government on the issue.
Patrick Advisers Blast Abbott’s Pre-K Plans
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s grassroots advisers are blasting Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to enhance pre-kindergarten programs, a move sure to increase tension between the top two Republican leaders.
Senate Gives Initial OK to School Scholarship Plan
Scholarships funded by state business tax credits would help some low-income parents send their children to private schools under a measure tentatively approved by the Texas Senate Monday.
Analysis: Abbott’s Caution on Display in Tax Fight
Texans grew accustomed to the swagger and bombast of Rick Perry, a governor who didn’t shy from confrontation with the Legislature and upended the notion that his office was inherently weak. Newly elected Gov. Greg Abbott, ever cautious and lawyerly, is cutting a different path.




