The Texas Senate wants to limit growth in the state budget — by adding a fifth spending limit to state law.
Dan Patrick
Posted inState Government
Abbott Refuses to Take Sides on Tax Cuts
Gov. Greg Abbott refused to pick sides Wednesday in a growing squabble over how best to cut state taxes, and moved away from an earlier promise to “insist” that Texas lawmakers cut property taxes before the session ends on June 1.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: April 15, 2015
Discussion in a House committee Tuesday on a proposed change to the name of a state holiday honoring soldiers who fought for the Confederacy took on an extra dose of notoriety because of the identity of the main proponent of the change.
Posted in
State Government
Texas Senate Approves $211 Billion Budget
Senators on Tuesday voted 30-1 to approve the state’s two-year budget. It will now go to conference committee to be reconciled with the House version.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: April 14, 2015
Chances are good for passage of legislation up for debate in the House today that would allow for open carry of handguns by those already with concealed carry licenses.
Posted in
Economy
Unable to Tighten Spending Cap, Senate Built a New One
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Senate Republicans had hoped to amend the Texas Constitution to tighten the state’s spending cap. Short of the needed votes, they passed a measure creating a new cap in state law instead.
Posted in
Public Education
Senate Shapes Plan for Private Scholarships
In its quest for school choice legislation, the Senate is backing away from traditional vouchers and heading toward a plan that would use donations to fund scholarships for low-income students trying to get out of weak schools.
Posted in
Economy
Senate OKs Bill That Would Tighten Spending Cap
The Senate passed a bill Thursday that would tighten the state’s constitutional spending cap and make it tougher for future legislatures to break it. Senate Bill 9, by Sen. Kelly Hancock, passed with a vote of 19-12.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: April 8, 2015
Lawmakers are talking about giving taxpayers billions in tax relief this session. But in a state with 27 million residents, it turns out that even $4.5 billion doesn’t stretch as far as the politicians would like it to.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: April 6, 2015
The House’s chief tax writer is dropping some clues on how his chamber’s approach to tax relief this session will differ from their counterparts in the Senate.
