Legislation that would keep the names of execution drug providers secret is headed to the governor’s office after the Texas House gave final approval on Tuesday to a Senate measure.
Joan Huffman
Posted inState Government
The Brief: May 19, 2015
Lawmakers are quick to say that the incident that left nine biker gang members dead wasn’t relevant to the discussion of open carry despite some committee witnesses who attempted to draw a connection.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: May 14, 2015
The long hours this week are a direct result of one of the first big end-of-session deadlines that hits today. The House has until the end of today to take initial action on any bill or resolution coming out of that chamber.
Posted in
State Government
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.
Posted in
State Government
Lawmakers in No Rush to Disclose Lobbyist Wining and Dining
Two bills aimed at disclosure of lobbyist wining and dining are on the verge of being snuffed out in a Senate committee, according to the sponsor of the measures. That’s despite Greg Abbott’s vow to “dedicate this session to ethics reform.”
Posted in
Politics
Senate Backs Bill That Would Relocate Public Integrity Unit
The Texas Senate has preliminarily passed a bill that would move the state’s public integrity unit from the Travis County district attorney’s office to the Texas Rangers.
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 2, 2015
The blowback experienced by Indiana over its religious freedom law has Texas’ largest business organization worried about efforts this session to update this state’s law on the subject.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: March 5, 2015
Business interests told Senate budget writers on Wednesday that a tax relief plan focused on making changes to the business margins tax prioritized the wrong issue.
Posted in
Energy
The Brief: Feb. 25, 2015
Texans in this month’s University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll made clear that the property tax is their least favorite. The only other tax to be disliked by voters more than it is liked is the business margins tax.