San Antonio Republican Joe Straus was re-elected unanimously by House members Tuesday for a fifth term, joining former House Speakers Pete Laney and Gib Lewis for the longest tenures presiding over the House.
Joe Straus
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Politics
Straus approaches session without a challenger for speakership
With a week until the 85th Legislative Session begins, House Speaker Joe Straus is without something he has had before every session since he first took the helm of the chamber: a challenger for the gavel.
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Politics
What to watch for in the 2017 Texas Legislative Session (video)
Watch the Tribune’s Ross Ramsey explain what lawmakers will focus their attention on during the state’s five-month legislative session, which starts Jan. 10.
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Politics
Analysis: On transgender Texans and bathrooms, a call to stay calm
Some Texas lawmakers were in a hurry to require transgender Texans to use the restrooms that match the genders listed on their birth certificates. But the policy and politics are complicated enough to prompt the governor to tap the brakes.
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Bordering on Insecurity
When asked, won’t tell: top three officials duck specifics on illegal hiring
The state’s top elected officials are happy to go on about border security, but they get tongue tied if the conversation turns to cracking down on employers of undocumented immigrants.
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State Government
A&M protests white nationalist speaker, businesses oppose anti-LGBT bills (video)
In the Roundup: Protesters turn up for a white nationalist speaker at Texas A&M University, a business lobbying group says anti-LGBT bills will hurt the Texas economy and Gov. Greg Abbott calls for a convention of states.
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State Government
Analysis: A bathroom mess for Republican Texas lawmakers
If they were only listening to voters, Texas Republican lawmakers could cast stress-free votes on a proposed bathroom bill. That’s also true if they were only listening to businesses. But voters and businesses don’t want the same thing.
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Health care
Texas to require burial or cremation of fetal remains (video)
In the Roundup: New rules will require burial or cremation of all fetal remains, and Texas is enacting cuts to the Medicaid rates it pays for disabled children’s therapy services.
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Economy
Texas lawmakers set a spending cap they likely won’t reach
The Legislative Budget Board picked 8 percent as the growth rate in the state’s two-year budget, capping how much lawmakers can spend in next year’s legislative session. Lawmakers say the state doesn’t have enough money to reach that cap.
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State Government
A conversation with Joe Straus (video)
Full video of my conversation with Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, at our 11/29 symposium previewing the 85th Legislative Session.