After Texas workers were praised during the pandemic, many thought lawmakers would increase protections or benefits. But advocacy groups say they spent a lot of time playing defense on bills that could hurt workers.
Phil King
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: When mapmaking Texas politicians are smiling and quiet, pay attention
Remaking the state’s political maps — redistricting — is important. One way to tell is that the lawmakers making the maps do their dead-level best to avoid saying anything that might signal their intent.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas narrows law barring contractors from boycotting Israel
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill weeks after a federal judge blocked the existing state law in response to a lawsuit.
Posted in
State Government
Audit questions how DPS verifies eligibility when issuing Texas driver’s licenses
The audit says the Texas Department of Public Safety lacks the controls to ensure necessary documents are collected and retained.
Posted inState Government
State Rep. Dennis Bonnen gains momentum as four Texas House speaker candidates drop out
The Angleton Republican called a press conference for Monday afternoon to discuss the race.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
The Santa Fe shooter used his father’s guns. But his parents aren’t liable under Texas law.
The 17-year-old shooter who killed 10 people at Santa Fe High School last week used his father’s guns. But his family would not be liable under Texas’ safe storage law, since the law only applies to children under 17.
Posted inState Government
Analysis: Choosing the next Texas House speaker is a game played by very fuzzy rules
Texas has four official candidates for speaker of the Texas House and a small herd of unofficial ones. The law that requires candidates to make it official allows contenders some serious wiggle room.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: There are 4 official candidates to be the next Texas House speaker. The real field is much bigger.
Only four members of the Texas House have filed papers declaring their candidacies for speaker. But the election isn’t until January, and many more candidates are lurking in the shadows.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Here’s a look at who’s interested in replacing Straus as House speaker
Despite all the focus on November, many in Texas politics are keeping a close eye on January. That’s when the 150-member Texas House will pick its new House speaker.
Posted inState Government
Analysis: In the Texas House, winning eclipses party
Voting as a partisan bloc might let a majority party pick the next Texas Speaker of the House, but something like it has been tried before. It didn’t work.