Gov. Rick Perry has until June 16 to sign or veto bills from the legislative session, but political operatives are already combing through the records of the proceedings, looking for votes that might haunt legislators in next year’s elections.
Texas House of Representatives
Posted in
Economy
This Session, Lawmakers Put Down Their Swords
If Texas’ less-than-theatrical 83rd legislative session is remembered at all, it will be known for accords, not discord. Here’s a look at top storylines from this session and what they could portend for the future.
Posted inState Government
News App: Tracking the Status of House and Senate Bills
The deadline for bills to win approval from the House and the Senate passed earlier this week, resulting in the death of a lot of legislation. Most of what remains is to reconcile differences between versions of legislation passed by both chambers. Our updated bill apps — one for House bills and one for Senate legislation — detail the results.
Posted in
Economy
Budget Agreement Leaves About $8 Billion in Fund
The budget deal that took a step closer to passage Wednesday evening would spend $3.9 billion from the state’s Rainy Day Fund. That would leave more in the fund than many lawmakers or Gov. Rick Perry had earlier proposed.
Posted in
Bidness As Usual
An Expensive Celebration, Courtesy of the Lobby
End-of-session dinners are commonplace for legislative committees at the end of the session, and they can be lavish affairs. One this week cost more than $22,000.
Posted inState Government
Will They Stay or Will They Go?
A perfect time for speculation: The legislative session isn’t quite over, and the political season hasn’t quite begun.
Posted in
State Government
Gonzalez Says She Will Seek Re-election
State Rep. Naomi Gonzalez, D-El Paso, said on Friday she intends to seek another term in the Texas House, despite her pending drunk driving case.
Posted in
State Government
For 83rd Lege, More Civility Than Drama
Texas lawmakers have 10 days left in the regular session. They haven’t embarrassed themselves, spent much time in bitter fights or generated the sorts of headlines that have made voters think so little of Washington.
Posted in
State Government
Agenda Texas: Bill Kill, Vol. 1
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Deadlines in the Texas House have come and gone. Now lawmakers are left to pick up the pieces for next session, or to find another way to get their bills passed.
Posted in
Politics
Guest Column: An Early Look at Legislative Partisanship
A political scientist’s analysis of Texas legislators’ votes through April, and where those votes locate lawmakers on the partisan scale. Spoiler alert: The Republicans and the Democrats don’t overlap much.
