The next version of the Texas Legislature will have an unusually high number of new lawmakers — and a temporary deficit in legislative experience.
Texas House of Representatives
Posted in
Economy
Commercial Benefits of University Research Touted at Hearing
Two House committees held a joint hearing today to explore how scientific research at universities can be commercialized for the benefit of businesses and the state economy. They heard testimony from the state’s leading research universities.
Posted in
State Government
Workman the Incumbent — Sort of — in HD-47 Primary
Changes in Texas’ legislative maps have created opportunities for those hoping to knock off incumbent lawmakers — like in HD-47 in western Travis County. Ben Philpott reports for KUT News and the Tribune.
Posted in
State Government
Life of a Texas Lawmaker: Lousy Pay, Great Benefits
The pay for Texas lawmakers is low, but the pension benefits are sweet. Some say, though, that lawmakers who break the law should have to forfeit their pensions.
Posted in
Health care
First Minority Cancer Month Highlights Disparities
Lawmakers and health care advocates gathered today to kick off the state’s first annual Minority Cancer Awareness Month, designated in the last legislative session to bring awareness to racial disparities in cancer survival.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Gets a D+ in Public Integrity Study
Texas has scored a 68 out of 100, placing 27th in a national state integrity study. The state got high marks for auditing and for monitoring pension funds, but not as high for accountability of the governor and legislators.
Posted in
State Government
Billionaire’s PAC Admits Contribution Error, Seeks Refunds
The political action committee of Dallas billionaire waste magnate Harold Simmons is asking 18 lawmakers to return about $65,000 in contributions after admitting that an oversight led to illegal campaign contributions.
Posted in
State Government
Group Aims to Bring God Into Politics
God and Country, a new Texas-based organization, will hold a rally Saturday at a Tyler church to “draw a line in the sand and aggressively and publicly defend those certain unalienable rights endowed by our creator.”
Posted in
State Government
Campaign Roundup: The Week’s Political News
Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones is making a run for a state Senate seat. But her opponent in the GOP primary, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, is challenging her on residency. That dispute is among this week’s top political news items.
Posted in
State Government
TribLive: A Conversation with David Simpson
Full video of my January 26 TribLive conversation with state Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview.
