Economy

After a proposal to give a property tax exemption to Purple Heart recipients hit a snag on the House floor Monday, a committee considered a more radical idea: eliminating school district property taxes altogether.

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As he escorted fellow congressmen across West Texas this week, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway was laying the groundwork for passing a massive piece of legislation next year that thousands of farmers in his district are counting on.

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On Tuesday, a Central Texas-based advocacy group will celebrate the first day of the special session by highlighting the workers and migrants that have paid a heavy price since the trade agreement was signed in the 1990s. 

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Warren Buffet is making a play for Texas’ largest electric transmission utility. Berkshire Hathaway, his multinational conglomerate, has unveiled a deal to buy Oncor. 

 

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Immigration and border security remain atop Texas voters' list of most important issues facing the state, crowding out jobs, the economy and other issues, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

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A new Harvard study found that Americans — especially poorer ones — are having a harder time find a suitable place to call home. Texas lawmakers, experts and development industry leaders say there are plenty of reasons why that's true here, too.

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A number of Texas-based business groups have teamed up to prevent a reversal of the good trade relations with Mexico that Texas has enjoyed since the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect 23 years ago. 

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Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Wednesday that his office had picked an Austin-based company to build and operate the first state-administered gold depository in the country and that it could open as early as January.

 

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The U.S. House passed U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling's landmark legislation to dismantle Obama-era regulations of Wall Street institutions – but the bill faces an uncertain future in the U.S. Senate. 

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The American Immigration Lawyers Association is relocating its 2018 convention from Texas due to the state's new immigration law. About 3,000 people were expected to attend the event.

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Did the Texas Legislature boost funding for border security? What about public education? Did they dip into the Rainy Day Fund? Here’s a wide-angle look at what's in the $217 billion budget the two chambers ultimately settled on.

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In their just-ended legislative session, Texas lawmakers mowed through a list of politically divisive issues that could have lasting effects on how others see a state that's been known for years as a mecca for business.

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A bill that would have affirmed the legality of some popular fantasy sports sites in Texas died this legislative session, continuing a murky legal landscape for players in the state.

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Senate Bill 1289 by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would require large state projects to purchase iron and steel from an American supplier if the cost doesn’t exceed 20 percent more than the price of cheaper, foreign imports.

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Despite state lawmakers filing several bills exempting tampons and other menstrual products from sales taxes, the measures didn't draw serious attention from the legislature this session. 

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A proposal to dramatically reshape the state’s savings account to set aside more funds for tough economic times has effectively died in the final days of the legislative session.

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After billionaire Warren Buffett met with Gov. Greg Abbott and other top leaders, a bill to grant him a loophole from protectionist Texas auto laws seemed to be fast-tracked, until Tea Party activists found out about it.

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A recent call from Texas lawmakers to “Buy American” iron and steel has upset some northern neighbors worried about the implications such a measure will have on Texas-Canada trade relations.

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Senators believe they have found a way to save $80 million on health care for state employees. But medical schools say the savings would come at their expense. 

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State Rep. Eric Johnson's bill aimed at providing relief for the epicenter of Dallas' affordable housing crisis is among legislation expected to be blocked from a House vote on Friday. That would likely kill his bill. 

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