The Brief: Jan. 16, 2015
Gov. Rick Perry's formal farewell Thursday afternoon to the state Legislature dominated headlines with writers trying to discern from his speech what the future holds for him. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/01/15/PerryFinal453.jpg)
The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
Gov. Rick Perry's formal farewell Thursday afternoon to the state Legislature dominated headlines with writers trying to discern from his speech what the future holds for him. Full Story
Gov. Rick Perry delivered a farewell speech to a joint session of the Texas Legislature on Thursday. Our reporters read between the lines for you — using the online annotation tool Genius. Full Story
Entrepreneur Elon Musk said Thursday that Texas is in the driver's seat for a test track for a transportation system known as the Hyperloop. He also said that a SpaceX facility wouldn't have been built in Texas without economic incentives. Full Story
Gun rights groups lined up at a press conference on Thursday to voice support for legislation that would allow Texans to openly carry handguns without a license. Full Story
Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick said Thursday he had appointed a 55-member special council made up of business and industry leaders in the state to provide recommendations to lawmakers throughout the legislative session. Full Story
Prospects for Democrats in Texas might seem grim at the moment, but from his Washington perch, U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey thinks things will turn his party's way. Eventually. Full Story
UPDATED: A judge heard arguments Thursday on a request to halt a White House immigration policy that could affect hundreds of thousands of Texans living in the country illegally. The judge did not indicate when he would make a ruling. Full Story
Gov. Rick Perry will close the door on 30 years of state government work with a farewell address Thursday afternoon to the Legislature. Full Story
At our 1/14 conversation, new state Reps. Celia Israel, D-Austin, Linda Koop, R-Dallas, and Matt Rinaldi, R-Irving, talked about what the Lege is likely to do on health care. Full Story
When Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller granted amnesty to cupcakes on Monday, he pointed out that state rules that once banned such treats from classrooms were repealed last summer. But cupcakes have been allowed for a decade. Full Story
Full video of my 1/14 conversation with three new members of the Texas House: Celia Israel, D-Austin; Linda Koop, R-Dallas; and Matt Rinaldi, R-Irving. Full Story
When members debate the proposed rules for the House on Thursday, they'll discuss a plan from House Speaker Joe Straus to expand one committee's jurisdiction in investigating state agencies and practices. Full Story
As excited as we are about the start of the 84th session, we’re equally pumped to roll out our brand new 84th Lege page — a comprehensive and convenient portal to all of your Texas legislative needs. Full Story
Adding to our robust suite of Texas legislative tools, we've rolled out our Texas Legislative Guide — complete with an upgraded bill tracker and curated lists of the must-watch issues of the session across nearly a dozen different policy areas. Full Story
UPDATED: Gov.-elect Greg Abbott announced Wednesday the creation of an independent "strike force" to review the state's largest health agency, specifically how it awards contracts to private vendors. Full Story
On the first day of the 84th Legislature, state lawmakers were sworn into office amidst family and friends. Afterwards, the House re-elected Joe Straus speaker, while the Senate made Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa president pro tempore. Full Story
A video of a confrontation between open-carry activists and a lawmaker drew attention to the group's tactics on Tuesday. Full Story
The behavior of open-carry advocates trying to drum up votes for a measure repealing handgun licensing requirements prompted one lawmaker to escort them from his office Monday. Full Story
As Texas lawmakers convened for the first day of the 2015 legislative session Tuesday, about a dozen activists carrying a variety of firearms gathered in front of the state Capitol to protest gun laws. Full Story
From the first day of the new legislative session, here's a selection of tweets that journalists, lawmakers and others have shared, along with the Tribune's on-the-ground reporting from the Texas Capitol. Full Story