Tears and shouting on Texas House floor as Freedom Caucus delays bills to death
The deep fractures in the Texas House GOP were on full display Thursday evening as lawmakers faced down a midnight deadline to pass bills out of the chamber. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/12/__BDD7465_Shaheen_CMS-002.jpg)
-
![State Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler and Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano announce their intent as part of the Texas Freedom Caucus to kill more than 100 bills on May 11, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
AG Paxton drops Brownsville lawsuit over plastic bag fee
Attorney General Ken Paxton has dropped a lawsuit against the city of Brownsville over a 2010 ordinance that imposed a $1 per-transaction fee on plastic bags offered at grocery stores and other retailers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/09/24/BagInTree.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Texas Senate unsticks proposals to plug public records "loopholes"
With looming deadlines threatening to kill a slew of bills aiming to bolster access to public records in Texas, Sen. Kirk Watson muscled them closer to the governor's desk — all at once. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/01/31/_95I1370TT.JPG)
![Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, talks about open records efforts on Jan. 31, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate passes Sandra Bland Act
The bill would mandate that county jails divert people with mental health and substance abuse issues toward treatment, make it easier for defendants with a mental illness or intellectual disability to receive a personal bond and require that independent law enforcement agencies investigate jail deaths. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/11/__BDD7423_WhitmireCMS.JPG)
![State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, talks about the Sandra Bland Act, which would reform interactions between jailers and inmates with mental health issues on May 11, 2017. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House passes measure to increase “Buy America” provisions
Senate Bill 1289 by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would increase “Buy America” provisions already in effect for the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Water Development Board to all state agencies. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/04/19/__BDB0231_Paddle.jpg)
![State Reps. Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie (left), and Chris Paddie, R-Marshall on April 19, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Senate committee advances straight-ticket voting ban
A Texas Senate panel approved legislation Thursday that would end straight-ticket voting in all elections. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/02/25/6F6A9290.jpg)
![Travis County voters cast ballots at Travis County Tax Office on Feb. 25, 2016.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles -
Texas House moves to require more abortion reporting data
Health facilities that perform abortions may soon have to release data on complications that arise during and after the procedure — another move by GOP lawmakers to crack down on abortions in Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/12/14/IMG_5013.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman / The Texas Tribune -
State fraud investigator forced to resign over ties to Iraqi government lobbying
Stuart Bowen, inspector general for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, resigned amid revelations that he was moonlighting for a private firm that provided services for the government of Iraq. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/11/Stuart_Bowen_TT.jpg)
![Former state Health and Human Services Commission Inspector General Stuart Bowen stepped down May 10, 2017.]()
Credit: CSIS -
Senator strips “sex” amendment from bill backed by Uber and Lyft
The Senate sponsor of a bill meant to create statewide regulations for ride-hailing companies said Thursday he had stripped a controversial amendment that would define "sex" as "the physical condition of being male or female.” Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/06/15/RideHailApp-Lege.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Ståle Grut / Flickr -
After impassioned speech, Giddings hopeful school lunch bill can still pass
State Rep. Helen Giddings, D-DeSoto, isn't giving up hope on passing a bill that she said would help starving school kids, despite some lawmakers killing its consideration earlier in the week. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/02/28/School-Lunch-2.jpg)
![School children at Cantu Elementary in San Juan, Texas, are shown eating breakfast on April 24, 2013.]()
Credit: Delcia Lopez -
Senate panel tacks "school choice" provision onto education finance bill
A Senate committee passed the House’s major school finance reform bill, after adding a controversial provision subsidizing private school tuition for special needs students — a move unlikely to go over well in the House. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/15/Huberty_Larry_Taylor.jpg)
![State Rep. Dan Huberty (left), R-Houston, and state Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Despite high expectations, no 2016 surge in Texas Hispanic voter turnout
Turnout among Texas Hispanics eligible to vote rose slightly in the 2016 presidential elections compared to four years earlier, according to newly released U.S. Census data. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/02/25/6F6A9161.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles -
Rep. Dutton: If "raise the age" bill dies in Senate, I'll kill Senate bills
As a House bill that would raise the age of criminal responsibility from 17 to 18 languishes in the Senate in the final weeks of the legislative session, the bill's author promises "a funeral" for Senate bills if his bill dies. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/10/Harold_Dutton_May_10_MKC_TT.jpg)
![State Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, in the Speaker's Committee Room at the Capitol on May 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
For special ed advocates, one bill down and many more on the line
With a major bill for students with disabilities flying to the governor's desk, special education advocates are looking ahead to smaller bills that might not survive the upcoming deadlines for legislation to pass. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/12/13/Seal_SpecialEducation-02_TT.jpg)
![Jean Gearhart gives a tearful statement with her husband Troy Gearhart to the panel about her special needs child. U.S. Department of Education officials held a meeting in Edinburg on their tour of Texas to hear community members' experiences with special education.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune -
Bill to enforce reporting of police shootings stumbles, then passes
After failing by one vote on the House floor Wednesday night, a bill to penalize law enforcement agencies that don't report police shootings to the state was reconsidered and passed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/08/Eric_Johnson_MKC_TT.jpg)
![State Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, on the House floor on May 6, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
House backs measure barring mandatory vaccines for foster children
Discussion over a bill that would improve the state’s Child Protective Services agency turned into a heated debate over vaccines — and whether they should be required for children placed in foster care. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/10/__BDC9059_CMS.jpg)
![State Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, voted no on a motion to table an amendment to House Bill 39, a Child Protective Services reform bill in the Texas House on May 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texans want property tax relief, but remade bill still draws opposition
The House substitute of controversial Senate Bill 2 was left pending after state Rep. Dennis Bonnen railed against local leaders still unhappy with changes to the property tax bill. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/13/ABonnen4cms.jpg)
![Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, talks about his role in the Texas House on May 13, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: As the legislative session winds down, who will be king of the hill?
As the Legislature grinds its way through the final three weeks of the regular session, the state's top three leaders are pushing and shoving, figuratively speaking, to the finale and beyond — to the 2018 elections. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/09/Big_3.jpg)
![From left: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Joe Straus.]()
Credit: Patrick: Laura Buckman & Abbott/Straus: Bob Daemmrich -
Houston Police Chief ready to reluctantly enforce "sanctuary" law
Once Senate Bill 4 goes into effect on Sept. 1, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said he's prepared to lead a police force that allows officers to inquire about the immigration status of people they detain. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/01/25/Art_Acevedo_Race_and_Policing.jpg)
![Art Acevedo, chief of the Houston Police Department, speaking on the Race and Policing in Texas panel at A Symposium on Race and Public Policy on Jan 14, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
House votes to let adoption agencies reject parents over religion
Faith-based adoption agencies in Texas would be able to reject prospective parents on religious grounds under a bill the state House approved Tuesday over objections from Democratic lawmakers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/04/10/TTE-FosterCare_leadart-01.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: iStock