Inside Texas Politics: Setting the Stage
On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics, the show is given over to setting the stage for the remainder of the session as the state Legislature moves into a higher gear. Full Story
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![Texas Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey on WFAA's "Inside Texas Politics" on March 15, 2015.]()
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Abbott Discusses Trade Relations With Irish Prime Minister
Gov. Greg Abbott met with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny on Sunday morning to discuss trade and economic relations. It was Abbott's first meeting with a foreign prime minister since becoming governor. Full Story
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![Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny receives a Texas belt buckle from Gov. Greg Abbott at the Governor's Mansion on March 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
State Medicaid Probes Produce Paltry Results
Three years ago, the office responsible for rooting out Medicaid fraud and abuse set a goal of finding $1 billion a year in misspent funds. But it's collecting about $995 million less than that. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Cruz Heavy on Border Rhetoric, Light on Trips
As he feels out a possible presidential bid, Ted Cruz has made border security and immigration his calling cards. But Texas' first Hispanic U.S. senator has only made three trips to border since taking office. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz holding a press conference at the Anzalduas International Bridge in Mission surrounded by a group of local ranchers who said they've been affected by poor border security.]()
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Legislators File Flurry of Bills Ahead of Deadline
Texas lawmakers added more than 800 proposals Friday to the agenda ahead of the bill-filing deadline. After Friday, lawmakers have to get approval from their chambers to file a bill. Full Story
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![Signs on the office of Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown on the last day of bill filing Mar. 13, 2015 for the 84th Legislative Session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: What Does the Parliamentarian Do?
In each of the Texas Legislature's chambers, a nonpartisan voice plays a pivotal role in how lawmakers conduct state business in the Capitol. As part of an occasional series explaining the Legislature’s inner workings, we provide you a look at the job of the parliamentarian. Full Story
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Video: Price and Rawlings on Property Taxes
At our 3/12 conversation, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings reacted to the possibility of the Legislature engineering a cut in property taxes. Full Story
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Analysis: When Local Control is Remote
A big, central government wants to override laws approved by the people in the provinces. That might sound like the federal government bossing states around, but it's the Texas Legislature trying to rein in the cities and counties. Full Story
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![Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings took part in an interview with The Texas Tribune on March 12, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senators Share Concerns About A-F Grades for Schools
During a Senate Education Committee hearing Thursday, lawmakers questioned whether A-through-F ratings for schools would provide a clear picture of a school's performance. Full Story
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![A reading assistant reads on the classroom floor with a small group of fourth graders at Wanke Elementary School in San Antonio on March 9, 2012.]()
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Isaac Jumping Into Hays County Water Fight
With a four-bill cocktail, state Rep. Jason Isaac hopes to stop, or at last slow, a Houston-based company's plans to pump huge amounts of water from beneath Hays County. Full Story
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![Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, on the House floor, February 8, 2011.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Competing Bills Filed Over End-of-Life Care for Pregnant Women
Lawmakers have filed two competing bills about who should have the authority to decide whether to terminate a brain-dead pregnant woman's life — a preview of what promises to be a fiery legislative battle over end-of-life medical care in Texas. Full Story
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![Erick Muñoz, widow of Marlise Muñoz, speaks at the Texas Capitol after "Marlise's Law" was introduced during a press conference on March 12, 2015. A picture of his late wife and her family sits on the table.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Video: Price and Rawlings on Local Control
At our 3/12 conversation, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings addressed the prevailing conflict in the 84th session: liberty vs. local control. Full Story
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For Two Border Towns, Clean Water Plan Crashes
From our Undrinkable series: most Rio Bravo and El Cenizo residents don't trust the tap water despite a treatment plant intended to better the two towns' standard of living. Full Story
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Credit: Jennifer Whitney -
Video: A Conversation with Brian McCall
Full video of my 3/10 conversation with Texas State University System Chancellor Brian McCall. Among the topics discussed: in-state tuition for undocumented students, campus carry, graduation rates, and state funding of higher ed. Full Story
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Senators Worry State Contracting is Too Decentralized
Senators learned at a hearing Wednesday that the current state contracting system is so fragmented that no one knows the total value of the state's current contracts. Full Story
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![Senate Finance Committee Chairwoman Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, confers with Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, during a March 11, 2015, committee hearing on state contracting issues.]()
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Analysis: A Distinctive Push for Business Tax Repeal
As lawmakers debate what kinds of tax cuts they like best, and voters point at property taxes as their favorite, a national conservative group is starting a grassroots campaign to promote repeal of the state's business margins tax. Full Story
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Fractured System Keeps Clean Water From Some
In theory, clean, safe water should be flowing to all of Rio Grande City's 14,000 residents, but a long-standing arrangement with a handful of locally owned corporations keeps it from some parts of town. This is part of our five-story Undrinkable series. Full Story
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Lawmakers Vying to Bring More Transparency to State Contracting
Texas lawmakers consider different approaches to transforming the state's unwieldy, loophole-ridden system of contract oversight into something that can be properly tracked, analyzed and, when needed, restrained. Full Story
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Video: Life After Proposition 6
At our 3/10 symposium on water, I talked about life after Proposition 6 with Chairman Jim Keffer of the House Natural Resources Committee, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller; and Chairman Carlos Rubinstein of the Texas Water Development Board. Full Story
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House Plan Would Plug Hole in Pension Fund
Texas House leaders unveiled a plan Tuesday to shore up the state's chronically underfunded retirement system for employees that requires workers to pay more into the system, but gives them a pay raise to offset the cost. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, co-chair of the House Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations, is shown calling an executive session on May, 12, 2014.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich