The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The Senate Finance Committee voted Tuesday to send proposals cutting property taxes and business taxes to the full Senate, though some senators questioned whether the property tax cuts could be better spent in other ways. Full Story
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One day after the Texas Senate voted to loosen state handgun regulations, a House committee Tuesday considered proposals to allow the open carry of handguns with a license and the concealed carry of handguns on college campuses. Full Story
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A measure that would yank the state's public corruption-fighting unit out of the Travis County district attorney's office and stick it in the Texas attorney general's office is headed for the full Senate. Full Story
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State law requires lobbyists to report what they spend on legislators and other state officials. But the loopholes are big: Less than 5 percent of the lobby's reported spending on food and beverage names the eaters and the drinkers. Full Story
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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
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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