state government

Guns on Campus Bill Heads to Senate Floor

By Andrew Weber March 31, 2011

The Senate Criminal Justice Committee today approved a controversial bill that would allow students to carry concealed handguns on college campuses. Full Story
TribLive: Don't Cut Public Ed, Thompson Says

By Evan Smith March 31, 2011

At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, the longest-serving woman, African American and Democrat in the Texas House, forcefully argued that state funding of public education should not be cut — unless school districts are made to tap into their own reserves. Full Story
LiveBlog: House Debates Rainy Day Bills

By Thanh Tan March 31, 2011

We're liveblogging from the House floor, where lawmakers are expected to vote on HB 4 and HB 275, two bills that would balance the Fiscal Year 2011 budget and authorize lawmakers to withdraw $3.1 billion from the Rainy Day Fund. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
VIDEO: GOP Freshman Lawmakers Discuss Tea Party Influence, Budget Clout

By Justin Dehn and Thanh Tan March 31, 2011

Thirty new GOP state lawmakers took office this year, promising their constituents they'd cut the fat out of government. As the House prepares to vote on a slew of budget bills on Thursday and Friday, this freshman bloc is showing some clout. Full Story
HIV Medication Program in Peril

By Gretch Sanders March 31, 2011

With budget deliberation looming in the Legislature, Gretch Sanders of KUT News reports that funding cuts to one health program could mean a death sentence for some. Full Story

Credit: UK Department for International Development
House Budget: All the Amendments

By Ross Ramsey March 31, 2011

The House is scheduled to take up the full budget on Friday, and members filed more than 400 pages of amendments in advance of that debate. Here's the full set, in searchable, electronic form. Full Story
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 73

By Reeve Hamilton March 30, 2011

In this week's TribCast, Evan, Ross, Reeve and Ben discuss statements by the Legislative Budget Board, the situation with gambling bills, and the saga of Willie Nelson. Full Story
Lawmakers, Policy Experts Spar Over LBB Jobs Analysis

By Thanh Tan March 30, 2011

Lawmakers and lobbyists continue to spar over the accuracy of a recent Legislative Budget Board analysis of the effect House Bill 1 could have on jobs in the state of Texas. Full Story

Credit: Ben Philpott
Proposed Guest-Worker Program Gets Mixed Reviews

By Julián Aguilar March 30, 2011

Proposed legislation that would establish a state-run guest worker program would legally satisfy the state’s appetite for cheap labor but not grant amnesty to people already in Texas illegally, according to the bill’s author. Full Story
Lawyers Allege Texas Executes Prisoners With Illegally Obtained Drugs

By Brandi Grissom March 30, 2011

Lawyers for two Texas death row inmates today asked state and federal law enforcement to investigate whether prison officials illegally obtained death penalty drugs the state used in nearly all of its 466 executions. Full Story
Bill Could Punish TSA Agents for Pat-Downs

By Aziza Musa March 30, 2011

TSA agents could be charged with misdemeanor crimes for intrusive pat-downs of Texas travelers, under a bill filed by Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, and co-authored by more than 40 other lawmakers. Full Story
Advocates Rally to Retain State Health Funds

By Aziza Musa March 30, 2011

Hundreds of people rallied at the Capitol today to urge lawmakers to maintain state spending on Medicaid and CHIP, the health care programs for children, the disabled and the very poor. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Eyewitness Identification Bill Tentatively Passes House

By Reeve Hamilton and Morgan Smith March 30, 2011

A bill to improve how police conduct lineups to solve crimes tentatively passed the Texas House today without opposition. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Senate Passes K2 Ban

By Andrew Weber March 30, 2011

The Senate today approved SB 331 by Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, which would ban the substance known as K2, a type of incense that mimics marijuana when smoked. Full Story
House Lawmakers Prepare for Intense "Sanctuary Cities" Debate

By Julián Aguilar March 30, 2011

House lawmakers are gearing up for a battle as emotional and time-consuming as Voter ID when they take up legislation addressing another one of Gov. Perry’s emergency items — abolishing sanctuary cities, which could hit the House floor as soon as next week. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / John Carleton / Marjorie Cotera
"Retarded" Likely to Be Struck From Texas Statutes

By Morgan Smith March 30, 2011

File this in the "this hasn't happened yet?" category: The Texas Legislature has taken one big step toward banishing the "R" word from state statutes. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
GRAPHIC: How Lawmakers Set the Budget

By Thanh Tan and Ben Hasson March 30, 2011

Confused about the budget? Trust us — you’re not alone. Later this week, the House votes on several key pieces of legislation. We've created a flow chart to help keep track of the process. Full Story
Lawmakers Want Fewer Tickets for Students

By Andrew Weber March 29, 2011

Last year, Texas police issued 300,000 students for offenses like chewing gum, truancy and cursing. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee today discussed a bill that would mean far fewer citations for youngsters in schools. Full Story

Credit: Steve Moakley
Supporters: Gaming Would Generate Needed Revenue

By Christopher Smith Gonzalez March 29, 2011

Allowing gambling in Texas could boost the economy, create thousands of jobs and help lawmakers close the state's looming budget gap, gambling advocates told lawmakers in a House committee meeting today. Full Story
Death Row Inmates Sue Over Lethal Injection Drug

By Brandi Grissom March 29, 2011

Two death row inmates sued the state today, arguing that the decision to use a new lethal injection drug was made too secretly and too hastily. Full Story