Police across the state are watching the House anxiously today, hoping for the passage of HB 1541. It's a last-ditch effort to keep alive a small state agency lawmakers created in 1991 that awards grants to police agencies to help prevent and investigate auto theft and burglary. Full Story
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State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, appeared on conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham's show Friday morning to announce he is considering a run for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Full Story
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Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in his boldest statement yet about a possible run for national office, said Friday he will think about launching a campaign for president in coming days. "I'm going to think about it," Perry said. He quickly added, "I think about a lot of things." Full Story
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At a time when we are scouring the budget and questioning every expenditure, when funding for essential services like public education must be reduced, it is time to stop subsidizing abortion providers under the guise of "family planning." Full Story
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Eliminating funds for family planning services is not a responsible or compassionate choice. It will shift the burden of care to our already overloaded local hospitals and leave the women who depend on these services with few options. Full Story
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In a change of pace, things have taken a decidedly, ahem, prurient turn in the closing days of the legislative session. Full Story
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In a state that bans same-sex marriage, it would seem to be easy to know who can legally marry. Texas county clerks will tell you it is not — at least when it comes to the issue of transgendered applicants. Full Story
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When Texas lawmakers said they wanted to run government like a business, they left out the part about using Enron and Countrywide as their models. Full Story
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His nickname around the Texas Capitol is "mucus." It’s a play on Michael Quinn Sullivan’s initials — MQS — but the moniker underscores how much of an irritant the conservative activist has become to politicians who dare buck his Tea Party orthodoxy. It also says something about his staying power. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their GOP colleagues fared this session. Full Story
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A proposal adopted by the Legislature's budget conference committee Thursday would provide funding for TEXAS Grants for about 33,100 incoming freshmen — far less than the number of eligible students but better than what the House originally proposed. Full Story
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State Sen. Dan Patrick, a radio talk show host who has been courting Tea Party activists, is promising to tell reporters Friday whether or not he will try to make a jump to the U.S Senate to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Full Story
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State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, gave an impassioned personal privilege speech on the floor of the Texas House this afternoon in response to graphic flyers passed out in the House chamber about an insurance bill, HB 2093. The women in the chamber stood up with Thompson. "We have not earned this kind of disrespect!" she said. Afterward, state Rep. Debbie Riddle accused some of the men in the chamber of having pornography on the House floor. (Video courtesy legetv.org) Full Story
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Rick Perry has said he's not running for president, but state Rep. Aaron Peña, chairman of the Hispanic Republican Conference, hopes his group's support might change the governor's mind. Full Story
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Hope for a smoke-free Texas seems officially snuffed. State Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, said today that a statewide smoking ban would not live on as an amendment to Senate Bill 1811. Full Story
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The lower chamber erupted into a gender war of sorts Thursday afternoon, with Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, accusing a special interest group of sexism, and Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, suggesting some lawmakers have pornography on the House floor. Full Story
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At a meeting of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, chairman Richard Box appeared to shrug off a controversial set of “breakthrough solutions” for higher education, saying it is time to "move on." Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: radio host says Perry's running for president; Democrats predict strong showing in U.S. Senate race; budget negotiators pass $15 billion in cuts Full Story
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The Women's Health Program — long believed to require legislative renewal — lives on, at least for now, in the form of a budget rider. Full Story
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The debate over whether to set up an animal cruelty registry continues. In a close vote, 63 to 78, the House sent HB 1103 to conference. Full Story
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