Agenda Texas: Post-Session Horse Race Begins
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Texas lawmakers may still be hanging around the Capitol for a special legislative session, but their minds are wandering toward 2014. Full Story
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Texas lawmakers may still be hanging around the Capitol for a special legislative session, but their minds are wandering toward 2014. Full Story
Your evening reading: Perry open to adding items to special session agenda; Texas man questioned over ricin letters; House redistricting chief considering hearings outside Austin Full Story
Gov. Rick Perry told reporters Friday that he is leaving open the possibility of adding more items to the agenda of the special legislative session, but he wants to first see specific proposals that have a chance of passing. Full Story
Here's full video of my May 30 TribLive conversation debriefing the 83rd Legislature with state Sens. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Kirk Watson, D-Austin. Full Story
The current special session is the 10th in Gov. Rick Perry's gubernatorial tenure. Take a look at our visualization to see all the special sessions called since 1971, the subjects lawmakers tackled and how Perry compares to previous governors. Full Story
Robert Black, a former aide to Gov. Rick Perry, has some advice for people who think they can predict the governor's next political move: "For those out there trying to read the tea leaves, don’t. Because you’re probably going to be wrong.” Full Story
The comity of the regular session might disappear in a special session: The rules change to the disadvantage of the Democrats, and the agenda changes to the advantage of the governor. Full Story
Legislators made Texas the 21st state to prohibit the use of gas chambers to euthanize animals that have not been claimed or adopted. But switching to the only legal method, lethal injection, could be costly for some. Full Story
At the first redistricting hearing of the special session, the head of the Senate's redistricting committee said he's open to feedback and amendments to bills that would make the current court-drawn maps permanent. Full Story
So much for lawmakers acting quickly on redistricting this time around. Full Story
Your evening reading: special session likely to last at least two more weeks; Patrick still weighing bid for lieutenant governor; Cruz won't rule out filibuster on immigration bill Full Story
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Thwarted attempts at boosting the Texas Department of Transportation's budget could get another shot in the special session. Full Story
Citing a lack of public funding, the Texas Transportation Commission voted Thursday to agree to consider changing its rules to allow it to share financial risk with the private sector on some toll projects. Full Story
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Kirk Watson, D-Austin, talked about the 83rd Legislature's approach to public education reform. Full Story
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Kirk Watson, D-Austin, explained their different votes on the state budget. Full Story
The number of naturalized citizens in Texas is on the rise, as is the purchasing power and economic output of the state's native-born and immigrant Hispanic and Asian populations, according to an Immigration Policy Center report. Full Story
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, addressed the rumors that he's considering a run for lieutenant governor in 2014. Full Story
In Houston, air pollution worries usually are about ozone, but scientists are paying increasingly close attention to fine dust. It’s more dangerous than ozone, some say, and the EPA will soon decide whether Houston has too much. Full Story
While lawmakers came up short on funding for road construction and maintenance this session, several other bills made it to Gov. Rick Perry's desk that are expected to help Texas communities develop road projects. Full Story
The bipartisan "farm-to-table" caucus landed a couple of key victories in its first legislative session, laying the groundwork for its effort to help local agricultural businesses crop up across Texas. Full Story