Zerwas on Texas budget, school choice and bathroom bill (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 2/23 conversation with Texas House Appropriations Chair John Zerwas, R-Richmond. Full Story
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Analysis: Lawmakers can turn to a bag of tricks to balance state budget
With an official forecast that less money will be available, the next state budget is tight. The finance folks are looking for money to make it balance, but don't fret: They've got plenty of tax-avoiding, budget-balancing tricks in their bags. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
For Dawnna Dukes, a lukewarm welcome from Travis County delegation
Dukes’ presence in the House is a sensitive topic for her colleagues in the Travis County delegation because of the 12-term Democrat’s legal issues. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, outside the Travis County Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center before being arraigned on Jan. 18, 2017.]()
Credit: Tim Park for The Texas Tribune -
Rainy Day Fund takes center stage at first House budget hearing
Budget writers in the Texas House are considering tapping the state's savings account because they have a lot less money at their discretion this session. Full Story
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![Longtime state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Katy, in the House Chamber on Feb. 9, 2017. Zerwas was named chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee by Speaker Joe Straus.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House bills lay out some initial plans to overhaul CPS
Texas representatives have filed legislation to start an overhaul of the the state’s Child Protective Services, following a crisis that has left thousands of kids at risk. Full Story
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Like the Texas Legislature at large, committee chairs are mostly white men
Most of the members of the Texas Legislature are white men — and so are the committee chairs. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus have assigned committee chairs for the 2017 Legislature.]()
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Rep. John Zerwas to head House Appropriations Committee
State Rep. John Zerwas is the Texas House's new Appropriations Committee chairman, and Rep. Dan Huberty is the new chairman of the House Public Education Committee. Full Story
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![With less than a week before lawmakers convene, preparations are underway to welcome members of the state House of Representatives for the 85th session of the Texas Legislature.]()
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Three new House members on the 85th session's big issues (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 2/7 conversation with first-term state Reps. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, Justin Holland, R-Rockwall, and Victoria Neave, D-Dallas. Full Story
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At the Texas Capitol, the union dues bill is back
Legislation to stop automatic payroll deductions for most public employee unions is back after failing two years ago. Supporters say the state shouldn't be involved in collecting union dues; opponents say the GOP is trying to cripple certain unions. Full Story
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![State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, the chairwoman of the Senate State Affairs Committee, listened to testimony during a Sept. 14, 2016, committee meeting.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Analysis: What we talk about when we talk about school vouchers
The debate over education savings accounts and other voucher programs is only peripherally about educating kids. It's really a debate about money. Full Story
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![Children from charter and private schools all over Texas turned out for the 85th legislative session's National School Choice Rally on Jan. 24, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas leaders posturing in public for legislative advantage
Texas state leaders are debating several important issues in a very public way, delivering their messages to one another through rallies, press conferences, trade association meetings and the media. Get your popcorn ready. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a rally at the Capitol for school choice January 24, 2017. Both Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick spoke in favor of expanding school choice options. Students, educators, activists and parents marched on the south lawn to show their support for expanding school choice options during National School Choice Week.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Spinning numbers in lawmakers’ proposed budgets
For lessons in how to speak positively about bad news — without telling lies — you might consider studying at the feet of the people who write the Texas budget. Full Story
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Analysis: Legislators start with a $5.3 billion difference of opinion
In their first-day numbers, the Texas Legislature's two chambers didn’t even agree on the size of the current budget. The House baked in some supplemental expenses that the Senate left that out. Full Story
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On day 2 of session, Texas House gets an early taste of "bathroom bill" fight
State Rep. Matt Schaefer, a Tyler Republican, proposed a rule Wednesday requiring people in the Capitol to use bathrooms corresponding to their biological sex during a House floor debate. Full Story
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![State Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, on the House floor on Jan. 11, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Slideshow: 85th Texas Legislature kicks off
The Texas Tribune's photographers were on hand at the state Capitol on Tuesday to capture scenes from the opening day of the 85th Legislative Session. Full Story
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![Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos gavels in the 85th Legislature on January 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Speaker Straus breaking a trend seen with his predecessors
House Speaker Joe Straus won a fifth term in that post on the first day of the legislative session. And unlike his predecessors, he's more secure politically now than when he started in 2009. Full Story
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![State Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, is sworn in as speaker of the Texas House on opening day of the 85th Legislature on January 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Texas lawmakers focus on friendship on legislative session's first day
With pomp and circumstance inside the Capitol and protests and prayer rallies outside it, the Texas Legislature kicked off its 85th session on Tuesday. Full Story
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![A man preaches in the Capitol rotunda before the start of the 85th Texas Legislature on Jan. 10, 2017]()
Credit: Marjorie Cotera for the Texas Tribune -
Get all your 85th Texas legislative news in one place
As state lawmakers kick off the 85th Legislative Session on Tuesday, you can use our session page to watch livestreams of the floor action and stay caught up on all the news from the session. Full Story
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House panel warns of "peril" in Texas mental health system
In a report released Thursday, Texas House Select Committee on Mental Health members wrote that mental health “is absolutely one of the most critical areas of concern” facing the state. Full Story
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![Demonstrators participate in a mental health rally at the Texas Capitol, organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, on Feb. 28, 2013.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Rangers launch criminal probe into Dallas' pension shortfall
Mayor Mike Rawlings blames former pension administration for a "grave breach of trust," but it's unclear who is the target of the state inquiry. Full Story
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![Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings]()
Credit: Brandon Formby