The latest Texas Senate news from The Texas Tribune.
Senate Bill 21 passed Tuesday, raising the legal purchasing age for tobacco products from 18 to 21. But its author amended the legislation to exclude active military from the age raise. Full Story
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Since 2005, state lawmakers have received the agency's biennial report detailing inefficiencies in government, but this year the report was not made public. Full Story
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The "Tax Man," a Republican senator from Houston, has his best chance yet to shake up Texas' property tax system. But it's going to be an uphill battle. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers pass resolutions all the time. They can make the folks back home happy and commemorate people, places and things. And resolutions can serve — as one did for Senate Republicans this week — as a form of political advertising. Full Story
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Although Texas Central isn't planning on using state funds for its Dallas-Houston line, it says language in the spending plan could impede the project until a court definitively affirms the company's ability to use eminent domain. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers want to fix school finance, but they can't avoid looking for voter-pleasing side dishes, like property taxes and teacher pay raises, that could undermine the public education fixes. Full Story
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The bill passed on a 19–12 vote, with one Republican voting against it and one Democrat voting for it. It requires one more approval in the Senate before it heads to the Texas House. Full Story
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Supporters say Senate Bill 22 would terminate "sweetheart rent deals," but abortion rights advocates say the legislation is the latest attempt in the legislature's years-long battle to reduce funding for abortion providers. Full Story
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The groups are targeting two priority bills in the Texas Senate. Full Story
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Halfway through the session, the Capitol's hallways are full of talk of a special session on school finance and property taxes. That won't happen — unless the Legislature makes a mess of the time it's got left. Full Story
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Busby, a Republican judge and former U.S. Supreme Court clerk, served on an appellate court in Houston until voters rejected him in November as part of a Democratic sweep. Full Story
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Halfway through the legislative session, lawmakers say they're getting along. But they have a long way to go to achieve their goals this year. Full Story
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As the Texas Legislature digs into the busiest half of the session, early harmony is giving way to difference and debate. The House and Senate are easing into their traditional roles — as rivals. Full Story
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In the first session since Hurricane Harvey, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and three top senators are pushing a legislative package aimed at preparing the state for natural disasters. Full Story
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Carol Alvarado gave up the seat in December after winning a promotion to the Texas Senate. Full Story
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A miscommunication and an ignored warning led to the questioning of thousands of citizens' voting rights. Full Story
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David Whitley's tortured path to Senate confirmation as the Texas Secretary of State — whether or not he is confirmed at all — could play out in the state's next round of redistricting in 2021. Full Story
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One-fifth of the incumbents in the Texas House serve in districts where less than 10 percentage points separated average Democrats from average Republicans in statewide races. That's more than enough contested turf to put control within reach of either party. Full Story
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If all 12 lawmakers are on the Senate floor when Whitley's nomination comes, he doesn't have the votes to be confirmed. Full Story
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On this week’s TribCast, Ross talks to Emma, Aliyya and Edgar about Sen. Angela Paxton's controversial bill that could impact her husband, efforts to get property tax legislation passed, a status check on the promised school finance bill and bidding out the state's data storage to private companies. Full Story
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