The latest Texas Senate news from The Texas Tribune.
A political scientist's analysis of Texas legislators' votes through April, and where those votes locate lawmakers on the partisan scale. Spoiler alert: The Republicans and the Democrats don't overlap much. Full Story
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The Senate version of House Bill 5, which it approved Monday, still allows students to complete diplomas in specialized areas, or "endorsements." But it changes the courses required to graduate under those endorsements. Full Story
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One Texan's transparency is another’s right to privacy, and people in politics generally find it easier to demand openness than to provide it. Full Story
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It’s a little funny to talk to people at the Capitol who have been steeled in a culture of political warfare about the outbreak of peace. Many differences remain, but those blood veins that were sticking out on everyone’s foreheads and necks in 2009 and 2011 have smoothed out. For the moment, Texas civics is downright civil. Full Story
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Full video of my 4/11 TribLive conversation with state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, weighed in on outreach to Latino voters. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, talked about the sudden outbreak of peace and comity in the 83rd legislative session. Full Story
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State Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, is engaged in a long-term campaign to convince his fellow legislators that the state's bond debt is an urgent problem and that tax increases are part of a conservative solution. Full Story
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Thirty-six years before U.S. Sen. Rand Paul held a nearly 13-hour filibuster, a Texas senator filibustered for 43 hours in the Texas Senate, setting a world record. Full Story
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Going by the Texas Weekly Index, which is based on the results of contested statewide elections over the 2010 and 2012 political cycles, the state's most conservative districts are in the Panhandle. Use this interactive to see charts that illustrate the political climate of each district. Full Story
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At the Trib's February 25 symposium on public education at Rice University, I talked school finance, accountability, choice and other hot-button issues with state Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, the chairman of the House Public Education Committee, and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, the chairman of the Senate Public Education Committee. Full Story
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The first budgets from the House and Senate are out, marked by their authors as mere starting points. Here's how they compare to each other, and to the current budget. Full Story
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The beginning, at least for the Texas Senate, came to an end this week. Full Story
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The members of the Texas Senate have been placed in their committees, but where in the state do the committee members come from? Use this interactive to explore the geographic distribution of committee members in the Senate. Full Story
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In his seventh State of the State address, Gov. Rick Perry ignored controversial issues and urged state lawmakers to do the nitty gritty work of government: fund water projects, build more roads and improve education. Full Story
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The blocker bill, a tradition of the Texas Senate, gives the minority party power, because it requires that two-thirds of the Senate must agree before a bill is heard on the floor. Full Story
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Slightly more than 8,200 voters cast their ballots during the early voting period in the special election to replace the late state Sen. Mario Gallegos. Election day is Saturday in the race, which is likely to head to a runoff. Full Story
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The Texas Senate relied on chance Wednesday to determine which of them would serve for four years and which would serve for two years. For some legislators, the luck of the draw could have bigger political implications. Full Story
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The Legislature has its own jargon, and it sometimes feels like members are speaking a different language. Blocker bills? WADA? Chubbing? LARS? Here's a guide — in the form of a multiple-choice quiz — to what they're saying. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst filled out his committee assignments late Friday afternoon, supplementing the chairmanship shuffle he announced late last year. Full Story
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