Texas Senate

Storify: The First Day of the 83rd Legislative Session

By Audrey White and Cody Permenter Jan. 8, 2013

Legislators, journalists and others shared thousands of tweets and photos on Tuesday, the first day of the 83rd legislative session. Check out this selection of what they shared. Full Story

Credit: Greg McMullen
Dewhurst Says Senate Will Maintain Two-Thirds Rule

By Aman Batheja Jan. 8, 2013

The contentious rule that allows a minority of senators to block legislation is again under fire, but Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said the two-thirds rule will continue in the Senate for another session. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Inside the 83rd Session: Find Your Lawmaker

By Evan Smith Jan. 8, 2013

As 181 members of the Texas Legislature work during the 83rd session, use this application to navigate the Capitol and locate lawmakers' offices. Full Story

Credit: Texas Tribune
For the 83rd Session, An Updated Directory

By Ross Ramsey Jan. 8, 2013

The Legislature is back for the 83rd time, and we've refreshed our directory of statewide officials and legislators. Many of the old names are here, and so are the names of the numerous freshmen. Full Story
Opening Day: Chambers to Set Rules, Pick Speaker

By Ross Ramsey Jan. 8, 2013

House Speaker Joe Straus faces a challenge on the first day of the 83rd Texas Legislature, and the Senate gets another run at a rule that empowers political minorities and sometimes frustrates majorities. Full Story
(Many) Members of the 83rd Legislature on Twitter

By Evan Smith Jan. 7, 2013

Here's a list of the Twitter handles of the 120 state lawmakers who do the communications thing 140 characters at a time. Full Story
The Hot Seat: A Conversation with Villarreal and Campbell

By Evan Smith Dec. 10, 2012

At our Hot Seat conversation at Trinity University in San Antonio, state Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, and state Sen.-elect Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, sparred about public education, health care and other issues in play in the upcoming 83rd session. Full Story
TribLive: A Conversation with Kel Seliger

By Evan Smith Dec. 7, 2012

Full video of my December 6 TribLive conversation with state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, the chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee. Full Story
TribLive: Seliger on the Cost of a College Education

By Evan Smith Dec. 6, 2012

At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, the chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, discussed the prospect of tuition reregulation and whether the state is adequately funding higher ed. Full Story
Reorganization Yields Early Reward for Senators

By Ross Ramsey Oct. 26, 2012

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst upset the normal order of things when he announced his committee leaders four months early. But he did the senators a political favor in the process. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Dewhurst Tears Up the Seating Chart

By Ross Ramsey Oct. 19, 2012

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, fresh off a stinging loss to Ted Cruz in the race for the GOP nomination to the U.S. Senate, reshuffled the Senate committee chairs. Full Story

Credit: Michael Stravato
Guest Column: A More Conservative Texas Senate

By Mark P. Jones Oct. 17, 2012

Four new senators are coming from the Texas House, where their voting records can be analyzed. Compared to the people they're replacing, they're more conservative. Full Story

Credit: Tommy LaVergne of Rice University
To Hold a Senate Seat, Democrats Must Vote for the Dearly Departed

By Ross Ramsey Oct. 17, 2012

It's a cringe-inducing moment in politics: To keep his seat in the Democrats' column, voters in Houston will have to cast one last vote for the late state Sen. Mario Gallegos Jr. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Debates and Committee Assignments

By Justin Dehn Oct. 6, 2012

This week in the Newsreel, we look at the two debates held this week and check out Senate committee assignments. Full Story
Primary's Shadow Lingers Amid Shuffling of Chairs

By Aman Batheja Oct. 5, 2012

After a crushing loss in his bid for U.S. Senate, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's influence in next year's legislative session remains a question mark. Thursday's committee assignments may reflect efforts to appease some critics. Full Story

Credit: Eric Kayne
Dewhurst Shuffles Senate Committee Chairs

By Reeve Hamilton and Morgan Smith Oct. 4, 2012

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Thursday appointed state Sen. Dan Patrick as chairman of the education committee. He also replaced state Sen. Judith Zaffirini with state Sen. Kel Seliger as chair of the higher education committee. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Davis' Legal Work At Issue in Senate Race

By Aman Batheja Sept. 28, 2012

In state Sen. Wendy Davis' hotly contested bid for re-election, her legal practice — and, in particular, her closely held list of government and quasi-public clients — is drawing heat from her Republican opponent, state Rep. Mark Shelton. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Paul Sadler, Committees, Dancing

By Justin Dehn Sept. 22, 2012

This week in the Newsreel: Paul Sadler tries to get the word out about his campaign for U.S. Senate, state senators (and others) wait for committee assignments, and Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright resigns. And there's some dancing. Full Story
The Hot Seat: A Conversation with Eltife and Simpson

By Evan Smith Sept. 21, 2012

At our Hot Seat conversation at the University of Texas at Tyler, state Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, and state Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, discussed the 82nd Legislative Session and looked ahead to the 83rd. Full Story
TribLive: A Conversation with Three Senate Hopefuls

By Evan Smith Sept. 11, 2012

Full video of my TribLive conversation with state Reps. and Texas Senate hopefuls Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth, Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, and Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood. Full Story