The latest Dan Patrick news from The Texas Tribune.
The regular legislative session belonged to legislative leaders — primarily Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who aggressively set an agenda for the Senate. Now, with a special session looming, Gov. Greg Abbott is asserting himself. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott is plotting an aggressive approach to the upcoming special session of the Legislature, diverting from his above-the-fray style to try to see through an ambitious 20-item agenda. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott remains Texas voters' favorite state official, with more voters giving him good grades than bad, and the Republican voters he depends on heaping him with approval they're not giving to potential rivals, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers will return to Austin in a month to take another swing at more than a dozen issues they couldn't resolve during the regular legislative session. So what has changed? Full Story
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A review of Gov. Greg Abbott's schedule during May provides a glimpse into the final stretch of the legislative session, where the governor tried in vain to bring together lawmakers to avoid a special session. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott snatched the spotlight from his rivals with a long, long list of priorities for a special legislative session — one that takes care of must-do legislation and buries everything else. Full Story
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An announcement from Gov. Greg Abbott on whether he will call a special session is unlikely to happen before next week. Full Story
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The 85th legislative session came to a close Monday amid uncertainty over whether Gov. Greg Abbott would call lawmakers back for overtime. Tensions ran high up until the session's end. Full Story
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The state's top leaders couldn't close a session-ending deal over the final weekend, giving advocates of bathroom and property tax legislation — if the governor allows it — another chance. Full Story
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As of Sunday night, lawmakers still had little to show for two assignments Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had given them in the home stretch: property tax reform and a "bathroom bill" that would regulate which restrooms transgender Texans can use. Full Story
House members accused the Senate of playing games with Texans’ health and safety by holding out on legislation that would keep state agencies, including the Texas Medical Board, in existence. Full Story
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Well before the current legislative standoff over public accommodations for transgender Texans, the political elements of the "bathroom bill" fight were falling into place. Full Story
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It's the last Saturday of the legislative session — a day combining long, boring periods of inactivity with high levels of drama. In other words: perfect for a wandering mind. Full Story
Texans will get a close look at the state's top leaders over the next three days — the end of the regular legislative session — as they try to unknot their differences over regulating restroom use and limiting local property tax increases. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday there is still time for a deal to be struck to avert a special session of the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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The Texas Senate, hoping to resurrect its versions of bathroom and property tax proposals dear to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, grafted both of them onto unrelated county affairs legislation early Wednesday morning. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has put the clock to his advantage. With a week to go in the regular legislative session, his threat of pushing lawmakers into overtime if he doesn’t get his way on pet issues is paying off. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott says he's optimistic that lawmakers can avoid a special session. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants the "bathroom bill" passed or he'll keep pushing for one. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law legislation shielding pastors' sermons from government subpoena power. Full Story
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There's a simple test to tell you whether the promise of a tax cut is really a tax cut: Is there money in your hand? Full Story