Patrick Says He Tried to Draft Nelson for Lieutenant Governor
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick revealed Friday he tried to draft state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, to run for lieutenant governor last year before he decided to enter the race. Full Story
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![Happy Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, watches passage of SB 1 budget bill on a 30-1 vote April 14, 2015. Lone no vote was Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Election, Lawsuit Could Upend Real Estate Sales Price Disclosure Debate
Texas has long been one of a number of states that does not require the disclosure of real estate sales prices. Yet a recent lawsuit and a proposition on the November ballot could pave the way for change, sales price disclosure proponents say. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Racing Commission Future Still Unclear
Unless lawmakers come up with a deal soon to keep it funded, the Texas Racing Commission is prepared to close down tomorrow. That means all Texas racetracks will be forced to close as well. Full Story
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![State Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson R-Flower Mound, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick discussed the Senate's base budget plan at a Jan. 27, 2015, news conference.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Buried Treasure: State Budget Hides a Mystery
Lawmakers approved giving $200,000 to a community college that doesn't want it to fund a maritime museum that doesn't exist, and now the Legislative Budget Board may scuttle Gov. Greg Abbott's bid to reclaim the loot. Full Story
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![La Salle's Expedition to Louisiana in 1684, painted in 1844 by Jean Antoine Théodore de Gudin. La Belle, left, sank in present-day Matagorda Bay.]()
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Video: Grieder and Ratcliffe on Jane Nelson
At our 6/18 conversation, Erica Grieder and R.G. Ratcliffe of Texas Monthly explained why they named state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, one of the 84th session's ten worst legislators. Full Story
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Video: A Conversation About the Best & Worst Legislators
Full video of our 6/18 conversation with Erica Grieder and R.G. Ratcliffe, the lead authors of Texas Monthly's biennial list of the best and worst legislators. Full Story
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At TxDOT, Concerns About Revolving Door Provision
At the Texas Department of Transportation, employees have expressed concern about the impact of a bill aimed at reducing conflicts of interests in state contracting. Gov. Greg Abbott signaled Tuesday that he intends to sign the bill. Full Story
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Contracting Measure Goes to Abbott; Another Made It Into Budget
Lawmakers sent a bill aimed at beefing up contracting oversight to Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday, while another died but will still largely be implemented through a budget rider. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, are shown at a joint budget hearing on May 20, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
On Most Visible Budget Disputes, Senate Fared Better Than House
The $209.4 billion budget sent to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk includes hundreds of concessions made by the House and Senate. Yet on most of the high-profile disputes, the Senate won out. Full Story
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![Sen. Jane Nelson, the Senate finance chairwoman, and Rep. John Otto, the House appropriations chairman.]()
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Legislature Sends $209.4 Billion Budget to Abbott
Texas lawmakers in both chambers on Friday overwhelmingly approved a $209.4 billion two-year budget, a 3.6 percent increase over the current one. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Full Story
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![Group congratulates Rep. John Otto R-Dayton after HB1 passes on May 29, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Budget Deal Includes $25 Million Boost for Alamo
Budget writers have added some last-minute cash for the Alamo, in large part to ensure the state holds on to a collection of Alamo artifacts from British music legend Phil Collins. Full Story
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![Phil Collins with his collection of Alamo artifacts at his home in Switzerland.]()
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Supplemental Budget Bill Addresses Health Care for Retired Teachers
The Texas Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to pass a $564.6 million bill that plugs holes in the current budget and shores up the health care plan for retired teachers. Full Story
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![Chairman State Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton and Chairman Sen. Jane Nelson at Joint Committee on Appropriations May 20, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House Unanimously Backs Property Tax Break
In a 136-1 vote, the House favored Senate Bill 1, which would raise the homestead exemption from $15,000 to $25,000 if voters approve an amendment to the state Constitution in November. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, on the House floor on May 13, 2015.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
House, Senate Negotiators Reach Deal on Budget
Top House and Senate negotiators sealed up the final unresolved issues on a two-year budget deal on Thursday evening, including removing controversial language that would have killed a proposed Dallas-Houston bullet train. Full Story
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![Sens. Lois Kolkhorst, Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, Jane Nelson, Charles Schwertner, Joan Huffman and Reps. Larry Gonzales, Sarah Davis, Sylvester Turner, John Otto and Trent Ashby make up the 2015 budget conference committee.]()
Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Budget Writers Settle School Funding, Border Security
The House and Senate stepped closer to a final deal on a two-year budget Wednesday evening, settling dozens of differences between the two chambers including funding for public education and border security. Full Story
![State Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, are shown at a joint budget hearing on May 20, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House, Senate at Odds Over Provision That Would Block Bullet Train
House and Senate leaders are in the midst of intense negotiations over a budget rider that could kill a proposed $12 billion bullet train project connecting Dallas and Houston. Full Story
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The Brief: May 18, 2015
With two weeks left in the legislative session, here are a couple of takes on the state of play on taxes and the budget, the only piece of legislation that must be passed. Full Story
![Happy Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, watches passage of SB 1 budget bill on a 30-1 vote April 14, 2015. Lone no vote was Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Limited Contracting Fixes Moving Forward
Amid a series of scandals, most lawmakers say they want to reform the way Texas hands out billions in state contracts. Discussion has narrowed to a handful of bills that some warn are merely first steps. Full Story
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![Chairwoman of the state Senate Finance Committee Jane Nelson and state House Appropriations Chairman John Otto.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: May 13, 2015
The House's tax writing committee on Tuesday took up the Senate's proposal to cut property taxes by raising homeowners' residential homestead exemption. But what transpired on Tuesday was far from a kumbaya moment. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, celebrates passage of his tax cut measures during the House session April 28, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: May 7, 2015
The Legislature's two chambers are still not on the same page when it comes to figuring out how to extend tax relief. The prognosis on whether they find room to compromise varies as well. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman