The latest Joe Straus news from The Texas Tribune.
A weekly leadership breakfast went sour Wednesday as the state's top three officials complained to one another about legislative packages and the tensions between a House and Senate that have just weeks left to complete their work. Full Story
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The Texas House and Senate are ignoring each other's work, slowing progress on bills like open carry and border security legislation. They're ruffling feathers, too. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott refused to pick sides Wednesday in a growing squabble over how best to cut state taxes, and moved away from an earlier promise to “insist” that Texas lawmakers cut property taxes before the session ends on June 1. Full Story
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As you read these words over your morning coffee, Ted Cruz is already a candidate for president. He announced about 11 p.m. Texas time via Twitter. Full Story
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This weekend, the Tribune launched a five-part series exploring the difficulties of people along the Texas-Mexico border in maintaining access to regular sources of drinking water. Full Story
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Ted Cruz's wide lead over other contenders for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in Texas has disappeared; he is now in a virtual tie with the surging Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Senate budget writers on Wednesday lit into Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek, a former senator himself, in a hearing that concluded with another call for him to resign. Full Story
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State Rep. José Menéndez handily won election to the state Senate after a high-dollar, contentious race against House colleague Trey Martinez Fischer. Full Story
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After Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a proposal to extend the National Guard's stay along the Texas-Mexico border, House Speaker Joe Straus said in effect that such power lies with Gov. Greg Abbott. That's not the only issue causing a potential House-Senate divide. Full Story
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This week, journalism lost two who were among its best: longtime CBS News correspondent Bob Simon and New York Times media columnist David Carr. This playlist is dedicated to them. Full Story
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On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics, talk turns to the Big Three: Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus. Full Story
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The House’s chief budget writer on Thursday praised a proposal to overhaul the school finance system by grouping the state’s 1,026 regular school districts into a few "school finance districts" — a tax move aimed at equalizing per-student funding statewide. Full Story
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The debate over the expansion of rights to carry guns onto university campuses and openly with a permit moves from rallies outside the Capitol to legislative hearings inside the building today. Full Story
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The Tribune's Terri Langford has uncovered a new problem with the no-bid Medicaid fraud software contract awarded to 21CT by the Health and Human Services Commission. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus leaned toward the familiar in filling open spots at the top of the chamber's top-tier committees. Full Story
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Guns were a big topic of conversation inside the Capitol and outside of it on Monday. Full Story
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This week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics with host Jason Whitely, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy and Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey leads off with an interview with Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry's formal farewell Thursday afternoon to the state Legislature dominated headlines with writers trying to discern from his speech what the future holds for him. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus said the House's base budget plan, released Thursday, holds "spending in check while addressing some very important challenges related to our rapid growth." The Senate's base budget is expected to come out next week. Full Story
Gov. Rick Perry will close the door on 30 years of state government work with a farewell address Thursday afternoon to the Legislature. Full Story
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