Joe Straus

The Brief: Oct. 29, 2013

By John Reynolds Oct. 29, 2013

A ruling by a federal judge on Monday thrust abortion politics and Texas back into the national spotlight. Full Story

Credit: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez
Straus Urges El Paso Voters to Support Prop 6

By Julián Aguilar Oct. 28, 2013

Republican House Speaker Joe Straus stopped in El Paso on Monday to continue his statewide push for Prop 6, a ballot initiative that would tap into the state’s savings account to finance a water development bank. Full Story

Credit: Julián Aguilar
TribuneFest: A Conversation With Joe Straus

By Evan Smith Oct. 3, 2013

Full video of Jay Root's one-on-one with Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, at the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
Liveblog: Keynote Speakers at The Texas Tribune Festival

By Ayan Mittra Sept. 29, 2013

We liveblogged The 2013 Texas Tribune Festival's Keynote track, which included conversations with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and state Sen. Wendy Davis, a talk on the Tea Party's goals and a session on efforts to turn Texas blue. Read the highlights here. Full Story

Credit: Ben Hasson
Speaker's Original Band of 11 Shrinks to a Quartet

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 9, 2013

Joe Straus became speaker of the Texas House with the help of a relatively small group of Republicans who rebelled against a sitting speaker. Less than five years later, only four of them are left. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Polling Center: Joe Straus and the Other Republicans

By Jim Henson and Joshua Blank Aug. 8, 2013

Many statewide Republican candidates are running to the right to position themselves for the primaries, but the Speaker of the House enjoys a rarified position: An office with statewide reach that doesn't appear on the statewide ballot. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

By Ross Ramsey Aug. 5, 2013

Texas legislators might eventually get the transportation funding bill the governor asked them for, but it's not the stuff parades are made of: They've already blown two chances. Full Story
The Brief: July 31, 2013

By David Muto July 31, 2013

Pleas from lawmakers failed to ward off an immediate third special session on transportation. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
Perry Calls Third Special Session, Focuses on Transportation Funding

By Aman Batheja and Elizabeth Koh July 30, 2013

UPDATED: Just over an hour after lawmakers ended their second 30-day special session of the year, Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday called lawmakers back for a third one, with transportation funding the only issue on the agenda. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Straus: Perry Crossed Line on Davis Comments

By Jay Root June 28, 2013

One of the most powerful Republicans in Texas, House Speaker Joe Straus, said Friday that Gov. Rick Perry’s controversial remarks about Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis were inappropriate and damaging to the GOP brand. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
UT/TT Poll: Legislature Stands Ahead of Congress

By Ross Ramsey June 18, 2013

Texas politicians and institutions are getting much better marks from the state’s voters than the president and Congress, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
TribLive: Inside Texas Monthly's Best & Worst List

By Evan Smith June 13, 2013

Full video of Thursday's TribLive conversation about Texas Monthly's list of the Best and Worst Legislators, with Paul Burka, Erica Grieder, Sonia Smith and Brian D. Sweany. Full Story
This Session, Lawmakers Put Down Their Swords

By Ross Ramsey, Emily Ramshaw, Aman Batheja and Jay Root May 26, 2013

If Texas’ less-than-theatrical 83rd legislative session is remembered at all, it will be known for accords, not discord. Here's a look at top storylines from this session and what they could portend for the future. Full Story
For Perry, Veto is a Seasonal Power

By Ross Ramsey May 24, 2013

Who is really in power in state government? According to the calendar, the clout is days away from moving firmly to the governor's office. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
An Expensive Celebration, Courtesy of the Lobby

By Ross Ramsey May 22, 2013

End-of-session dinners are commonplace for legislative committees at the end of the session, and they can be lavish affairs. One this week cost more than $22,000. Full Story
Reform of Emerging Technology Fund Clears House Hurdle

By Jay Root May 6, 2013

Top elected officials wouldn't decide who gets state commercialization grants under a bill that got an early OK in the House. The bill is aimed at alleviating concerns that friends of Rick Perry have been getting preferential treatment. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Straus Picks Lead Budget Negotiators

By Aman Batheja April 22, 2013

The House on Monday sent five members to negotiate a budget with the Senate, with instructions to avoid anything that looks like it would expand the state's Medicaid program. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
TribLive: A Conversation with Joe Straus

By Evan Smith Feb. 7, 2013

Full video of my 2/6 TribLive conversation with Speaker of the House Joe Straus, R-San Antonio. Full Story
House Committee to Focus on Criminal Code

By Maurice Chammah, The Marshall Project Feb. 7, 2013

Last week, House Speaker Joe Straus appointed a committee to examine the state's Code of Criminal Procedure. Committee members and relevant interest groups were caught by surprise, but they say the code is long overdue for revisions. Full Story

Credit: Alex E. Proimos
TribLive: Straus on Health Reform

By Evan Smith Feb. 6, 2013

At Wednesday's TribLive conversation, House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, held open the possibility of a compromise with the federal government on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Full Story