The Brief: July 18, 2014
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is on his way out in a few months, but on Thursday he moved to fill some key Senate leadership slots to help the chamber prepare for the coming legislative session in January. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst delivering his concession speech after losing his re-election bid on May 27, 2014.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: June 26, 2014
On the eve of the Democratic state convention, Wendy Davis and friends commemorated the event that put the gubernatorial candidate on the national map. Full Story
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![Democratic nominee Wendy Davis addresses her supporters at the filibuster anniversary celebration hosted by her gubernatorial campaign.]()
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The Brief: May 27, 2014
Will Texas buck the larger national trend in Republican politics and go in deeper with support of Tea Party candidates and causes? Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Perry Issues More Than Two Dozen Vetoes
Gov. Rick Perry issued more than two dozen vetoes Friday, including a line-item veto that wipes out funding for the Travis County prosecutors who investigate government fraud and public corruption. He also vetoed a bill that would have had Texas law mirror gender wage protections in the federal Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Full Story
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![The Texas Tribune Festival 2012 Opening Session: A Conversation with Gov. Rick Perry and Evan Smith, Sept. 21, 2012.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge -
Lawmakers Urged to Protect Businesses That Hire Ex-Prisoners
Amid a broader legislative push to help former prisoners re-enter society, state lawmakers on Monday were encouraged to limit the legal liability of businesses that hire ex-prisoners. Full Story
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![Brandon Biko Reese, who will soon be released after serving a five-year sentence, is enthusiastically welcomed to the front of the room to give a farewell speech. In an effort to "de-gangsterize" inmates, administrators encourage them to dance and cheer for their peers whenever possible.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
Lawmakers and Judge Push for Legal Aid Funding
A Texas Supreme Court Justice and several lawmakers are pushing to raise the amount of money that can be given by the attorney general's office to indigent legal aid services groups. Full Story
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Despite Reforms, Elected Officials Can Still Lobby
While members of the Texas Legislature can no longer act as lobbyists before state agencies, plenty of lawmakers still manage to lobby local governments. Others find work that critics would classify as lobbying by another name. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Bill Looks to Adjust Medical Parole to Help Alleviate Prison Budget
As lawmakers try to trim the budget for health care for prison inmates, one bill aims to cut costs by re-examining a program that releases inmates deemed the oldest, sickest and most expensive. Full Story
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![Inmates at a medical facility at The Estelle Unit in Huntsville.]()
Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller -
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Ramshaw on the lioness of the Texas House, Dehn and Tan review 20 years of Rick Perry's political ads, Murphy's latest database includes the governor's political accounts over the last decade, Aaronson's visualizations of what was said in the biggest legislative debates, M. Smith on the woman in the middle chair at the State Board of Education, Galbraith on how the drought is forcing ranchers to sell their herds, Grissom has the story on a cattle rustler who's asking the courts to give him an old-fashioned sentence, Hamilton covers Rick O'Donnell's latest salvo at higher education, Aguilar on whether and how the sanctuary cities issue will translate at the ballot box next year, yours truly on Ron Paul's candidacy and the candidate in his own words: The best of our best from July 18 to 22, 2011. Full Story
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Thompson's Campaign Contributions (2010 Cycle)
Rep. Senfronia Thompson's campaign contributions for the 2010 election cycle, classified by donor type. Full Story
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Video: Rick Perry Roasts Senfronia Thompson
In April, Gov. Rick Perry roasted longtime Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, at a raucous fundraiser for the Texas Legislative Internship Program. Watch a clip of the event, emceed by state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, here. Full Story
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Slideshow: State Rep. Senfronia Thompson
State Rep. Senfronia Thompson is the longest-serving woman, African American and Democrat in the Texas House, where her career spans nearly four decades. Here's a photographic look back at her tenure in the Legislature's lower chamber. Full Story
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Thompson Feeds Her "Little Dogs" and Throws a Bone to Bigger Ones
Rep. Senfronia Thompson’s almost 40-year House tenure is defined by her defense of the underserved. But her legislative career is peppered with occasional paradoxes. Full Story
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Video: "Pansexual" Amendment Debate
While you were sleeping last night, lawmakers in the Texas House were engaged in a passionate debate over "pansexual" politics that nearly killed the entire fiscal matters bill, which is pretty much the main reason they're having a special session. Trust us — this is must-see video. Full Story
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After 16 Hours of Debate, House Tentatively Passes Key Fiscal Matters Bill
Lengthy debate on a key budget bill featured many retreads of contentious topics from the regular session — but it was Rep. Wayne Christian's revival of his famous "pansexual" amendment around midnight that almost killed the whole thing. Full Story
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![State Rep. Wayne Christian, R-Center, listens to testimony during a House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee hearing on April 5, 2011.]()
Credit: Bob -
New Lawmaker's Crusade Against Government is a Lonely One
In the just-ended legislative session, freshman state Rep. David Simpson made a name for himself — and not always a nice one — with his passionate push for the “anti-groping” airport bill and his outspoken stance against proposals he believed represented government intrusion into personal freedoms. Full Story
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The 82nd Lege Session: The Highlights Reel
The Trib's multimedia team highlights some of the most memorable — and surprising — moments from the 82nd Legislative Session. Our lawmakers sure do love to make a statement, complete with finger pointing, yelling and props. (Some video courtesy the Texas House, the Texas Senate and legetv.org.) Full Story
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Is There a Boys Club Under the Pink Dome?
The flap in the House and Senate this week over a political flyer showing an infant nursing at a bare breast has rekindled an age-old discussion: Is there sexism in the Texas Capitol? Full Story
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Video: Thompson "Disgusted" by Flyers
State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, gave an impassioned personal privilege speech on the floor of the Texas House this afternoon in response to graphic flyers passed out in the House chamber about an insurance bill, HB 2093. The women in the chamber stood up with Thompson. "We have not earned this kind of disrespect!" she said. Afterward, state Rep. Debbie Riddle accused some of the men in the chamber of having pornography on the House floor. (Video courtesy legetv.org) Full Story
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House Women Outraged by "Despicable" Flyers
The lower chamber erupted into a gender war of sorts Thursday afternoon, with Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, accusing a special interest group of sexism, and Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, suggesting some lawmakers have pornography on the House floor. Full Story
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