82nd Legislative Session

TribLive: Powers and Loftin Oppose Campus Carry

By Evan Smith April 28, 2011

At this morning's TribLive conversation, UT President Bill Powers and A&M President Bowen Loftin explained why they oppose legislation that would allow concealed hanguns on college campuses. Full Story
David Dewhurst: The TT Interview

By Ross Ramsey April 28, 2011

With less than five weeks left to go in the session, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst sat down with the Tribune to talk about his future political plans, the status of the budget in the Senate and in the biennial parley between the Senate and the House, redistricting and the tug-of-war over the Rainy Day Fund. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
Senate Budget Debate Stalls Over Vote Count

By Thanh Tan April 27, 2011

Waiting for the Senate budget debate? Get comfortable. Plans to bring the Senate’s substitute for the House’s budget, HB 1, up for a vote on the floor on Thursday have for now been pushed back to Friday or later, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Texplainer: What's a Third Reading?

By Aziza Musa April 27, 2011

The first reading is just an introduction, the second reading is when the action happens, and the third reading is for final passage. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Matt Stiles
Dewhurst Makes Budget Pitch to Senators

By Ross Ramsey April 27, 2011

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, trying to build enough support to bring the budget up for consideration this week, appealed in writing to state senators, supporting the plan and a provision that would allow the state to spend $3 billion from the Rainy Day Fund. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Wentworth Surprises Senate With Campus Carry

By Christopher Smith Gonzalez April 27, 2011

State Sen. Jeff Wentworth surprised his colleagues and brought the Senate to a standstill today when he tried to tack his controversial campus carry bill onto another measure. Full Story

Credit: Texas Senate
Technicality Slays House Bill on Class Sizes — for Now

By Morgan Smith April 26, 2011

The House was set to debate a bill that would scrap a 27-year-old law mandating a 22-to-1 student-teacher ratio in kindergarten through fourth grade today — but before it got the chance, state Rep. Borris Miles, D-Houston, derailed the legislation with a point of order. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
House Tentatively Passes Ban on Sugary Drinks at Schools

By Morgan Smith April 26, 2011

House Bill 127 would make middle and high school students leave campus if they want to satisfy their soda fix. Full Story
Bill to Test Rape Kits Comes With Big Price Tag

By Becca Aaronson April 26, 2011

Thousands of untested rape kits could be examined for DNA evidence, but a bill considered today by a Senate panel carries a hefty price tag. The result could be that the boxes remain stacked on shelves in police storage rooms across the state. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
Perry: "No Faith" In LBB; Leave Rainy Day Fund Alone

By Thanh Tan April 26, 2011

Gov. Rick Perry says he is unswayed by estimates that the state's Rainy Day Fund may end up being more flush than previously anticipated and blasted the Legislature's budget office as an unreliable source of numbers. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
House Gives Early Nod to Puppy Mill Bill

By Brandi Grissom April 26, 2011

Dog breeders would be regulated for the first time in Texas under a bill the House tentatively approved today. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Texas Senate to the Feds: Pay for Border Security

By Becca Aaronson April 26, 2011

Dear federal government: Texas needs help covering the cost of border security. Signed, the Texas Senate. A resolution adopted by the state Senate today is intended to send a message to Washington demanding more action on illegal immigration. Full Story

Credit: Spencer Selvidge for The Texas Tribune
What $7.8 Billion Less Means for Your School District

By Morgan Smith April 26, 2011

If the House has its way, there will be 7.8 billion fewer state dollars headed to Texas public schools. Here's our searchable database built from state Rep. Scott Hochberg’s projections of how the funding cuts would hit 1,024 school districts across the state. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Ryan Murphy / Morgan Smith / Todd Wiseman
Video: Conservative Coalition Expands Ad Campaign (UPDATE)

By Thanh Tan April 25, 2011

One day after the Senate passed its version of the budget for the next biennium, the Texas Public Policy Foundation expanded its media campaign for a "conservative budget." They produced a series of new ads now running on statewide television. The timing appears to be strategic, as the Senate and House prepare to reconcile their spending plans in conference committee. Full Story

Credit: Conservativebudget.com
TribLive: Armstrong on Cancer Research Funding

By Evan Smith April 25, 2011

At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, Lance Armstrong talked about the need to preserve cancer research funding in austere times. Full Story
TribLive: Armstrong on Smoke-Free

By Evan Smith April 25, 2011

At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, Lance Armstrong talked about his advocacy on behalf of an indoor workplace smoking ban. Full Story
Video: Lance Armstrong at TribLive

By Evan Smith April 25, 2011

At Thursday's TribLive conversation, I interviewed Lance Armstrong about the need to protect cancer research funding in austere times and his advocacy on behalf of an indoor workplace smoking ban. Full Story
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith April 23, 2011

Aaronson on a freshman lawmaker's rogue antics, Aguilar on how cartel violence affects tick eradication, Galbraith on Midland's water woes, Hamilton on the exit of a higher ed reformer, Murphy maps voting age by county, Philpott on the data breach at the Comptroller's office, Ramsey on why Susan Combs needs to eat crow, my TribLive interview with U.S. Sen John Cornyn, Ramshaw on Cornyn's refusal to take the "nickel tour" of Planned Parenthood, M. Smith annotates the contracts of superintendents, Stiles on a GOP-friendly redistricting map and Tan on a possible Rainy Day Fund raid: The best of our best content from April 18 to 22, 2011. Full Story
Video: The Week in Texas Politics Recap: Apr. 18 to Apr. 22

By Justin Dehn April 22, 2011

No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Full Story
Video: House Unlikely to Support Senate Budget

By Justin Dehn and Thanh Tan April 22, 2011

The Senate Finance Committee passed a budget this week that proposes spending about $12 billion more than the House in the next biennium. At first glance, House Appropriations Chair Jim Pitts says there's no way his chamber can meet the Senate halfway. Full Story