TribLive: A Conversation About the Texas Senate
Full video of my 4/11 TribLive conversation with state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. Full Story
The latest 83rd Legislative Session news from The Texas Tribune.
Full video of my 4/11 TribLive conversation with state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. Full Story
As Texas reconsiders whether all students should take algebra II to earn a high school diploma, it is bucking a national trend that it helped launch a decade ago toward more stringent math curriculum. Full Story
A significantly altered version of Senate Education Chairman Dan Patrick's legislation expanding the state's charter school system quickly passed out of the upper chamber Thursday afternoon. Full Story
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, weighed in on outreach to Latino voters. Full Story
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston; Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio; and Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, talked about the sudden outbreak of peace and comity in the 83rd legislative session. Full Story
The full Texas Senate will consider a plan to spend about half of the projected $11.8 billion balance in the state's Rainy Day Fund for transportation and water projects, though Democrats plan to push for money for schools as well. Full Story
With less than two months left in the legislative session, some lawmakers are lowering expectations on what can get done related to funding for roads. Full Story
State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, at a Tuesday hearing delivered an impassioned plea in support of the tax credit scholarship plan that is a critical part of the school choice reform package he has pushed this session. Full Story
The political sentiment behind the House’s vote against private school vouchers last week is clear. But its particulars — including whether it would ban tax credit scholarships under consideration in the Senate — are less obvious. Full Story
Amid heightened tensions with state lawmakers, four University of Texas System regents have called for a special meeting of their board, likely to be held this week. Full Story
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: What's it like being a freshman lawmaker in the Texas Legislature? We talked to state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, about her first session under the dome. Full Story
One lawmaker is getting much of the credit for restoring family planning funding to the House budget without the usual floor fight: state Rep. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place. Full Story
Full video of Aman Batheja's 4/4 TribLive conversation with state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman. Full Story
Texas deer breeders say that excessive oversight from Texas Parks and Wildlife is constraining their industry. Supported by the Texas Deer Association, several bills would make major changes to deer breeding across the state. Full Story
Despite tense votes on vouchers and a setback for lawmakers who want to expand Medicaid, the Texas House passed its budget with overwhelming support after 12 hours of remarkably civil debate. Full Story
After a brief but heated debate, a measure from state Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Corpus Christi, that would ban the use of public dollars for private schools passed the House 103-43 with bipartisan support. Full Story
Amid Thursday's budget debate in the House, some Democratic and Republican members of the House have agreed to pull some divisive amendments related to women's health. Full Story
The Texas Retired Teachers Association says it does not endorse any of the controversial budget amendments filed by freshman House Republicans that would put more money into the teachers' health insurance fund. Full Story
UPDATED: Rep. John Zerwas confirmed Wednesday that he will incorporate into his own Medicaid reform bill a proposal by Sen. Tommy Williams to use premium tax revenue to subsidize private health policies for the uninsured. Full Story
With the addition of more than a dozen statewide elected officials to our Lawmaker Explorer — including Attorney General Greg Abbott and Comptroller Susan Combs and the state's railroad commissioners and Supreme Court justices — we're renaming it the Ethics Explorer. Full Story