The latest 83rd Legislative Session news from The Texas Tribune.
The state Legislature is diverse in some ways and homogenous in others. Here's a look at Texas' 83rd class of lawmakers, from their employment and higher education to their age, gender and demographics. Full Story
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The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Foundation — a nonprofit that supplements the salaries of the leaders at the state’s beleaguered $3 billion cancer research agency — released a full list of its donors on Thursday. Full Story
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Time lapse video of the opening day of the 83rd Legislature on Tuesday, as the Capitol welcomed legislators, their families, staff, lobbyists and hundreds of other Texans. Full Story
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In a wide-ranging interview, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst talked about the state budget, education, immigration, water, transportation, and his hopes and plans for the legislative session that began this week. Full Story
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State Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, says he’s found the perfect way for elected officials to put their money where there mouths are when it comes to exercising fiscal restraint: ban "double-dipping" by politicians. Full Story
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Use these seating charts to locate where the 150 members of the House and the 31 members of the Texas Senate sit in their respective chambers. Full Story
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Pomp and circumstance filled the pink dome for the start of the 83rd Texas legislative session on Tuesday, and the Tribune cameras were there to capture the scenes. Full Story
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Texas legislators started their 83rd session with leaders who want to focus on water, infrastructure, budget transparency, education — and, perhaps, some tax relief. Full Story
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Saying he wasn’t certain of victory and didn’t want to put other members at risk by forcing a vote, Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, withdrew from the race for House speaker on Tuesday. Watch his full comments from the House floor. Full Story
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Legislators, journalists and others shared thousands of tweets and photos on Tuesday, the first day of the 83rd legislative session. Check out this selection of what they shared. Full Story
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The contentious rule that allows a minority of senators to block legislation is again under fire, but Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said the two-thirds rule will continue in the Senate for another session. Full Story
House Speaker Joe Straus won another term in that position after his challenger, Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, withdrew from the race. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry warned Texas lawmakers not to start making grand plans for the multibillion-dollar budget surplus and the growing Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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As 181 members of the Texas Legislature work during the 83rd session, use this application to navigate the Capitol and locate lawmakers' offices. Full Story
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The Legislature is back for the 83rd time, and we've refreshed our directory of statewide officials and legislators. Many of the old names are here, and so are the names of the numerous freshmen. Full Story
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Can’t get enough of the Texas Lege? Starting Tuesday, you’ll be able to view live video streams of the House and Senate on The Texas Tribune whenever the chambers are in session. The House and Senate convene at noon CST. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus faces a challenge on the first day of the 83rd Texas Legislature, and the Senate gets another run at a rule that empowers political minorities and sometimes frustrates majorities. Full Story
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With improving fiscal conditions and redistricting in the rearview, lawmakers are approaching 2013 with pressing policy questions, from whether to introduce private school vouchers to whether to implement key provisions of federal health reform. Full Story
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Ahead of the 2013 legislative session, lawmakers have filed nearly 200 fewer bills than they had filed at the same point two years ago. Use our bill tracker to follow the process, learn more about the proposals or see what your representative has filed so far. Full Story
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State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, a former prosecutor and judge, has filed a bill that would allow prosecutors to include accusations by other victims in child sexual assault cases. Defense attorneys worry it would lead to wrongful convictions. Full Story
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