The latest 86th Legislative Session news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas lawmakers pass resolutions all the time. They can make the folks back home happy and commemorate people, places and things. And resolutions can serve — as one did for Senate Republicans this week — as a form of political advertising. Full Story
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The "Tax Man," a Republican senator from Houston, has his best chance yet to shake up Texas' property tax system. But it's going to be an uphill battle. Full Story
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Bonnen called the man's move "gutless," according to media reports. The Angleton Republican was in Austin when the man visited his home. Full Story
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Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Executive Director Toby Baker told a special panel of state senators on Thursday that first responders are still actively managing an incident at a Houston-area petrochemical facility that began last month. Full Story
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In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks to Mike Wilson, editor of The Dallas Morning News, and Debbie Hiott, general manager of Austin public radio station KUT, about the romantic ideal and precarious reality of the Capitol press corps. Full Story
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Some business groups who thought they had a slam dunk bill on employment benefits are now worried that LGBTQ opposition they tried to prevent could kill one of their priorities. Full Story
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Eliminating the lockbox requirement for school marshals was one of many suggestions Gov. Greg Abbott outlined for the Legislature in a 43-page plan released weeks after last year's deadly shooting at Santa Fe High School. Full Story
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The two-year plan, which must still pass the full Senate, includes a $9 billion infusion for public schools and property tax relief and up to $900 million in cuts to Medicaid. Full Story
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"I never anticipated that I would take a summer job at Wendy’s just so that I could replace a broken dishwasher,” said one high school English teacher who makes $45,000 per year. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers want to fix school finance, but they can't avoid looking for voter-pleasing side dishes, like property taxes and teacher pay raises, that could undermine the public education fixes. Full Story
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The bill passed on a 19–12 vote, with one Republican voting against it and one Democrat voting for it. It requires one more approval in the Senate before it heads to the Texas House. Full Story
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Activist conservative groups have long been aligned with the lawmakers they helped elect, like Texas House Freedom Caucus members and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Are they still on the same page? Full Story
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During the Texas legislative session, the Capitol sees a rush of advocates. Our latest "Under the Dome" episode features two people lobbying on issues they are all too familiar with. Full Story
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The Texas Legislature is trying to focus on school finance and property taxes. But flashier, more divisive political fights beckon. Full Story
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The Texas House sent a $250 billion budget over to the Senate with a unanimous vote after a debate that had remarkably few tense moments. With school finance, property taxes and revisions to that budget still ahead, will the comity hold? Full Story
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On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Ayan, Emma, Cassi and Patrick about the House’s big night tackling the next biennial budget, a repeat performance by corporate opponents of last session’s "bathroom bill" and the anti-abortion legislation moving in the Capitol. Full Story
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Both chambers now want to put $9 billion toward public schools and levy reductions. But they disagree about how to spread it out. Full Story
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The vote, called around 1 a.m., was 8-3. The lone Democrat who voted in support of the new measure was state Rep. Ryan Guillen, the vice chair of the committee. Full Story
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Rep. Richard Raymond has introduced bills to get rid of the gambling machines for years. This time, he's trying a different approach. Full Story
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The House also signed off on a $9 billion supplemental budget that would withdraw $4.3 billion from the state savings account. Full Story
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