Budget Notes: School Finance Remains the Key
Lawmakers made progress today on solving the current budget deficit but still haven't solved the major problem in the 2012-13 budget: school finance. Full Story
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For Clients of Perry's Advisers, a Troubling State Budget
Gov. Rick Perry has delivered his fiscal message loud and clear: Balance the cash-strapped state budget with cuts, not with the Rainy Day Fund or new taxes. Yet some of his most loyal advisers, past and future, are representing clients beating a very different drum. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Special Session Hinges on School Finance Fix
The Legislature has just a few days to get the state budget, the most important bill of the session, passed and to the governor's desk. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports on the final items needed to send lawmakers home on time. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Budget Notes: The Race to Fix School Finance Without a Special Session
One day after the education fiscal bill, SB 1581, died on the floor of the House, lawmakers are scrambling to reach a deal and keep the budget bill, HB 1, on track for approval by both chambers before the weekend deadline. The governor is among the optimists who think they'll finish their work without going into overtime. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Video: The Fight Over Family Planning
Budget negotiators will likely adopt the House's 2012-13 family planning budget, or something close to it. The House proposed $37 million for family planning funding, while the Senate proposed $99 million. Full Story
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Budget Notes: Ogden, Pitts Plan Weekend Vote
The lead budget writers from the House and Senate answered questions about the budget they've agreed upon, admitting they don't have all of the details yet and saying they could vote on the final plan this coming weekend. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Smoking Ban May Face Uphill Battle in Senate
House lawmakers successfully tacked a statewide smoking ban onto a broad Senate fiscal matters bill last weekend. But whether it will stick in the upper chamber is another question entirely. Full Story
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Credit: Andhi J -
Budget Negotiators Agree on Education Funding
House and Senate negotiators agreed on spending on education, state salaries and benefits this morning and hope to have the final vote on the 2012-13 budget sometime this weekend. Full Story
![Rep. Sylvester Turner D-Houston, speaks with Sen. Steve Ogden R-Bryan during finance committee hearing on May 23rd, 2011]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
No Clear Signals on Budget, UT/TT Poll Finds
Voters still want lawmakers to cut the budget, but they still oppose the major cuts in education and health and human services that cutting the budget requires, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Anxious High School Seniors Await Word on College Grants
Thousands of Texas students have been forced to put their college plans on hold as the Legislature, working on the state budget, determines what level of funding there will be for TEXAS Grants, the state's principal financial aid program for financially needy college students. Full Story
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The Budget: Where Everything Stands
Where did the time go? Texas legislators are a mere nine days away from the end of the session and still have to finish work on several bills to finish up their budget for the two-year period that starts September 1. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Budget Update: House Passes Key Fiscal Matters Bill
After days of debate, the House finally passed a key fiscal matters bill — Senate Bill 1811 — that raises necessary funds to balance the proposed budget. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: The Week in Texas Politics Recap: May 16 to May 20, 2011
Want a quick recap of some of the happenings this week in the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly video rundown of the action under the dome. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Root and Galbraith on a Dallas billionaire's radioactive waste dump victory, Grissom on the passage of eyewitness ID reform, Hamilton on the old grudges bedeviling the debate over higher ed, Philpott on the status of congressional redistricting, Ramsey on Rick Perry's un-campaign for president, Ramshaw on why medical schools are the scorned children of the state's education budget, my session-wrap interview with three veteran Democrats, M. Smith on why Rob Eissler can't pass mandate relief for school districts and Stiles on who's giving what to which Texas candidates in 2011-12 congressional races: The best of our best content from May 16 to 20, 2011. Full Story
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Texas House Gives Smoking Ban Early OK
The Texas House tentatively approved a statewide ban on smoking in public places tonight, adding the measure onto another bill that must pass in order to make the two-year state budget balance. Full Story
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Credit: Andhi J -
Liveblog: The Money Debate
With a deal in the works tonight on the state's two-year budget — the biggest priority of the legislative session — the House and Senate are debating a crucial school finance measure and another critical bill that raises the money to pay for it. Full Story
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VIDEO: Ellis, Turner and Van de Putte at TribLive
At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio — about how they and their Democratic colleagues fared this session. Full Story
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TribLive: Three Veteran Democrats on the 82nd Session
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio — about how they and their Democratic colleagues fared this session. Full Story
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Budget Update: Campus Handguns Wing Budget Package
The hits just keep on coming. One of the fiscal matters bills critical to the budget got thrown back to the Senate for carrying a concealed weapon; it had been amended there to include legalization of concealed handguns on college campuses. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: Perry On The Budget
Gov. Rick Perry, speaking to reporters outside a ballroom at the Four Seasons Hotel, said legislative leaders were moving toward a budget deal that would avoid a special session. Full Story
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