Video: A Conversation With Dennis Bonnen
Full video of my 5/13 conversation with state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Full Story
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Analysis: Making a Deal on Tax Cuts That Voters Might Not Care About
As they try to agree on tax cuts that are the major obstacle to a state budget, lawmakers could find themselves wishing the cuts they deliver are as big as they sounded to the public. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Rainy Day Fund Could Be Invested More Aggressively
The Texas Senate on Tuesday passed a measure granting Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar more flexibility to invest a portion of the $8 billion in the state’s Rainy Day Fund, sending the bill to the governor's desk. Full Story
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![Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Bonnen: I'd Scrap Sales Tax Cut for Larger Business Tax Cut
House Ways and Means Chairman Dennis Bonnen said Tuesday that he’d be fine with scrapping the tax cut plans offered by the House and Senate in favor of instituting an even larger cut in the franchise tax paid by businesses. Full Story
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![Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, on the House floor on May 7, 2015.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Video: House Members Get By With a Little Help From Their Friends
Your state lawmakers are keeping busy in these final weeks of the 84th Legislature — negotiating bills, debating on the floor and, in the House, probably helping the representatives seated near them cast votes. Here's a look at the rules that govern House votes. Full Story
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To Some, Miller's School Food Plan is Half-Baked
The reintroduction of deep fat fryers and soda machines into public schools may top the agenda of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. But some teachers and parents don't share his appetite for sugary drinks and french fries. Full Story
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![Sid Miller speaks at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 20, 2014.]()
Credit: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez -
Study: Half of Texas Women Face Barriers to Reproductive Health Care
More than half of Texas women faced at least one barrier to accessing reproductive health care in the years after lawmakers dramatically altered the state’s family planning services, according to a new report. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
House Shoots Down Increased Financial Disclosures
The Texas House on Monday night rejected a bill that would have increased the level of detail in personal financial statements filed by lawmakers and other state officials. Full Story
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![State Rep. Chris Turner, left, on the House floor during a budget debate on March 31, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House Advances E-Cigarette Ban for Minors
Texas moved a step closer to banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors after the state House gave tentative approval Monday to a bill that lawmakers say would prevent young Texans from purchasing nicotine products. Full Story
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![E-cigarettes vaporize a liquid solution for inhalation. They have grown steadily in popularity since they were introduced in 2005.]()
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Senate OKs Bill Allowing Pastors to Refuse to Marry Same-Sex Couples
The so-called Pastor Protection Act — a bill that clarifies clergy members' right to refuse to marry same-sex couples — tentatively passed the Texas Senate on Monday. Full Story
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![State Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, sits at his desk on March 16, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
House Gives Early OK to Expanding DNA Testing
The Texas House on Monday gave early approval to expanding DNA testing in criminal cases, an effort to prevent the incarceration of innocent Texans like Michael Morton, who spent nearly 25 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: Candid Cameras at a Critical Moment in the Legislative Session
Without showing their hand, conservatives outside of government have captured the attention of every nervous conservative in the Legislature at exactly the right time. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Copy of Lawmaker Videos Given to Breitbart Texas
A copy of more than 800 hours of video secretly shot of Texas lawmakers by a group with conservative ties has been turned over to Breitbart Texas, the news organization’s managing director confirmed Sunday. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Inside Texas Politics: North Texas Elections
On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics with host Jason Whitely and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy, the focus is on North Texas, where both Dallas and neighboring Arlington had elections Saturday. Full Story
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![(L-R) The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy, WFAA's Jason Whitely, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Arlington Mayor-Elect Jeff Williams on Inside Texas Politics on May 10, 2015.]()
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Democrats Face Void as Sylvester Turner Exits
During a quarter century in the House, Rep. Sylvester Turner gained influence as his party lost power by learning the rules and working with Republicans. As the chamber's Democratic pillar leaves to chase the Houston mayor's post one more time, many wonder who will step up in his place. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Texas a Flashpoint in National Debate Over Right to Film Police
As videos play an ever larger role in cases of alleged police brutality, "cop watching" is attracting organized activists in communities across the country. Clashes with police are inevitable, and now both sides are asking lawmakers to help clarify the ground rules. Full Story
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![Steve Donahue, of the Peaceful Streets Project, filmed law enforcement during a public intoxication near the University of Texas at Austin on April 24, 2015.]()
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Wendy Davis Fined for Ethics Violation
The Texas Ethics Commission has fined former state Sen. Wendy Davis $5,000 after finding "credible evidence" she failed to disclose her relationship with two lobbyists on financial disclosure forms filed during her 2012 re-election campaign. Full Story
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![State Sen. Wendy Davis speaking to the press after a Travis County Democratic campaign rally on Oct. 22, 2014.]()
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Texas House Approves State Hashtag Proposals
The Texas House on Friday gave near-unanimous support to a trio of proposals to designate state-specific hashtags. They are #txlege, #Texas and #TexasToDo. Full Story
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Video Shows Tense Exchange Between Pickett and Stickland
A week after a dramatic committee hearing that culminated in state Rep. Joe Pickett throwing fellow Rep. Jonathan Stickland out of the committee room, video of the hearing was posted online. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, being escorted out of a House Transportation Committee hearing chaired by Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, on April 30, 2015.]()
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Critics Question Whether Health Insurance Card Measure is a Remedy
UPDATED: House Bill 1514, which would add a special label to the health insurance cards of people receiving financial assistance under the Affordable Care Act, tentatively passed the Texas House on Friday. Opinions are mixed on what the impact would be. Full Story
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![Jill Ramirez, the director of outreach for the Latino Healthcare Forum, passes out flyers and explains components of the Affordable Care Act on Oct. 5, 2013.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge
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