The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
A House committee discussed whether to regulate the ownership of “big cats and nonhuman primates" at a hearing Wednesday. Animal rights groups say these animals are a threat to public safety, while owners of tigers, lions and other large cats say they already face enough regulation. Full Story
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In a marked departure from 2011, the state Senate on Wednesday passed a two-year budget with relative ease. Full Story
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Your evening reading: Senate passes $195.5 billion budget; Cornyn calls talk of pathway to citizenship premature; UT System votes to seek review of Law School Foundation Full Story
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The Texas Senate approved a $195.5 billion budget Wednesday that even supporters called an intermediate step toward a final spending plan for the next two years. Full Story
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The $195.5 billion budget that senators will vote on Wednesday includes $1.4 billion extra for education and pay raises for most state employees. A House committee is expected to vote Thursday on its version of the budget. Full Story
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A Senate committee on Tuesday approved a controversial Republican-backed bill that would raise licensing standards for abortion clinics. Democrats say the legislation would effectively ban abortion in Texas. Full Story
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A Senate committee has advanced a controversial bill that critics say amounts to a backdoor abortion ban in Texas. Full Story
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Legislation that could lead to term limits on statewide officeholders made its way through the Senate on Tuesday. Lawmakers also heard testimony on several high-profile bills in committee hearings. Full Story
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As a House committee on Tuesday took up a bill that would allow Texas liquor stores to open their doors on Sundays, one member raised concerns about whether the legislation could make it easier for minors to access liquor. Full Story
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In an interview with The Shark Tank, a Florida politics blog, Gov. Rick Perry said he would decide whether to run for re-election in June, then make his decision on a presidential bid "sometime later in the year." Full Story
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Political insiders rarely take things at face value, so it’s not surprising that they are scratching their collective heads over Ann Bishop’s sudden hiring and equally sudden departure from the office of Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story
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Several major highways in Texas make the state a hub for human trafficking. State lawmakers, like Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, are hoping to make progress this legislative session with bills aimed at curbing the crime. Full Story
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A state Senate bill aims to give extra protections to people who film on-duty police officers with their smartphones or other devices. The author, Sen. Craig Estes, says the measure addresses charges that could be filed as retribution. Full Story
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In the North Texas town of Blue Mound, the water system is owned by a private corporation. Residents say this results in painful rate hikes. Private water companies say their rates reflect the high costs of providing water to far-flung areas. Full Story
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The state balances its budget by counting nearly $5 billion in unspent funds that were raised for specific programs. To change their ways, lawmakers would have to go back to what they were trying to avoid: choices between taxes and cuts. Full Story
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In this edition of the Newsreel: George P. Bush officially enters the race for Texas land commissioner, the Senate Finance Committee passes a $195.5 billion budget and educators spend spring break at the Capitol. Full Story
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State Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, is engaged in a long-term campaign to convince his fellow legislators that the state's bond debt is an urgent problem and that tax increases are part of a conservative solution. Full Story
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House and Senate leaders have come to the same painful conclusion: spending from the Rainy Day Fund is subject to the constitutional spending limit. They disagree on what to do now. Full Story
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The freshmen in the Texas House wear something purple every Thursday as a symbol of their willingness to compromise across the aisle. Now that the bill-filing deadline has passed, it's time to identify which issues are negotiable. Full Story
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Ahead of his Thursday speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference, Gov. Rick Perry has sent a letter to members of Texas' congressional delegation asking them to fight for flexibility for the state's Medicaid program. Full Story
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