The latest 84th Legislative Session news from The Texas Tribune.
An unexpected end-of-session skirmish over payroll deductions for union dues pits Republicans against Democrats, business against labor, and presents lawmakers with one of those votes that might be important in next year's elections. Full Story
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In the Roundup: Lawmakers endorse allowing epilepsy patients to use cannabis oil for treatment, pharmacies that supply the state its execution drugs will not be disclosed, and Gov. Greg Abbott wastes little time signing the "Denton fracking bill" into law. Full Story
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Top House and Senate negotiators sealed up the final unresolved issues on a two-year budget deal on Thursday evening, including removing controversial language that would have killed a proposed Dallas-Houston bullet train. Full Story
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If you’ve watched the Texas Legislature in action, you’ve probably heard lawmakers use some terms that sounded foreign. As part of an occasional series explaining the Legislature’s inner workings, we define a couple of key terms and techniques that lawmakers use under the Pink Dome. Full Story
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At our 5/21 conversation with state Reps. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; and Poncho Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass talked about big issues that are unresolved with a week to go in the session. Full Story
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At our 5/21 conversation, state Reps. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; and Poncho Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass talked about the prospect of a deal on tax cuts. Full Story
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At our 5/21 conversation, state Reps. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; and Poncho Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass talked about the coming budget deal between the House and the Senate. Full Story
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Full video of my 5/21 conversation with state Reps. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place; Jeff Leach, R-Plano; and Poncho Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass. Full Story
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The House and Senate stepped closer to a final deal on a two-year budget Wednesday evening, settling dozens of differences between the two chambers including funding for public education and border security. Full Story
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The state's 50 community college systems are one of the few areas targeted for cuts in state funding over the next two years. As a final budget is hashed out in the Legislature, school leaders are hoping to reverse their fiscal fortune. Full Story
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A Senate bill that arrived in the House less than two weeks ago would let Republicans put the hurt on unions and on Democrats, if it can move through the legislative gauntlet this late in the legislative session. Full Story
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The House and Senate negotiations over a tax cut deal have narrowed to a single sticking point: when a proposed property tax cut should go into effect. Full Story
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Legislation that would keep the names of execution drug providers secret is headed to the governor’s office after the Texas House gave final approval on Tuesday to a Senate measure. Full Story
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When the Texas Senate changed requirements on bringing legislation up for debate, Democrats said a process intended to encourage compromise would suffer. Several bills have been unblocked, but the conservative steamroller that Democrats feared hasn't emerged. Full Story
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With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, the Texas House is all that is keeping a stalled measure requiring public universities and colleges to allow concealed handguns on their campuses from reaching the governor's desk. Full Story
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Two officials involved in an investigation into whether state Rep. Jonathan Stickland improperly registered witnesses to testify on a bill banning red light cameras disputed Stickland's claims Monday that he has been cleared of wrongdoing. Full Story
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Epilepsy patients in Texas suffering from seizures could get prescriptions for medicinal oils containing a non-euphoric, therapeutic component found in marijuana under a bill tentatively approved by the state House on Monday. Full Story
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In this episode of Budgetline, Aman and Ross explore riders — descriptive items in the state budget meant to direct agencies how to spend state money. Often, they're a place where budget writers sneak policy and legislative instructions into state law. Full Story
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In his first veto, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday killed a seemingly routine resolution honoring mental health workers after finding a surprise hiding in the text. Full Story
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In February, Gov. Greg Abbott asked lawmakers to dedicate this legislative session to ethics reform. With only two weeks left, he's still waiting. Full Story
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