The latest 84th Legislative Session news from The Texas Tribune.
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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Issues of surveillance and questions of paranoia kept coming up this week, so this week’s playlist of the news has a quartet of paranoia-themed songs — but we’re not telling you where they’ll crop up. Full Story
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Watch members of the Texas House and Senate debate legislation using our livestream, courtesy of the Texas Legislature. And stay updated on the issues they're debating with our Texas Legislative Guide. Full Story
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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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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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This week in the Roundup: Gov. Greg Abbott calls the Garland shooting a "heinous crime," Abbott also defends his decision to order the Texas State Guard to monitor a federal military training exercise, and the Legislature advances key measures as the end of session nears. Full Story
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A key early education bill backed by Gov. Greg Abbott setting up grants to encourage higher quality pre-kindergarten programs has now cleared both chambers of the Legislature. Full Story
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At our 5/7 conversation, John Sharp, the chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, discussed the gap between the cost of educating veterans and their kin under the Hazlewood law and what the Legislature has appropriated. Full Story
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At our 5/7 conversation, John Sharp, the chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, talked about the various legislative proposals to constrain the ability of public universities to raise tuition. Full Story
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Full video of my 5/7 conversation with John Sharp, the chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. Full Story
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Lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit the Department of Family and Protective Services from making a finding of "abuse" or "neglect" against a parent who surrenders parental rights to get a child mental health care. Full Story
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After surviving Tea Party-backed opposition in the House, the early education bill that Gov. Greg Abbott has called his top priority this session could face its final test in the Texas Senate as early as Thursday. Full Story
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A tax case started by a chain of movie theaters could cut billions from the state's franchise tax, and could affect the sales tax, too, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Wednesday. The 3rd Court of Appeals ruled against the state late last week. Full Story
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Lawmakers have soundly rejected a bill to cap the state sales tax on certain boat purchases worth more than $250,000. State Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, said his measure was about helping the struggling recreational marine industry. Full Story
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The unfolding story about surreptitious taping of officeholders at the Texas Capitol is going to end predictably: You'll know who did the filming — but not who paid for it. Full Story
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A languishing measure requiring public universities and colleges to allow concealed handguns on campus may gain a fast track to passage under a plan to attach it as an amendment to another gun bill. Full Story
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If state budget writers can't get a deal on the budget during the regular session, they'll have to come back to finish. And with the state economy slowing down, going into overtime could mean less money for tax breaks and state programs. Full Story
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A state lawmaker is pushing to make all financial disclosure statements filed with the Texas Ethics Commission available online so the public can easily find them. In that spirit, the Tribune presents the disclosures filed by scores of state agency heads, regents and others that you can't get online now. Full Story
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The sharper the speech — the harder it pokes at something dear to someone else — the greater the chance of a strong reaction. Full Story
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Dallas and Houston leaders may want a super-fast train connecting their cities, but folks in between aren't as sold on the idea. Some have formed Texans Against High-Speed Rail, and they're hiring lobbyists and courting allies in a bid to kill the plan. Full Story
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