A day after the conclusion of the 84th legislative session, State Sen. Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) has announced his retirement from the Senate. Fraser leaves office with a lifetime rating of C- on the Fiscal Responsibility Index, and a cumulative 80% on Young...
As was widely expected, House Republicans took what was an ethics bill and flipped it on its head. Authored by State Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano), SB 19 was passed unanimously in the Texas Senate and included notable measures such as transparency and disclosure...
Half an hour before midnight, when pending legislation would have died to legislative deadlines, the Texas House passed a measure that would expand concealed carry on college campuses. Though the measure passed with a bipartisan majority of (101-47), the road to...
Last week the University of Texas Board of Regents voted to place barriers in the way of fellow Regent Wallace Hall. The decision came only days after an opinion by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was issued in support of Hall’s ability to access such information....
Lawsuits concerning school finance and redistricting could soon be subject to a different process if Gov. Greg Abbott approves. On Monday, the Texas Legislature passed SB 455 by State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) and sponsored by State Rep. Mike Schofield...
Texans fed up with property taxes got a glimmer of hope last night in the Texas House. The measure on the agenda? HB 506 by Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin) which would have permitted school property tax rates to rise up to an additional 10 cents per $100 of valuation....
Gov. Abbott’s legislative priorities are yet again under assault by Republicans in the Texas House. The newest target? Ethics reform. Wednesday morning, State Affairs Chairman Byron Cook (R-Coriscana) fired a broadside at the measure, calling it “one of the most...
With the recent technological advancements in hydraulic fracturing (i.e. ‘fracking’), additional oil and gas activities have led some cities, such as Denton, to approve bans on the activity within city limits. Such bans however, run afoul of state law, which dictates...
The battle between the two chambers of the Texas Legislature escalated late last week when State Rep. Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton) launched yet another attack on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The two have been publicly trading barbs over tax relief policy in a dispute that has...
Home school students may soon be able to play football and other sports alongside public school students in the Lone Star State. On Monday, the Texas Senate advanced Senate Bill 2046, the “Tim Tebow bill.” Named after the homeschooled and Heisman winning Florida...