Though corporate welfare is popular with some politicians, it’s a practice that taxpayers have been opposing for quite some time. This legislative session, one lawmaker has taken the lead to end one of the most egregious examples. State Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano) has...
Cary Cheshire
Debt Now, Tax Cuts Later in the Texas House
While reducing debt is generally a good thing, comments by State Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton), a lieutenant of liberal House Speaker Joe Straus, reveal what conservatives have feared – some “debt reduction efforts” in the legislature have ulterior motivations. As he...
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Defends 2nd Amendment
Attorney General Ken Paxton joined 22 other state attorneys general are urging the Obama administration to permanently discard a proposed ban on M855 5.56 x 45mm ammunition. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) had recently proposed the ban under...
County Officials: No Vacancy for Conservatives
Almost everyone hates hidden hotel fees. However, while one lawmaker is fighting back against them, she’s catching heat from local officials unhappy with her position. Always beating the drum for bigger government, the “local control” (see: local tyranny) mob has...
Licensed Open Carry Clears Hurdle
If the Texas Senate gets its way, the familiar term “CHL” might be losing a letter. On Tuesday, Senators passed legislation by Sen. Craig Estes (R–Wichita Falls) which would remove the requirement that concealed handgun license holders conceal their weapon when they...
Senate State Affairs Improves Public Integrity
Voting along partisan lines, the Senate’s State Affairs Committee voted 7-2 on Monday to move the ironically named Public Integrity Unit out of the Democrat-controlled Travis County District Attorney’s Office, instead placing the authority under the state Attorney...
Who Do You Serve?
With religious liberty under near constant assault in Houston, Plano, and other Texas cities legislation was needed to protect the rights of business owners. Originally filed by State Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas), HJR 55 would do exactly that. If passed the bill...
Hall Monitor on Duty
Abortion advocates rallied at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday to lobby the legislature for increased access and taxpayer funding for themselves as part of Planned Parenthood Lobby Day. In advance of the event, Texas Right to Life distributed signs saying, “Former...
Haste at the Expense of Diligence
On Wednesday, the full body of Texas Senate moved to approve Gov. Abbott’s recent nominations to the University of Texas Board of Regents in the face of resistance from some of its conservative members. After an unprecedented five hour-long vetting process in the...
Strengthening the Spending Cap
At a press conference Tuesday, State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick unveiled new legislation that would dramatically improve Texas' constitutional spending cap. Under the Texas Constitution, the current cap constrains the...