State news in Texas
Statewide Texas News
Lobbyists Exploit Loophole To Get Reserved Capitol Parking
State Preservation Board is allowing lobbyists to cheaply reserve prime parking at the Capitol.
Gun Owners Rally at Texas Capitol
Several state legislators spoke at the rally in support of the Second Amendment.
UNT Students Remove Art Exhibit After Lawmakers Decry Antisemitism
Students took down a controversial art exhibit, but a pro-Palestine lecture is still set to be held despite lawmakers’ calls for its cancelation.
State Representative to Texas Lottery Director: ‘I Want My Money Back’
Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Ryan Mindell faced a barrage of questions from lawmakers on the online courier issue and shady jackpot winnings.
State Archive
Caps Off: House Defers to Tax Hikes
On Monday, the House Public Education Committee voted 8-1 to allow school districts to bust their debt spending caps that have been in place since 1991. The bill, HB 506 by Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin), does not directly increase school spending, but instead makes...
In-State Tuition Law Draws Testimony
On Monday, scores of activists on both sides of the aisle came to Austin to testify on the matter of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, a controversial state law since its passage in 2001. Lawmakers heard testimony from conservatives favoring repeal of the...
River Authority Transparency Turned on its Head
Only in the legislature can a measure designed to provide transparency be morphed so quickly into an instrument of darkness. On Tuesday, Senate Bill 523 by Sen. Brian Birdwell will be eligible for consideration by the Texas Senate. The measure, aimed at subjecting...
New Compact Comes Under Scrutiny
Medical licensing and related healthcare laws may soon be radically altered in the Lone Star State under a measure coursing its way through the legislature. Advocates claim it is a simple bill to ease interstate physician licensure while maintaining state sovereignty...
Tuition Revenue Bonds are a Bipartisan Problem
On Wednesday, the Texas House will take up HB 100, a bill authorizing more than $3.4 billion for a funding mechanism called Tuition Revenue Bonds, used to finance construction of buildings on campuses of the state’s public universities. Taxpayers should encourage...
A Tale of Two Chambers
State politicians often assert that they’re going to Austin so they can “get stuff done,” but such a charge demands review. At this point, we’re well past the halfway point in this regular session for members of the 84th Legislature. They’ve been “working” for 3...
HB8/HJR8
We have been asked about whether House Bill 8 and House Joint Resolution 8 will be scored on the Fiscal Responsibility Index. At this time, they will not be. Let me explain why. In essence, the measures change the calculation by which the Economic Stabilization Fund...
Unconstitutional NASCAR Reimbursement Bill Heads to Governor’s Desk
With full knowledge of how it violated the Texas Constitution, a supermajority of the Texas House of Representatives has voted forward an unconstitutional retroactive law to benefit NASCAR and other special interests. If signed by Gov. Abbott, Senate Bill 293 will...
After 18-Hour Process, House Passes Budget
After almost eighteen continuous hours of discussion, interrogation, and confrontation, the overnight debut of HB 1 ended in the Texas House with a 141-5 vote to passage at 5:39 a.m. on April 1. This base budget plan, submitted by Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton), arrived on...