Most Tuesday mornings, the Texas Minute—our weekday email publication—includes the One-Click Survey. It’s almost always a question about policy or politics, oftentimes tinged with a bit of humor. We ask readers to not only “click” an answer, but to then reply with...
With enough Democrats finally present to conduct business, Texas House lawmakers will once again consider comprehensive election reform legislation—a top priority for Republicans that Democrats have actively opposed all year. The controversial election integrity...
Late Tuesday, the Texas Senate suspended rules to permit the filing of a bill by State Sen. Jose Menendez (D–San Antonio) that would require sexual harassment prevention training and ethics training for individuals registering as lobbyists. It was immediately referred...
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives took up and considered a bill that would create the Brain Institute of Texas, which would be charged with researching brain-related health and diseases. This bill is one of several in a legislative package centered around...
Update: State Sen. Larry Taylor (R–Friendswood) and State Rep. Lyle Larson (R–San Antonio) confirmed to the Dallas Morning News that they were among the lawmakers in attendance. While citizens are being told to stay home and contend with shutdowns and mandates in...
NOTE: Since this article was published, yet another Republican –Geanie Morrison of Victoria – reportedly filed for the speakership. It has been updated. What GOP insiders hoped would be a quiet race for Speaker of the Texas House got suddenly heated on Thursday, with...
The race for Speaker of the Texas House has officially begun, as Democrat State Rep. Senfronia Thompson has filed paperwork declaring her candidacy for the position. First elected in 1972, Thompson has served in the Texas House for nearly 50 years. Staunchly...
Dear Reader, I want to share with you our New Year’s Resolutions at Empower Texans. Communications experts say you should never repeat an accusation that is made against you. I hold to that as a good practice, but let me this one time repeat the accusation many in the...
After a thorough review by a committee of Texas lawmakers found a government agency was failing to perform its duties and needed to be abolished, their colleagues in the Texas House should have accepted their recommendations; instead, a majority voted to reject them....
The lottery “sucks,” according to one Democrat state lawmaker. During a recent meeting of the Texas House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures, members considered a bill that would expand the Texas Lottery’s ability to enter into advertising...
Like clockwork, Democrat lawmakers have once again filed legislation to increase the state’s minimum hourly wage — a proposal that threatens jobs and the current prosperous economy in Texas. The minimum wage in Texas is currently set at the federal minimum of $7.25 an...
We’ll be releasing the 2017 Fiscal Responsibility Index this week. While the public release is set for 2pm on Wednesday, we thought we’d share the “top-lines” with you today. All votes included on the Index were announced in advance, and focus – as the name implies –...
At a press conference on Monday that was supposed to center on Democrat messaging, one lawmaker let the cat out of the bag that their ultimate aim in pushing for “school finance reform” is a state income tax. Earlier in the day, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told attendees at...
On the 140th day of the legislative session, the last day for work to be completed under Texas’ constitution, we generally start gearing up for the release of the Fiscal Responsibility Index, which measures lawmakers’ records on fiscal and governance issues. Not this...
With just hours left in the 85th regular session of the Texas Legislature, lawmakers will be heading home with tales of their governing prowess. For members of the Texas House, that’s exactly what it will be: tall tales. The House failed to deliver on key reforms...
After conservative lawmakers objected to a motion by a liberal Democrat, members of their own party stabbed them in the back and punished them by killing their bills. On Thursday, as lawmakers faced a deadline to advance legislation under the House rules, liberal...
With increasing frequency, the cronies of House Speaker Joe Straus are attempting to hoodwink and browbeat lawmakers into passing bad legislation by abusing a legislative process designed to minimize debate and sneak bills through before they can be fully vetted. Most...
In a stunning move, the Texas House voted overwhelmingly to support Democrat efforts to hamstring the state’s economy by raising the minimum wage. Earlier today, State Rep. Hugh Shine (R–Belton) moved to suspend the rules and fast track a proposed constitutional...
In an interview with KVUE News looking back on his first year as Governor, Greg Abbott unloaded on the legislators who killed his ethics reform agenda, calling their obstruction “reprehensible” and “shameful.” The chief obstructions were House Speaker Joe Straus...
The firm of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson has lucrative contracts with local government entities to collect back taxes, along with traffic, parking, and toll citation fines. While expensive government contracts aren’t unusual, the tactics that the firm uses to...
