The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.
A state tax that imposes a 55-cent fee on each pack of cigarettes produced by small tobacco manufacturers is constitutional, even though Big Tobacco manufacturers do not pay the tax, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday. Full Story
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Cutting prices can be expensive. The Texas Department of Transportation offered up the most recent example of that, answering the Legislature’s question about the price of making the state’s toll roads free. Spoiler alert: It's high. Full Story
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Full video of our 3/31 conversation about the Top 10 Percent Rule with Austin ISD Superintendent Paul Cruz, former UT-Austin President Larry Faulkner, and state Reps. Donna Howard, D-Austin, and John Zerwas, R-Richmond. Full Story
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Full video of my 3/29 conversation with three members the Texas House who represent Fort Worth: Republicans Craig Goldman and Stephanie Klick and Democrat Ramon Romero Jr. Full Story
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The chairman of the Texas House of Representatives' Higher Education Committee said Thursday that he "would not have any concern" if the Top 10 Percent Rule governing college admissions in the state were eliminated. Full Story
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As many UT-Austin administrators say the Top 10 Percent Rule hurts the university's national prestige, the college is focused on helping UT-Austin students who might not have otherwise been admitted. This is part of the Tribune's "The Price of Admission" series. Full Story
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If Texas decided to pay off construction debt on nearly all of its toll roads tomorrow, the price tag would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 billion, according to a preliminary report. Full Story
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Texas women will be able to obtain medical abortions later into their pregnancies under newly approved changes by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Full Story
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The Top 10 Percent Rule aims to give all Texas public high school students an equal shot at getting into the state's top public universities. But that doesn't guarantee that qualifying students will seize that opportunity. This story is part of the Tribune's "Price of Admission" series. Full Story
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State lawmakers are considering whether to tighten eminent domain laws to help landowners battling pipeline companies, electric utilities, public agencies or other entities seeking to condemn land their land for public use. Full Story
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The governor and lawmakers promise to reignite their efforts to tighten ethics laws in Texas, but they have so far been missing a key incentive to make reluctant officeholders go along: public interest. Full Story
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Texas regulators on Thursday approved the Ray L. Hunt family’s high-stakes plan to purchase and reshape the state's largest electric utility. But they added major revisions, prolonging the battle to own Oncor. Full Story
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Texas agriculture commissioners have historically had a hard time getting any news coverage, but Sid Miller's knack for controversy has kept him in the headlines since he took office almost 15 months ago. Full Story
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In the 2015 Texas legislative session, state lawmakers frequently used their religious beliefs to defend their policymaking. Take a look back at "God & Governing," our documentary-style series on the role lawmakers' personal faith played in their legislating. Full Story
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The number of abortions performed in Texas dropped 14.2 percent in 2014, with almost 9,000 fewer procedures in the state compared to the year before. Full Story
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With Marco Rubio out of the race for the White House, two of his top backers in Texas are throwing their support to Ted Cruz. Full Story
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Wayne Christian, a candidate for Texas railroad commissioner, frequently touts his energy expertise. But he did not know one of the agency’s key duties — regulating natural gas utilities — until a reporter told him. Full Story
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Full video of my 3/10 conversation with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Topics discussed: the state of ag, the decline in rural population, fee increases, cupcakes and deep fryers, and making America great again. Full Story
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Nearly three years after Texas enacted a law requiring some applicants for unemployment benefits to pass a drug test, the state has yet to test a single applicant, and it remains unclear when the program will get going. Full Story
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With billions of dollars at stake, the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a tax showdown whose outcome could shake up the next legislative session while providing a boost to struggling petroleum drillers. Full Story
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