House Approves Protections for Breast-Feeding Moms
The Texas House on Thursday gave preliminary approval to a measure that would require public employers to provide accommodations for mothers who need to pump breast milk while at work. Full Story
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![Patients wait to be seen at the People's Community Clinic in Austin, which provides state-subsidized women's health services to low-income women, in July 2014.]()
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Senate Announces Budget Negotiation Team
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has named the Senate lineup of budget negotiators who will meet with House counterparts and hash out a final version of the two-year state budget. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick after votes on first reading of SB #11 March 18th, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Republicans Set Sights on Minors Seeking Abortions
Two years after imposing stringent abortion restrictions, Republican lawmakers have set their sights on changing a legal process that allows some minors to obtain abortions without their parents’ permission. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman / Callie Richmond -
Legislative Tensions Peak at Leadership Breakfast
A weekly leadership breakfast went sour Wednesday as the state's top three officials complained to one another about legislative packages and the tensions between a House and Senate that have just weeks left to complete their work. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during Texas Public Policy Foundation's grand opening of new building on April 21st, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Straus Taps House Team for Budget Negotiations
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus Wednesday named his five-member team to craft a final budget for the next two years, and House members urged the team not to focus on tax cuts — a contentious issue between the House and Senate. Full Story
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![Speaker Joe Straus on the floor of the Texas House on April 17, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Committee Approves Bill Targeting Same-Sex Marriage
The House State Affairs Committee has passed a measure that forbids the use of state or local funds for issuing same-sex marriage licenses. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Senate Committee Backs Hazlewood Program Changes
Amid concerns raised about the rising costs of a college tuition program for military veterans, a Texas Senate panel on Wednesday backed a plan that would tighten eligibility rules. Full Story
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Analysis: Legislative Dance Partners Stepping on Each Other's Toes
The Texas House and Senate are ignoring each other's work, slowing progress on bills like open carry and border security legislation. They're ruffling feathers, too. Full Story
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![Texas House Ways and Means Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, talks over amendments to border security legislation on March 1, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
When in Texas: Wear a Hat, Eat a Steak, Thank a Bee
One of the Legislature's less consequential duties came before a House committee Tuesday: designating state capitals and symbols, from the Steak Capital of Texas (Hico) to the official State Pollinator of Texas (the western honeybee). Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by John Jordan -
Seniors Who Fail State Exams May Have Chance at Diploma
Thousands of high school seniors who haven't passed the required state exams are close to getting a chance at a diploma anyway under a measure advancing in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Patrick Advisers Blast Abbott's Pre-K Plans
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's grassroots advisers are blasting Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to enhance pre-kindergarten programs, a move sure to increase tension between the top two Republican leaders. Full Story
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![Newly sworn in, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick watch the inaugural parade up Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas on January 20, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House Backs Bill Pushing "Right to Try" Experimental Drugs
The Texas House on Tuesday tentatively passed House Bill 21, the “right to try” bill that would allow terminally ill patients to try experimental drugs that have passed at least the first of three FDA trial phases. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Analysis: Bickering Over Investigations, With a Legislative Audience
As the Texas Legislature debates moving ethics investigations out of Travis County, an exchange between prosecutors and state police illustrates some of the problems ahead. Full Story
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![Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw gives testimony during the joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking in La Joya, Texas July 24th, 2014]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Ethics Legislation Headed to Senate Floor
A heavily watered-down ethics reform bill will soon be taken up by the full Senate. Lawmakers on Monday rejected an amendment that would have required legislators to publicly disclose their tax returns each year. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Politicians Pick New Way to Get Prosecuted
State politicians, high court judges and top bureaucrats would get public corruption cases against them moved to their home counties under a controversial bill that cleared the Texas House on Monday. Full Story
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Open Carry Wins Final Passage in House
Last-ditch efforts to let big cities opt out went nowhere, and the Texas House on Monday moved all Texans a step closer to the public carrying of handguns by license holders. Full Story
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Integrity Unit Won't Resume Inquiry Into DPS Contracts
Responding to a request by the Texas Department of Public Safety to renew an investigation into the department’s border security contracts, the head of the state’s anti-corruption unit said Monday that it was not equipped to continue the investigation. Full Story
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With Hospital Funds in Question, Abbott Holds Firm On Medicaid
Following news that billions of federal dollars for hospitals could be in jeopardy if the state does not expand its public health insurance program to cover more low-income Texans, Gov. Greg Abbott reiterated his opposition to Medicaid expansion. Full Story
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Inside Texas Politics: The Finance Primary
On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics with host Shelly Slater, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy and Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey, talk turns to presidential hopefuls and fundraising in Texas. Full Story
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![Tribune Executive editor Ross Ramsey on WFAA's "Inside Texas Politics" on April 19, 2015.]()
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Video: House Shoots Down Democrats' Attempt to Amend Open Carry
The Legislature is one step closer to allowing concealed handgun license holders in Texas to carry openly in public. The House gave tentative approval to House Bill 910 Friday evening after hours of debate and opposition from Democrats. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
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