Storify: The First Day of the 83rd Legislative Session
Legislators, journalists and others shared thousands of tweets and photos on Tuesday, the first day of the 83rd legislative session. Check out this selection of what they shared. Full Story
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Dewhurst Says Senate Will Maintain Two-Thirds Rule
The contentious rule that allows a minority of senators to block legislation is again under fire, but Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said the two-thirds rule will continue in the Senate for another session. Full Story
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![The senators of the 83rd legislative session were sworn in Jan. 8, 2013, the first day of the session.]()
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Straus Re-elected House Speaker by Acclamation
House Speaker Joe Straus won another term in that position after his challenger, Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, withdrew from the race. Full Story
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For the 83rd Session, An Updated Directory
The Legislature is back for the 83rd time, and we've refreshed our directory of statewide officials and legislators. Many of the old names are here, and so are the names of the numerous freshmen. Full Story
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Watch the 83rd Legislative Session Live
Can’t get enough of the Texas Lege? Starting Tuesday, you’ll be able to view live video streams of the House and Senate on The Texas Tribune whenever the chambers are in session. The House and Senate convene at noon CST. Full Story
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Opening Day: Chambers to Set Rules, Pick Speaker
House Speaker Joe Straus faces a challenge on the first day of the 83rd Texas Legislature, and the Senate gets another run at a rule that empowers political minorities and sometimes frustrates majorities. Full Story
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The Evening Brief: Jan. 7, 2013
Your evening reading: Combs delivers improved state budget news; Huffman to lead Senate Republican Caucus; Cornyn calls Hagel "profoundly wrong" on national security issues Full Story
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Host of Issues Awaits Texas Lawmakers
With the 83rd Texas legislative session beginning Tuesday, Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune looks at the priorities and challenges facing legislators as they head into the 140-day lawmaking scramble. Full Story
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New Legislature Faces a New Set of Priorities
With improving fiscal conditions and redistricting in the rearview, lawmakers are approaching 2013 with pressing policy questions, from whether to introduce private school vouchers to whether to implement key provisions of federal health reform. Full Story
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Once Again, Legislating Will Interrupt Politicking
It feels like the 2013 legislative session, which gets under way Tuesday, is a five-month interruption of the election season. At some point, elections expanded to fill all of the space between the biennial sessions. Full Story
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![The March 1 primary ballot will feature 18 open seats in the Texas Legislature – two in the Senate and 16 in the House.]()
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State Officials Seek End to Federal Election Oversight
The U.S. Supreme Court may determine the fate of a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that became an Achilles' heel for Republican lawmakers this year. That could free Texas from federal oversight in election laws. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at the Flawn Academic Center on the University of Texas at Austin campus on Nov. 6, 2012.]()
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Year in Review: The Hot Seats Across Texas
For more than a year, Evan Smith has traveled all over Texas to interview state legislators back home, in their districts, in front of hundreds of their constituents. At university campuses from Corpus Christi to Tyler and in between, lawmakers talked about issues that affect every one of us in Texas, from education and health care to water and immigration. Full Story
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Inside Out in the House Speaker's Race
Third parties — outsiders — can't vote in the race for Speaker of the House. But the lawmakers who will actually elect the speaker next month are listening, and acting, on what's going on outside. Full Story
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A Show of Strength, Either Way it Goes
A successful challenge to House Speaker Joe Straus would be a serious show of strength for outside activists. A big defeat, however, could undermine their influence just as the 2013 session begins. Full Story
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Interactive: Fewer Bills Filed Before 83rd Session
Ahead of the 2013 legislative session, lawmakers have filed nearly 200 fewer bills than they had filed at the same point two years ago. Use our bill tracker to follow the process, learn more about the proposals or see what your representative has filed so far. Full Story
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Guest Column: Pleasing Some Lawmakers Some of the Time
The Texas House under Speaker Joe Straus was more conservative in 2011 than in 2009, but not as conservative as in 2003. For opposite reasons, that was good and bad news for lawmakers from both parties. Full Story
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Bill Aims to Increase Child Sex Assault Convictions
State Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, a former prosecutor and judge, has filed a bill that would allow prosecutors to include accusations by other victims in child sexual assault cases. Defense attorneys worry it would lead to wrongful convictions. Full Story
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Talk of Term Limits is Back, With Tea Party Help
Limiting the terms of lawmakers and other officeholders was a sexy idea 20 years ago, when Republicans were trying to unseat Democrats. Now it's back. Full Story
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Gains in Texas Budget a Source of Hot Debate
Does Texas need a constitutional cap on spending growth to protect it from the whims of future lawmakers or save it from the current ones? Supporters of the proposal are at odds. Full Story
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Newsreel: Simpson for Speaker, Perry Backs "Fetal Pain" Bill
This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: State Rep. David Simpson is officially running for House speaker, but some former opponents of current Speaker Joe Straus are now sticking with the incumbent. Full Story
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