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The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.

  • TribBlog: Party Boys

    By Ross Ramsey

    Surrounded by statewide elected officials and a pack of fellow lawmakers, Democrats Aaron Peña of Edinburg and Allan Ritter of Nederland defected to the Republican Party this afternoon. Full Story 

    State Rep. Aaron Pena, R-Edinburg, at the Texas Republican Party headquarters on Dec. 14, 2010, after announcing he switched parties.
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • What 100 Means

    By Ross Ramsey

    When state Rep. Allan Ritter, D-Nederland, switches parties today, he'll give the Republicans the votes to do anything they want. With a two-thirds majority, the GOP will be able to suspend the rules that govern House business and will have the numbers to keep working even if the Democrats take a walk. On a practical level, Ritter's switch gives Republicans an even bigger buffer on votes that just require a majority of the 150-member House. "It means we can lose 24 votes and still win," says state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, the chairman of the House Republican Caucus. Full Story 

    State Rep. Allan Ritter
    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Energy Boost

    By Kate Galbraith

    Energy is never far from the agenda at the Legislature. This year, Sunset Advisory Commission reviews of oil and gas and electricity regulators will keep the sector in the spotlight, as will renewed clamor for legislation — however unlikely to happen in a tough budget environment — to aid clean energy. Full Story 

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    Credit: Wayne National Forest

  • TWIA Chief: I Cannot Defy Court Order

    By Elise Hu

    An ongoing proxy war between tort reformists and trial lawyers spilled into a joint House-Senate hearing Monday, as Texas Windstorm Insurance Association General Manager Jim Oliver told lawmakers he still cannot disclose sought-after attorneys fees details in a multimillion-dollar settlement with Hurricane Ike homeowners. Full Story 

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  • Inside Intelligence: Lawmakers Should Be Paid...

    By Ross Ramsey

    For this week's installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked whether whether lawmakers ought to be paid full-time salaries instead of the $600 per month they make now — and whether they should be required to disclose more details about their personal income and assets. Full Story 

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  • Interactive: House Travel

    By Matt Stiles

    Retiring state Rep. Joe Crabb, R-Atascocita, led all Texas House members in government-funded travel expenses in the last fiscal year, according to a Texas Tribune review of expense reports obtained from the state comptroller. Crabb spent $48,400, versus a per-member average of about $11,000. In all, 14 members spent more than $30,000. View a sortable table of travel totals by member. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Gone With the Wind?

    By Elise Hu and Emily Brown

    The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association offers homeowners along the Texas coast their only coverage against potential hurricanes. But some lawmakers say the pool is paying out too much — and they want to limit what sort of coverage it offers in the future. Full Story 

    U.S. Air Force member conducted search and rescue operations on Galveston Island after Hurricane Ike on Sept. 13, 2008.
    Credit: Staff Sgt. James L. Harper Jr.

  • The Way Forward

    By Elise Hu

    Six weeks after the drubbing their party took at the hands of voters, surviving Texas House Democrats find themselves at a crossroads — on style and substance, politics and policy. With massive budget cuts looming, will they effectively sit out the session and force Republicans in the majority to have all the blood on their hands? Will they participate just enough to soften the blow in the areas they care about the most: education and health care? Can they hold together a solid 51-vote bloc on key legislation? Where exactly should they go from here? And who will lead them? Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman