The latest Dan Patrick news from The Texas Tribune.
Lawmakers are in their last month of a regular session, with their priority issues — public education and property taxes — still incomplete. If they can't finish without a special session, they'll run into someone else's deadlines; school districts write budgets and set tax rates in June. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d35132be323aefe81b5b11b56edf487f/01_Abbott_House_Floor_JF_TT.jpg)
His comment comes the day after the Texas House gave preliminary approval to the bill in a 98-43 vote. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/66996b50392dd205d434d6c9f3a4ea6c/03_Patrick_Kolkhorst_Conroe_SB_678_MG.jpg)
An amendment added to a Senate property tax bill ties it to school finance — a signal the Texas House doesn't want to leave the harder-to-pass education bill behind. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/67e4c0e0ae0ca3fe80317ac3b39d87d6/01_HB2_Bonnen_Burrows_MG.jpg)
The end of the legislative session — deal-making time — is looming, and the priorities set out by the state's top leaders three months ago remain undone. In fact, those centerpiece school finance and property tax measures aren't even teed up for the final negotiations. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/73fcfe3de0881c4a68d4dff318a19b8e/Abbott_Patrick_Bonnen_Joint_Presser_5.jpg)
It's hard to gather support for the state's most persistent problems when you're also pressing forward with issues that divide and anger Republicans and Democrats. It's also business as usual in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/df43e0ddcfc59976fe49678a616245ba/04_Senate_action_April_9_JF_TT.jpg)
After a key Republican holdout agreed to bring a priority bill to the floor, the upper chamber increased an election trigger on revenue increases from 2.5% to 3.5%. But now both chambers must reconcile how they want to tackle rising school district taxes. Full Story
The Texas Legislature is in its biennial spasm of drama, with big bills stuck and some state leaders saying it will take a special session to get property taxes, school finance and all of that done. But they have six weeks to go, and they often do their big work on deadline. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/96f16bac8d87b223ce858fad63ffe2db/07_Abbott_Bonnen_Patrick_Property_Tax_Presser_MG.jpg)
"I respect our Senate rules, but I do not intend to let a procedural motion stop the Senate from passing this important bill," the lieutenant governor said. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ccd761ee57fec879628bd17f18a5aff4/10_Lit._Gov._Dan_Patrick_Senate_Floor_MG_TT.jpg)
The state's top three leaders bet everything on public education and property taxes this year, but they can't get where they're going — especially if they want to cut property taxes — without bringing some Democrats to their side. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c0c84bdabc72f86deac963b742bc1fc4/Dennis_Bonnen_April_11_JF_TT.jpg)
LGBTQ advocates and business groups have warned that the measures could imperil municipal rules that outlaw discrimination. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8d6a6c89bb84b593740f9096f9f14ddc/04_Senate_Education_Committee_EW_Retouched.jpg)
House leadership plans to hold a floor vote on Monday. Meanwhile, the Senate is looking for one more vote to bring the priority measure to the floor. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/20dec061a902084d643c9b5b42def048/01_Greg_Abbott_on_Senate_Floor_JF.jpg)
On this week’s TribCast, Aman talks to Ross, Shannon and Emma about why the top three Republicans in Texas just got behind raising the state sales tax, why national Democrats are suddenly pouring so much money into Texas and which Texas Senator you should be keeping a close eye on as the session enters its final weeks. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5598fdc05536f70f478a032b1da2c082/TribCast_4_10_19_MG_TT.jpg)
Senate Bill 21 passed Tuesday, raising the legal purchasing age for tobacco products from 18 to 21. But its author amended the legislation to exclude active military from the age raise. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/644e80ef5281f49d14a3ce1c857d66fa/02_UT_Smoking_CR_TT.jpg)
Since 2005, state lawmakers have received the agency's biennial report detailing inefficiencies in government, but this year the report was not made public. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/63f77a3fe2df2550b38d8e40fe9418c3/LBB_Bonnen_Patrick_BD_TT.jpg)
The "Tax Man," a Republican senator from Houston, has his best chance yet to shake up Texas' property tax system. But it's going to be an uphill battle. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9c72e9e022357ad45908a843b593846b/07_Paul_Bettencourt_EW_Retouch.jpg)
Among those voicing opposition to the move are U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/25f6fce0102f1d901edf1d0d5fce5383/05_Laredo_CBP_Checkpoint_MG.jpg)
The bill passed on a 19–12 vote, with one Republican voting against it and one Democrat voting for it. It requires one more approval in the Senate before it heads to the Texas House. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5860bc52f779155e140b129e4ee26870/21_Texas_Business_Leaders_Presser_EW_CC.jpg)
Activist conservative groups have long been aligned with the lawmakers they helped elect, like Texas House Freedom Caucus members and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Are they still on the same page? Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4b2b15670d6079c3ae76dadbbbe3d391/01_Budget_Night_BD_TT.JPG)
The Texas Legislature is trying to focus on school finance and property taxes. But flashier, more divisive political fights beckon. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/fc982d09e0e66438f84ef9f82af488e6/10_Texas_AFT_Public_Ed_Rally_MG.jpg)
The groups are targeting two priority bills in the Texas Senate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8a1429cda66655aaf869421b8a37ec3c/01_Texas_Business_Leaders_Presser_EW.jpg)