House Sends Border Security Bill to Governor
After a months-long staring contest between the House and the Senate, the lower chamber gave a final blessing Thursday to House Bill 11, a sweeping border security bill. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/25/_F5U1836BonnenNelson.jpg)
-
![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, escorts Senate Finance Chair Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound through the House Chamber on May 25, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: Disarming a Dangerous Coalition
An end-of-session deal on open carry of handguns and limits on police in Texas rescued Gov. Greg Abbott from political crossfire between law enforcement officials and an unusual coalition of liberal and conservative lawmakers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/06/12/CapitolGuns-2a.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Ethics Reform: A Guide to What's Still Alive
Now that the massive overhaul contained in Senate Bill 19 has gone on life support, a few targeted efforts to shine the light on conflicts of interest and enhance transparency remain. Here's a guide to what's moving and what's not. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: May 28, 2015
The House remains fully committed to keeping dark money disclosure language in its ethics reform legislation. However, the measure's Senate author is equally adamant that provision must come out. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/22/IMG_0094.jpg)
![State Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, on the House floor, May 7, 2015.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
In Deadly Flood, Abbott Tackles Most Serious Leadership Test Yet
Just five months into his first term, Gov. Greg Abbott is tackling the kind of crisis his predecessor likes to say there is no manual for. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/26/Abbott-WimberlyFlood.jpg)
![Governor Greg Abbott speaks to media at the Wimberley Community Center a day after the area suffered from devastating floods.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Brief: May 27, 2015
Campus carry legislation lived to fight another day as a last-minute deal saved Senate Bill 11 just before a midnight deadline in the House to take initial votes on bills originating in the Senate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/26/_S3R7303CMSGriesel.jpg)
![House Parliamentarian Chris Griesel is handed another stack of bills during debate on S.B. 19 Tuesday evening May 26, 2015 in the Texas House.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Health Insurance Card Bill Clears Senate
House Bill 1514, which would add a special label to the health insurance cards of people purchasing health plans on the exchange created by the Affordable Care Act, passed the Texas Senate late Tuesday evening. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/12/02/ACA-2.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Border Security Bill Passes Senate
An expansive border security bill declared a priority by Gov. Greg Abbott was given final approval Tuesday by the Texas Senate. The vote marked the near end of a months-long disagreement between the House and the Senate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/08/04/BorderSurge_EG28-sized.jpg)
![A Texas Parks and Wildlife warden patrols the Rio Grande in July, 2014.]()
Credit: Eric Gay / AP Pool Photo -
The Brief: May 26, 2015
The House faces a major deadline today; it's the last day to take up contested Senate bills and, as such, the session promises to last until the clock strikes midnight. It doesn't help that a major backlog of controversial legislation awaits House members. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/05/7C2A9699.jpg)
![Empty Texas House seat with paperwork, May 1, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
E-Verify Bill One Step Closer to Abbott's Desk
The Texas House on Monday gave tentative approval to a bill that would require state agencies and public universities to use the federal electronic employment system called E-Verify. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/E-Verify_QuestionMark.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
The Brief: May 25, 2015
A hectic weekend at the Legislature culminated in a major reversal by the House late Sunday on whether to allow a controversial abortion bill to be debated on the floor. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/15/IMG_9857.jpg)
![The Texas Capitol, May 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Abbott Signs Bill to Speed Permits, Limit Protests
Gov. Greg Abbott has signed legislation aiming to quicken regulators' pace of cranking out permits for major industrial projects by limiting public scrutiny. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Houston-flue-gas-scrubber01.jpg)
![This flue gas scrubber, installed at a Valero refinery in Houston in 2006, reduces emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter.]()
Credit: Valero -
With HB 40 Signed, Denton Fracking Resumes
The first Texas town to ban hydraulic fracturing is poised to be fracked again. Vantage Energy plans to resume fracking operations at eight gas wells in Denton on June 1, the Colorado-based operator has told city officials. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/07/24/FrackingDenton00002.jpg)
![A gas well is shown in 2014 sitting less than 400 feet from a home in Denton.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill -
Abbott: Texas Will Work to Comply With Anti-Prison Rape Law
In a shift away from his predecessor Rick Perry, Gov. Greg Abbott has informed the U.S. justice department that Texas plans to comply as much as possible with a federal law that aims to prevent prison rape. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/04/15/DSC_8648gesture.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott at a Tax Day press conference on April 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: May 22, 2015
Four large donors to the nonprofit currently documenting Texas lawmakers this session are well-known backers of conservative causes. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/21/tt-capitol-watchers-fund-web_j303GDh.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Texas Secretary of State Eschews Politics, Looks South Instead
Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos hopes his tenure represents a shifting tide in the office — away from partisan gridlock over voting, and toward bolstering Texas' relations with Mexico and improving life along the state's southern border. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/19/_F5U0084CMSCascos.jpg)
![Secretary of State Carlos Cascos of Brownsville gives his inaugural speech on March 7, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
The Brief: May 21, 2015
Budget conferees on Wednesday settled on funding levels for public education and border security, but big decisions on property tax cuts and roads funding remain for Thursday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/20/AshbyNelson1CMS.jpg)
![State Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin, and Chairman Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, embrace prior to Wednesday's Joint Committee on Appropriations discussing the state budget May 20, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
With Hospital Funds in Question, Who's at Risk?
As Texas negotiates with the Obama administration over how to pay for health care for the poor and uninsured, the state's safety-net hospitals and clinics are steeling themselves for an uncertain future. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/05/19/HospitalData.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
The Brief: May 20, 2015
House and Senate negotiators are down to one final challenge: working out the timing on their complicated tax cut dance. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/01/31/Ballots-MoneyBags.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
The Brief: May 19, 2015
Lawmakers are quick to say that the incident that left nine biker gang members dead wasn't relevant to the discussion of open carry despite some committee witnesses who attempted to draw a connection. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2015/02/12/7C2A1213.jpg)
![Sen. Joan Huffman R-Houston]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/472e19d6b10e83020ce5bbec967eb0fb/BD%20INC%20Davis%20HOuse%20313%202013)