The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Will they or won't they? That's the question lawmakers, who seem to have met for a matter of minutes in the waning days of the special legislative session, face today on a series of controversial measures Gov. Rick Perry added to the call. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/93ee8990da363eb923b6697710258f97/BD%20INC%20Adjourn%2001%202011)
For the latest installment of our unscientific survey of political and policy insiders, we asked about the special session, whether lawmakers will finish what they're working on, and whether another special session will follow this one. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/inside_intelligence-logo_1.png){kind=logo}
Gov. Rick Perry isn’t backing down from his push for a “no-frills” approach to higher education. He wants students to move and be moved through the system quickly and efficiently. And if that wasn’t clear enough already, he underscored it with his veto pen. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PerryVetoStamp.jpg)
Now that lawmakers have drawn, approved and sent congressional redistricting maps to the governor for approval, the Senate voted to hand future mapmaking to a bipartisan, non-legislative commission. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d5a640c4507654226c1d0a93676b12bd/BD%20INC%20Wentworth%2034%202011)
The special session hasn't done much to alter the school finance plan that dragged lawmakers into overtime. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PreschoolBlocksAndCash.jpg)
Precious days are dwindling away in the first-called special session of the state legislature, leading to speculation that one of the most divisive issues of the regular and special session, the “sanctuary cities” legislation, may not make the deadline. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib_Immigration_JV-18.jpg)
Gov. Rick Perry is promising to bring lawmakers back for another special session if they can't dig their way out of the TWIA hole. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0484914b5b045638621ed091f870cd03/BD%20INC%20Perry%20CCMS%202011)
The bill numbers have been changed to protect the innocent. If you had left Austin for a couple of weeks starting, say, right after the regular session, you'd have returned to find new congressional maps in place and little else to show for the special session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/35f551ae2dd8fa9ce46d84adc9a9cf8f/BD%20INC%20Empty%20Chamber%2001%202011)
An Everybody-in-the-Pool effort on what's left to do in the special session, Ramshaw on a doozy of a congressional race shaping up, Aguilar on the debate over sanctuary cities and other immigration proposals, M. Smith on the state's used-up Rainy Day Fund, Grissom on efforts to kick the special interests out of an insurance fight, Dehn and Tan on whether the special session helps or hurts the governor's national ambitions, Galbraith and KUT Radio team up for a series on the long-term outlook for Central Texas water, Aaronson on government attempts to balance openness and privacy with data releases, yours truly on Amazon's run at a sales tax break, and Hamilton on an ethnic gap in higher education: The best of our best from June 20 to 24, 2011. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Tribweek-June20-1024x678.png)
Want a quick recap of some of the happenings this week in the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly video rundown of the action under the dome. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Cap3_1.jpg)
Two Republican boosters have circulated a memo urging business owners to contact lawmakers to encourage them to vote against the “sanctuary cities” bills pending in committee. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Sanct-City-Solomons2.jpg)
An amendment from Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, that would have directed surplus money from the Rainy Day Fund to pay for enrollment growth in public schools has perished in conference committee. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/edea60cf52c19461616480081c3e2007/BD%20INC%20Howard%20Pitts%20CMS%202011)
San Antonio State Rep. Joaquin Castro will take on veteran U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett to vie for a newly-created congressional district that spans from San Antonio up to southern Travis County. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/SplitScreen_CastroDoggett.jpg)
The House appears set on passing a non-binding TSA anti-groping resolution, instead of Rep. David Simpson's bill. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst says a Senate committee will hear the upper chamber's version of the bill on Monday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/82d90ef2f1cab7fe70bbb163469daaeb/Bd%20INC%20Straus%2003%202011)
Strategists say the longer lawmakers stay in town, the more time Gov. Rick Perry has to show off his conservative credentials and appeal to a crucial bloc that could propel him into a national race: Republican primary voters. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/PerryHandCMS.jpg)
Lawmakers aren't buying Amazon's latest pitch for a sales tax break in Texas. But Rick Perry is. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/AmazonBuilding.jpg)
Gov. Rick Perry’s neon-light promotion on the national stage of the $6 billion left in the Rainy Day Fund exposes a disconnect with the conservative lawmakers battling for his principles at home, where his party is working to divert negative public sentiment about the deep budget reductions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Rainy-Day-Vault.jpg)
A decision on the whether to advance the state’s pending “sanctuary cities” legislation will not be made until Monday, leaving less time for lawmakers to consider the bills before Wednesday’s special session deadline. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/fd749d56bd277c2c63798672bb5ef896/BD%20INC%20POO%202011)
Hey, Texplainer: How much does the Texas Capitol recycle during a legislative session? During this session, 72 tons of paper, plastic and aluminum, bringing in $12,000 to the fund that maintains state buildings. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Recycling-Bin.jpg)
Texas Gov. Rick Perry made no mention of the federal government’s overreach or the violence he says is spilling across the state’s border during a brief and tense public appearance today before hundreds of Latino elected officials. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/98df87535ab3f37bb9bb9d01a5092fe1/BD%20INC%20Perry%20Naleo%2002%202011)