Politics & Policy
June 21, 2013
Wrecks and Roadblocks
A proposal to expand funding for transportation may face some snarls in the Texas House.
Texas Legislature
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201-250 of 295 Articles
Politics & Policy
June 13, 2013
Discussing Our Best/Worst Legislator List on Trib Live
Brian D. Sweany, Erica Grieder, Sonia Smith and I joined Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune to talk about our picks for the 2013 Ten Best/Ten Worst Legislators list.
Politics & Policy
May 19, 2013
The Tea Party Influence
Up with the "Merry Christmas" bill, down with the Medicaid rider.
News & Politics
May 10, 2013
Texas Hold ’Em
Ted Cruz is going all in against immigration reform. But would his win be our loss?
News & Politics
May 10, 2013
Conflicts and Interests
John Carona is a state senator from Dallas who chairs the Business and Commerce Committee. He’s also the CEO of the country’s largest homeowners’ association management company. And the word “recusal” isn’t in his vocabulary.
Wrongful Conviction
April 25, 2013
Exoneration Review Bill Passes The Texas House
If signed into law, House Bill 166 will create an independent commission to review cases of wrongfully-convicted Texans.
Politics & Policy
April 10, 2013
Crash Test
Over the past two decades a movement to increase the importance of standardized testing in public schools has swept across the country. It was born in Texas. Is Texas also where it might die?
Politics & Policy
April 3, 2013
What We Talk About When We Talk About Spending Limits
Don't understand Texas's constitutional spending cap? You've come to the right place.
Politics & Policy
March 25, 2013
Moving Forward on Medicaid
The Senate's unanimous passage of SB 7 gives a small hint of what a Texas approach to Medicaid might look like.
Politics & Policy
March 24, 2013
The Conservative Case for Raising Taxes
Has Texas entered a new era in which talking about new revenue doesn't equal certain political death?
Politics & Policy
March 21, 2013
A View of the Sunset
This week's debate on the PUC shows why the sunset process continues to shine light on good government.
Politics & Policy
March 6, 2013
A Call to Arms
In his biennial address on the state of the judiciary, the chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court remembers the Alamo.
Politics & Policy
March 5, 2013
A Band-Aid for Medicaid
The Texas Senate passes its version of the supplemental appropriations bill for some cash-strapped state agencies.
Politics & Policy
March 3, 2013
Which Dem Will Fill Mario Gallegos’s Seat?
The race to replace the late Texas State Senator Mario Gallegos.
News & Politics
February 27, 2013
Tuesday Night Lights
In the House of Representatives traditional flag football game, sports and politics collided on the grass of Kyle Field. Fortunately, the only things that got bruised were a few egos.
Politics & Policy
February 25, 2013
Will the Legislature Restore Cuts to Women’s Health?
A Senate finance committee work group has proposed directing an additional $100 million towards preventative care and family planning.
Politics & Policy
February 22, 2013
Party Like It’s 1989?
What the unanimous passage of HB 10 suggests about the mood of the 83rd Legislature.
News & Politics
February 20, 2013
Texas Is Pro-Work, Right?
Why Texas should think about raising the minimum wage—and why doing so might not be such a good idea in other states.
Politics & Policy
February 14, 2013
Editor’s Letter
Austin is known, somewhat ostentatiously, as the Live Music Capital of the World, but as any longtime resident knows, the best show in town is not a musical performance at all. In fact, it is mostly tuneless, it has little in the way of rhythm, and no one has ever tried
Politics & Policy
February 12, 2013
Money Makes the World Go Round
Money makes the world go round - Susan Combs on budgets, borrowing, and race cars.
Politics & Policy
February 12, 2013
The State of Taxes
Texas won’t get its financial house in order until lawmakers have a thoughtful conversation about the T-word. Don’t hold your breath.
Politics & Policy
February 7, 2013
Opening Moves
Democrats have signaled their intention to offer an amendment to restore the education spending cuts made last session, which signals to everyone who is watching that the Democratic strategy is going to pretty much be this: make the Republicans pay for every bad vote.
Politics & Policy
February 6, 2013
Charters v. PEG
As most readers know, one of the battles of the 83rd Legislature is likely to occur over the use of public funds for private schools. Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst and Senator Dan Patrick are backing the proposal. (At a recent Texas Tribune event, Speaker Straus urged caution on the issue.) The
Politics & Policy
February 5, 2013
In Light of the Evidence
John Whitmire is making his third attempt to streamline the appeals process for inmates who may be exonerated by improved forensic techniques.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Here Comes George P. Bush
Is this man running for office? It sure looks that way. He just filed "an appoinment of a campaign treasurer" for a still-unspecified position.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
The Lege Gets a “Pansexual” Representative
Mary Gonzalez of El Paso has been called the first lesbian member of the Texas legislature, but she tells the Dallas Voice that she prefers “pansexual.”
News & Politics
January 21, 2013
The Women’s Health Discussion Continues
TEXAS MONTHLY invited state senator Dan Patrick and state representative Donna Howard to tweet chat with executive editor Mimi Swartz about our August cover story on women's health.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Wentworth and Jones: Who’s Suing Who?
Republican state senator Jeff Wentworth's latest salvo against his primary opponent Elizabeth Ames Jones? Suing her for defamation.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Five Takeaways from Rick Perry’s Budget Compact
During a speech Monday, the governor laid out a five-point, budget-cutting pledge for no new taxes. But what was he really saying?
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Wendy Davis on Rachel Maddow’s Show
State senator Wendy Davis discussed the attempted arson at her office and Texas politics in general on the MSNBC show.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Who Firebombed Wendy Davis’s Office?
Update: Fort Worth police have arrested a 40 year-old homeless man for arson in Tuesday's firebombing of the Democratic state senator's Fort Worth office.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Did Rick Perry Just Kick Off His 2014 Campaign?
Perry conducted a Kardashian-level of media courtship at the Capitol, where he told reporters he won't rule out another run for governor or president.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Perry Has Spent Three Days at the Office
A public records search by the Dallas Morning News' Christy Hoppe reveals that since the governor left the campaign trail, he's worked on state business for just ten hours.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Redistricting Could Seep into 2013
Republican primary voters will be asked if they're in favor of the Eighty-third Legislature redrawing the maps.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
And Now Back to Rick Perry’s Regularly Scheduled Term as Governor of Texas
But just how warmly will he be received by his colleagues and constituents?
January 21, 2013
Texas 2011: By the Numbers
From (HB) 1 to ($)15.2 billion, we revisit a few of the state's biggest stories in 2011 by examining the numbers.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Lingering Redistricting Objections From Black Caucus
The Texas Legislative Black Caucus is not happy with proposed interim House map, but some argue that African Americans are fairly represented.
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Texas Redistricting: The Critics Speak
Emergency U.S. Supreme Court case? Delayed March primary? The reactions to the federal panel of judge’s interim map pour in.
News & Politics
January 21, 2013
20 Sessions
A brief history of every Legislature we’ve ever covered.
News & Politics
January 21, 2013
Hall of Fame
Hugo Berlanga D–Corpus ChristiTenure: Representative from 1977 to 1999Number of times on the Best list: 3I was the first Hispanic speaker pro tempore in the history of the House. I served under Gib Lewis, and he later told me that the reason he selected me is that he needed someone who
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Joe Straus’s Desk
The Speaker lets us into his office.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Joe Straus III
The ideological pendulum at the Lege is swinging, finally and inevitably, back toward the center, so moderate Republicans—the golden-cheeked warblers of Texas politics—may soon reemerge as a force to be reckoned with. When that happens, we’re betting on this pedigreed, patrician lawmaker from tony District 121 (Alamo Heights, Olmos Park)
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Between the Lines
Ah, redistricting—that partisan, vengeful, hazardous battle for domination the Legislature fights every decade. Here we go again.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Win, Lose, or Draw
Read a Q&A with Patricia Kilday Hart.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Let There Be Right
The Republicans whipped the Democrats in November. Now what are they going to do?
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Dollars and Sense
When the Legislature meets in January, lawmakers know they won’t be able to cut their way to a balanced budget. Instead, they should do what a certain Republican governor did more than twenty years ago: raise taxes.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
The Eighteen Billion Dollar Man
Texas is facing an unprecedented deficit in the next legislative session, so to help our poor, overworked elected officials, I went ahead and balanced the budget for them. And good Lord! It wasn’t pretty.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Business as Usual
Who’s the toughest opponent for Republicans who want to crack down on illegal immigration? Other Republicans.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
A Q&A With Nate Blakeslee
The Democrats will most certainly fight the Republicans over immigration reform legislation this session, but the Republican’s biggest opponents are powerful interests within their own party. Nate Blakeslee talks about grassroot efforts, tea party champions, and why immigration has become one of the most important issues facing our state.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Show Me the Money
Paul Burka talks about cutting $18 billion from the Texas budget, separating the essential from the nonessential, and spending money on bricks and mortar.