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Agenda Texas: Legislative Development
House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, watches from the sidelines as debate continues on SB 1 on April 4, 2013.
Texas Asks Feds for Help in Water Dispute With Mexico
Mexico's reluctance to deliver water to Texas under the terms of a decades-old treaty has prompted the state's top environmental regulatory agency to enlist help from the U.S. State Department.
Texas Legislature Passes Election Law Bill Requested by Libertarians
On May 20, the Texas legislature passed SB 817. This bill had been requested by Texas Libertarians.
Boy Scouts decision to allow openly gay youth members garners mixed reaction
While some gay-rights supporters praised Thursday's vote by the Boy Scouts of America in favor of formally accepting openly gay scouts, others were disappointed in the group's decision to continue to block gay scout leaders.
Lawmakers haven't saved Texas Railroad Commission yet
The Texas Railroad Commission could expire and cease to exist if lawmakers don't add it to a sunset safety net bill by Monday.
Lack of Income Tax in Texas Draws Out-of-State Envy
When Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana wanted to sell his plan to replace his state's income tax with a higher sales tax, he pointed to Texas as both the problem and the solution.
Sounds like a Texas country song: Beer is Good, Guns are Bad, Politics is Crazy
As of Tuesday, reported the Austin American-Statesman, the campus carry gun bill is dead for yet another year, due to "Senate Democrats who have blocked it from coming to a final vote." Used to be that 18-year-olds complained that their government wouldn't let them legally drink beer but was more than happy to send them off in a military uniform to ... (more)
After days of jockeying and one-upsmanship, the Texas House and Senate each approved measures Wednesday evening critical to passing their next two-year budget.
Highlights from around the Capitol
Nearly 2,000 people went to Gov. Rick Perry 's website in January to sound off on how lawmakers should cut taxes by $1.8 billion.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry 'greatly disappointed' by vote to admit openly gay Boy Scouts
Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday afternoon said he was sad to learn that the Boy Scouts of American voted to allow openly gay members.
Editorial: Texas lawmakers reinvest in higher ed
Top state leaders proclaimed that the 2013 legislative session would focus on the basics of building Texas' future, and infrastructure became the buzzword.
Health Officials Decry Texas' Snubbing Of Medicaid Billions
The state of Texas is turning down billions of federal dollars that would have paid for health care coverage for 1.5 million poor Texans.
Lawmakers require audit of Perry development fund
State lawmakers have given final approval to a bill requiring an audit of Gov. Rick Perry's deal-closing Texas Enterprise Fund.
Video shows Evan Ebel shoot deputy
Police say Ebel killed Department of Corrections Director Tom Clements and father-of-three Nate Leon in Colorado and then drove to Texas where he got in a shootout with police March 21 and was killed.
Stage set for voters to decide Texas water plan in November election
It will likely be up to Texas voters to decide whether the state should dip into its Rainy Day Fund to pay for water infrastructure.
Timothy Cole bill not likely to pass Texas Legislature this session
Last week, Gov. Rick Perry invited Sens. Rodney Ellis, Robert Duncan and other legislators to the signing of the Michael Morton Act, a measure aimed at preventing wrongful convictions in Texas.
Editorial: STAAR exemptions won't help students, schools or parents
This newspaper has been open to compromises regarding the number of STAAR exams required for high school students, but legislators are going too far in their decision that high-performing students don't need to take all of the state reading and math exams currently required in grades three through eight.
Littlefield city manager appointed to new seat by governor
He was appointed chairman of the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation this week, after serving as a board member since 2005.
Texas lawmakers OK drug tests for some unemployment applicants
Texas came a step closer to requiring some applicants for unemployment benefits to first undergo drug testing, when lawmakers gave final approval to a Republican-backed bill mandating such checks on Wednesday.
Protection of Texas Children Act bill heads to governor's desk
A bill allowing for so-called "school marshals" to have access to a gun on school ground is headed to Texas Gov.