The system is meant to kill legislation: That’s the old line often heard around the Capitol. As the session’s end slams the coffin door on a slew of bills, more than a few lawmakers are taking solace in the fact that their dead bills have lots of company.
Christopher Smith Gonzalez
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State Government
Sh*t My Legislator Said: A Quiz
As the 82nd regular session comes to a close, we pause a moment to remember some of the more notable statements of the last 140 days. And we invite you to join us by taking a special quiz we’ve created to commemorate the occasion.
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Guides
Updated: Texplainer: Is TSA “Groping” Bill Junk Legislation?
Hey, Texplainer: Can Texas really stop the TSA from touching my privates when I go through airport security? Short answer: No.
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Criminal Justice
Updated: Wentworth Blasts Straus Over Campus Carry
State Sen. Jeff Wentworth charged today that his San Antonio colleague, House speaker Joe Straus, used undue influence last night to strip an amendment allowing concealed handguns on college campuses out of a fiscal matter’s bill.
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Energy
There’s More Than One Way to Land a Catfish
Hand fishing — that is, sticking your hand down the throat of a fish — is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500. But not for long. State lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill to legalize hand fishing, sending it to the governor.
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State Government
College Dems Warn Republicans of Budget Backlash
Republicans should beware of the backlash cuts to higher education could bring, members of the Texas College Democrats said at a press conference today.
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Health care
Elderly, Disabled Fight Pay Cut to Service Providers
Advocates for the elderly and disabled are fighting a proposal in the Legislature that they say would reduce the wages of the personal care attendants who provide services through the Medicaid Community-Based Alternatives waiver program.
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Energy
Cornyn, Perry Blast Feds Over Wildfires
Sen. John Cornyn vowed to “raise Cain” if the federal government’s decision not to give Texas extra financial assistance for battling the wildfires hinged on politics. But the feds say that Texas is already getting help.
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State Government
Senators Compromise on Alamo Bill
Compromise isn’t the first word that comes to mind when you think of the Alamo. But today, state senators from San Antonio reached an agreement on a bill to improve how Texas’ most historic site is managed.
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State Government
Senate Approves “Bath Salts” Ban
The Senate today passed a bill that would make it illegal to make “bath salts,” a drug that can have effects similar to cocaine or amphetamines and can be bought legally online or in smoke shops.