With two weeks left in the legislative session, here are a couple of takes on the state of play on taxes and the budget, the only piece of legislation that must be passed.
Four Price
Posted in
Health care
Health Agency Mergers Get House Look
The House Human Services Committee heard testimony Monday evening on a bill that would partially consolidate the state’s massive health and human services system.
Posted in
Higher Education
Committees Moving on Bills to Limit Tuition Increases
A Senate committee has approved a bill that would limit tuition increases to the rate of inflation unless universities meet “performance measures.” Meanwhile, a House committee is considering a bill to tie tuition increases only to inflation.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: March 19, 2015
Lawmakers late Wednesday afternoon signaled that they will tap the brakes on plans to consolidate the state’s health and human services agencies.
Posted in
Health care
Post-Scandal, Lawmakers Changing Gears on Health Agency
As the state’s largest health agency reels from a scandal over how it awarded contracts to private vendors, lawmakers on Wednesday said they are slowing down on their ambitious — and controversial — plan to restructure it.
Posted in
Health care
GOP Lawmaker: Women “Will Die” Without Cancer Screening Funds
State Rep. Sarah Davis on Tuesday warned that proposed changes to a women’s health program — intended to gut funding for Planned Parenthood clinics — would put women’s lives in danger.
Posted in
State Government
TribLive: A Conversation With Amarillo Lawmakers
Full video of my 2/7 TribLive conversation with three Amarillo lawmakers: state Sen. Kel Seliger and state Reps. “Four” Price and John Smithee.
Posted in
Politics
The Brief: Feb. 7, 2014
The rise of anti-immigrant rhetoric in the GOP lieutenant governor’s race — and personified by state Sen. Dan Patrick — is angering several Hispanic party leaders to the point where one of them is considering voting for a Democrat in the general election.
Posted in
Health care
The Brief: Feb. 6, 2014
Chris Christie is coming to Texas on Thursday and with a large target on his back placed there by Democrats.
Posted in
Politics
The Brief: Feb. 5, 2014
Add Greg Abbott, apparently, to those wanting to turn the page on coverage of Wendy Davis’ life story.