The Texas Senate passed a bill that would take pensions away from officials convicted of felonies and require lobbyists to disclose more of their wining and dining of lawmakers.
Van Taylor
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Senate debates “sanctuary city” bill and ethics reform (live video)
The Texas Senate took up its first two bills of the session on Tuesday: a wide-ranging ethics reform measure and a bill to punish local cities, counties and college campuses that act as sanctuary jurisdictions.
Posted inState Government
Committee sends ethics reform package to Senate floor
The Senate State Affairs Committee approved legislation Thursday that would require lawmakers to reveal more of their private business dealings.
Posted in
Politics
U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson to retire from Congress
U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson announced Friday morning that he will not seek re-election to represent his Plano-based North Texas seat in Congress.
Posted inState Government
Senator goes for low-hanging fruit in ethics reform
State Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, is taking a realistic approach to ethics reform this year. He’s pushing proposals that got wide agreement in both chambers two years ago but ultimately failed to draw Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature.
Posted in
State Government
In Texas, a Collapse of Ethics Reform
When the gavel comes down on the legislative session on Monday, lawmakers will have failed to pass into law about two dozen different proposals aimed at curbing conflicts of interest and shining light into the dark corners of the Capitol.
Posted in
State Government
Huffman Stands by Push for “Spousal Loophole”
State Sen. Joan Huffman is facing criticism after authoring a measure allowing elected officials and bureaucrats to disclose less information about their spouses’ property and financial activity. She says the change was needed to clarify an “unclear” Texas Ethics Commission rule.
Posted in
Politics
Major Ethics Overhaul is Declared Dead
With no collective will to expose “dark money” contributions in Texas, a major ethics overhaul died in the waning hours of the 2015 legislatives session. A few piecemeal changes are still possible before the final gavel comes down on the 84th Legislature Monday.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Truancy Reform Heads Down to the Wire
With one Texas county facing a federal investigation into how it punishes chronic school-skippers — and Texas one of only two states that prosecute truants in adult courts — lawmakers are weighing two House measures that would decriminalize truancy.
Posted in
State Government
Ethics Reform: A Guide to What’s Still Alive
Now that the massive overhaul contained in Senate Bill 19 has gone on life support, a few targeted efforts to shine the light on conflicts of interest and enhance transparency remain. Here’s a guide to what’s moving and what’s not.