
The Director of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Texas county sheriffs, and other invited witnesses were in the State Capitol on Thursday to testify before the House State Affairs Committee in an effort to find solutions to problems created by illegal aliens. The committee danced around the issue of sanctuary city policies but offered no real direction.
by Bob Price and Lana Shadwick11 Dec 2015, 9:01 AM PST0

The conservative organization Grassroots America sent an open letter to top Texas officials on July 3 voicing its opposition to the recent Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage and calling on state leaders for “resolve, clarity, and decisive actions.”
by Cassi Pollock3 Jul 2015, 11:40 AM PST0

AUSTIN, Texas — The 84th session of the Texas Legislature came to a close on Monday afternoon. Legislators spoke in the hallways about a successful session while some grassroots activists, conservatives and tea party leaders expressed wanting more.
by Bob Price1 Jun 2015, 3:14 PM PST0

Four Texas State House Republicans sided with Democrats yesterday and voted against a pro-life amendment to H.B. 2510 which would have banned abortions after 20 weeks where there is an alleged genetic disability of the fetus. The amendment, offered by Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler), passed by a vote of 83-46.
by Lana Shadwick25 Apr 2015, 6:05 AM PST0

Texas House Representative Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) raised a point of order that resulted in a temporary setback for the House Open Carry bill, HB-910. The point of order was sustained by the Speaker, Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) and the bill will be sent back to the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee. The bill prohibiting local authorities from blocking fracking operations in their jurisdictions was sent back to committee on a similar point of order.
by Bob Price14 Apr 2015, 10:18 AM PST0

The Texas Senate has passed a package of bills that would enact substantive changes to the state’s franchise tax. Not a single bill related to franchise tax reform has received a public committee hearing in the Texas House.
by Sarah Rumpf30 Mar 2015, 6:11 AM PST0

On Monday, the Texas House passed on second reading HB 10, an omnibus anti-human trafficking bill, with a unanimous, bipartisan vote. The bill still needs a third reading but is expected to easily pass Tuesday morning and will be the first bill passed by the House this Session.
by Sarah Rumpf17 Mar 2015, 9:08 AM PST0

Texas’ political leaders responded quickly to Governor Greg Abbott’s first State of the State Address. Abbott delivered his historic speech before a packed Texas House gallery and a joint session of the Legislature. The Governor called on the legislature to double funding for securing the border between Texas and Mexico.
by Bob Price18 Feb 2015, 9:39 AM PST0

When the dust settled in the University of Illinois clout abuse scandal, not only were the institution’s president and regents fired, but a statewide officeholder, the house speaker, a state senator, a congressman, and two state representatives found themselves in hot water and their political careers in ruins. Texas legislators should pay attention.
by Michael Quinn Sullivan17 Feb 2015, 10:25 AM PST0

Texas’ top statewide officials are not seeing eye to eye on the critical issue of border security. Public statements by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (R) and Speaker of the House Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) seemed to indicate static between the leaders of the two chambers of the Legislature, and Breitbart Texas was unable to confirm if Patrick, Straus, or Governor Greg Abbott had communicated with each other before a press conference held by Patrick on Tuesday at the Capitol.
by Sarah Rumpf11 Feb 2015, 6:26 AM PST0

In a press conference at the Capitol on Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced that he is seeking $12 million to continue the border surge of Texas National Guard troops through May. They are currently scheduled to leave next month, and
by Sarah Rumpf10 Feb 2015, 2:07 PM PST0

On Wednesday afternoon, Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) announced his appointments for House Committees, laying out who will hold crucial positions of power over the bills considered during the state’s 84th Legislative Session.
by Sarah Rumpf4 Feb 2015, 2:35 PM PST0

The daughter of a Texas State Representative has withdrawn her registration as a lobbyist, after an outcry over the potential for conflicts of interest between her work lobbying for education clients and her father’s role as chair of the House Public Education Committee. The announcement was made on a Friday afternoon, just two days after a Breitbart Texas article describing the conflict.
by Sarah Rumpf30 Jan 2015, 1:49 PM PST0

AUSTIN, Texas – Despite overwhelming objections from grassroots leaders across Texas, House Speaker Joe Straus was re-elected by a vote of 127-19. Straus’ challenger, State Representative Scott Turner, fulfilled his campaign promise to have a record vote on the Speaker’s race with a challenger on the ballot. Four Representatives were absent. No Representatives voted “Present.”
by Bob Price13 Jan 2015, 12:10 PM PST0

AUSTIN, Texas — In an interview the day before Texas’ 84th Legislative Session kicks off, Speaker of the House Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) was less than enthusiastic about his expectations for working with Governor-elect Greg Abbott.
by Sarah Rumpf13 Jan 2015, 6:39 AM PST0

AUSTIN, Texas — Four short days before the newly sworn Texas State Representatives will cast their votes for Speaker of the House, 45 Democrats have joined 73 of their Republican colleagues in openly cheering for the re-election of current Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio).
by Sarah Rumpf10 Jan 2015, 11:04 AM PST0

It’s never fun to watch an ally go bad, seemingly betray their principles for a few bucks and renounce everything they once supported. But that is exactly what appears to have happened at Texas Alliance for Life (TAL) and with its executive director, Joe Pojman.
by Michael Quinn Sullivan9 Jan 2015, 9:05 AM PST0

AUSTIN, Texas — Lieutenant Governor-elect Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke out about the ongoing admissions scandal at the University of Texas at Austin Thursday evening, voicing their support for Wallace J. Hall, Jr., the embattled Board of Regents member. Patrick went one step further, specifically criticizing legislators who had sought an unfair advantage for their children in getting admitted to UT.
by Sarah Rumpf9 Jan 2015, 7:50 AM PST0

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) released the results of several interim committee reports ahead of the opening of the incoming 84th Legislative Session.
by Bob Price8 Jan 2015, 1:50 PM PST0