
The Texas State Senate has voted in favor a bill that would ban insurance coverage for abortion. The ban applies to private health insurance plans, including qualified plans offered through health benefit exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”).
by Lana Shadwick12 May 2015, 6:42 AM PST0

The Berry children from Houston testified before the Senate State Affairs committee on Thursday, telling lawmakers how they were orphaned by a driver who was sending text messages on his smart phone. A bill in the Texas State House would make texting while driving a Class C misdemeanor.
by Lana Shadwick9 May 2015, 6:44 AM PST0

The Texas Senate voted 26 to 5 on Thursday to allow the use of cannabis oil treatment for epilepsy patients. Senator Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) is the author of the Senate Bill 339. According to the Quorum Report, the Senator said “he is very appreciative of my senate colleagues for passing this bill that gives hope of help for those with intractable epilepsy.”
by Lana Shadwick7 May 2015, 11:38 AM PST0

The Texas State Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would give Texas law enforcement officers jurisdiction to enforce federal laws intended to – in the words of the bill’s author – “stop illegal alien criminals at the border.”
by Lana Shadwick7 May 2015, 7:51 AM PST0

The Texas State Senate has passed a bill that would establish a sales tax holiday for firearms and ammunition. Senate Bill 228, authored by Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), would create the sales tax holiday on the last weekend in August before hunting season, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on that Friday, and lasting until midnight on the following Sunday.
by Lana Shadwick6 May 2015, 8:57 AM PST0

A bill passed by the Texas Senate on Thursday would take redistricting and school finance lawsuits out of the sole hands of judges in Travis County. The bill, S.B. 455, provides that the Texas Attorney General may petition for the formation of a three-judge panel to hear school finance and redistricting cases.
by Lana Shadwick1 May 2015, 8:05 AM PST0

Pastors and their sermons have moved one step closer to protection under Texas law. State Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston) received unanimous approval for Senate Bill 2048, a bill necessitated by the actions of Mayor Annise Parker when she issued subpoenas to
by Lana Shadwick29 Apr 2015, 12:42 PM PST0

The Texas State Senate on Tuesday passed an omnibus bill including many of the initiatives from Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s emergency item on ethics reform. In his State of the State Address in February, the Governor repeated a campaign promise to address transparency and ethics in Texas government. Tuesday marked delivery on that promise.
by Lana Shadwick29 Apr 2015, 6:28 AM PST0

Dan Golvach, told a Texas Senate Border Security subcommittee last week that what he has learned from his son’s murder by an illegal alien is it is “glaringly evident, that the federal government does not seem to be very invested in securing the border.” His testimony came during National Crime Victim’s Rights Week which was observed April 19th – 25th. Other witnesses urged Texas legislators to pass an interstate compact bill because the federal government has failed to do their job “to protect our families.” They testified about the “catastrophic loss” they have faced because of a porous border.
by Lana Shadwick27 Apr 2015, 5:58 AM PST0

A police body camera bill passed in the Texas Senate on Thursday by a split vote of 22-8, but faces the Texas State House which has two of its own bills. The bill does not mandate that Texas peace officers use body cams, but mandates uniformity of policies by those using the cameras provided by a grant. The eight Senators that voted against the bill were all Republicans.
by Lana Shadwick24 Apr 2015, 4:10 AM PST0

The Texas Senate takes up the issue of repealing in-state tuition benefits for the children of illegal immigrants living in the Lone Star State. DREAMers and their supporters were on the Texas Capitol steps early this morning in preparation for lobbying legislators on S.B. 1819. They are in Austin to speak to the Texas Senate’s Sub-Committee on Border Security. The sub-committee is part of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations. The bill would remove in-state tuition eligibility for certain children who came to America illegally.
by Lana Shadwick6 Apr 2015, 8:42 AM PST0