The latest Joe Straus news from The Texas Tribune.
Amid rumors of a special session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick put out a short list of bills he wants the House to pass if he's going to let the Senate advance must-pass legislation. And he appears to have the upper hand in the last days of the session. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers can avoid a special session if the House and Senate can pass two bills, House Speaker Joe Straus said in an unusual letter sent late Monday to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Full Story
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In a legislative process where so many issues die quietly in committees and parliamentary actions, making politicians attach their names to their positions can be a powerful thing. The "sanctuary cities" bill tested that theory. Full Story
As the Legislature grinds its way through the final three weeks of the regular session, the state's top three leaders are pushing and shoving, figuratively speaking, to the finale and beyond — to the 2018 elections. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed Tuesday in a radio interview that he has urged pastors to pressure the Texas House to advance the so-called bathroom bills that have languished there for weeks. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick expressed support Friday for "a House companion" to the so-called "bathroom bill" that has been one of his biggest priorities this session. Full Story
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The Senate doesn't like the House's hit on the Rainy Day Fund. The House doesn't like the Senate's delay of a deposit into the state's highway fund. Neither wants to raise taxes. But all is not yet lost — unless they want to fight about it. Full Story
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In a letter sent Tuesday, an attorney for two House leaders urges Attorney General Ken Paxton to side against a $2.5 billion accounting trick proposed in the Texas Senate's version of the state budget. Full Story
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The Texas Legislature's Easter break ends with a sprint. Only six weeks remain between now and the end of this regular legislative session — and most of the 6,000+ bills under consideration are going to die. Full Story
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The top three sources of revenue for Texas public universities are all being targeted for reductions or freezes by federal or state government leaders. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus said the controversial bathroom bill felt "manufactured and unnecessary." Full Story
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Watch a livestream of Texas House Speaker Joe Straus discussing the 85th Legislative Session with Jim Henson of the Texas Politics Project. Full Story
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In a radio interview Thursday, House Speaker Joe Straus said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has a different audience than he does. "He’s an entertainer, a talk show guy. And a statewide elected official. I’m not," Straus said. Full Story
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Patrick and Aman about Gov. Greg Abbott's budget priorities, his comments on local control, the school choice drama in the Legislature and AG Ken Paxton's concerns about Muslim prayer in a public school. Full Story
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If Texas legislators cut the state budget this year, it won't be because they didn't have the money. It'll be because they didn't want to spend the money they have. Full Story
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The Texas “bathroom bill” has made it to the House but chamber leaders are hinting that the controversial legislation may never reach the chamber's floor for a vote. Full Story
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The leadership battles in the Texas Legislature are often attributed to personalities — or to traditional House-Senate rivalries. But there's another factor: The Republicans in power are from different factions of their party. Full Story
The performance and favorability ratings in the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll hold good news for Gov. Greg Abbott among individuals and for the military and the police among institutions. Full Story
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Texas representatives have filed legislation to start an overhaul of the the state’s Child Protective Services, following a crisis that has left thousands of kids at risk. Full Story
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Most of the members of the Texas Legislature are white men — and so are the committee chairs. Full Story
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