El Paso Herald-Post El Paso News & Opinion
The Texas Legislature closed out the special session Tuesday night amid a stalemate on property tax reform, leaving unfinished Gov. Greg Abbott‘s top priority. Hours earlier, the House abruptly adjourned sine die – the formal designation meaning the end …
The Texas Tribune
August, 2017
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14 August
Analysis: Broken School Finance System Spawns Wild Solutions
Whether you feel sorry for them or not, Austin ISD property taxpayers will be sending $533 million of their local school taxes to the state for redistribution to poorer districts in the next school year. …
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12 August
Texas House Approves “Compromise” City Annexation Bill
Legislation that would allow Texans to vote on whether cities in large counties can annex areas outside of their limits — a contentious issue that prompted a filibuster in May — got one step closer …
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10 August
U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke on 34-Day Road Trip in Underdog Senate Bid
Looking to overcome the long odds in his U.S. Senate campaign, U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, has hit the road for an aggressive 34-day tour of Texas. O’Rourke launched the trip without much fanfare at …
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10 August
Texas House Approves Sending First Two Special Session Bills to Governor
The Texas House tentatively approved two bills Thursday that will keep several state agencies from closing, including the Texas Medical Board. If the chamber gives the measures final approval on Friday, they could be the first …
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9 August
New Texas Law Allows Merchants to Decline Card Purchases Without ID
A law that takes effect in January will allow Texas merchants to ask for photo identification for credit and debit card purchases – and turn down transactions if a buyer won’t show it. The aim …
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6 August
Analysis: Hopes of Going 20 for 20 in Special Session Circle the Drain
Think Gov. Greg Abbott is still glad he called them back? The Texas Legislature’s special “20 for 20” session has predictably bogged down. Abbott put together a to-do list tailored to please Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s Senate and, …
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5 August
House Approves $1.8 Billion Package of School Finance Bills
The Texas House on Friday passed a package of bills that would put $1.8 billion into public schools and help out struggling small, rural school districts. House members voted 130-12 to approve the lower chamber’s …
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4 August
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Blames City Governments for “All our Problems in America”
City governments, particularly those led by Democrats, are to blame for problems nationwide, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said during a nationally televised interview Friday. “People are happy with their governments at their state level, they’re not …
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2 August
In Texas House, Property Tax Proposals Range from Minor Tweaks to Abolishment
Last week, amid a flurry of votes on more than a dozen other issues, the Texas Senate passed its main measure addressing Gov. Greg Abbott‘s call to reform the laws related to property taxes. On Wednesday, …
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1 August
Report: Texas Could Lose Billions if New Immigration Enforcement Law Stands
Representatives from Texas’ business, local government and higher education sectors argued Tuesday that the state’s new immigration-enforcement law, which is slated to take effect Sept. 1, could do billions of dollars in damage to the Texas …
July, 2017
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31 July
House Passes Four Maternal Mortality Bills
House lawmakers tentatively approved a series of bills Monday aimed at helping Texas curb its unusually high rate of women dying less than a year after childbirth. The primary measure, House Bill 9, would direct the state’s Task …
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28 July
Rick Perry: “I Totally Support” Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops
WALLER — U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry says he backs President Donald Trump’s move to ban transgender Americans from serving in the military. “I totally support the president in his decision,” Perry, an Air Force veteran and …
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28 July
Disabled Texans say Bathroom Bill Could Further Complicate Their Lives
For Octavio Armendariz, using the bathroom while he’s home is no big deal. When the autistic eight-year-old is out in public with his mom, it’s a different story. Rosanna Armendariz isn’t comfortable with Octavio, who has the social …
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27 July
Texas Senate Passes Bill to Allow People to Vote on Whether a City can Annex Them
No filibuster was going to kill annexation reform in the Texas Senate this time around. Among several bills that seek to curb the power of local regulations, the Senate on Wednesday tentatively passed Senate Bill 6, which would …
