Monthly Archives: March 2017

More reasons not to put people in jail

Posted on March 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We shouldn’t put people in jail for owing fines. In January, state Rep. James White, R-Hillister, filed House Bill 1125, which would ban Texas judges from jailing people for an offense that is punishable only by a fine. State Rep. … Continue reading →

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Another voter ID update

Posted on March 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Lone Star Project: Last week, the Trump Department of Justice brought press attention to the ongoing Texas voter ID lawsuit that remains pending before Federal District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos in Corpus Christi. The Trump DOJ withdrew long-standing federal … Continue reading →

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Voter ID 2.0 clears Senate committee

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seems likely this will go the distance. A Texas Senate panel cleared legislation Monday that would overhaul the state’s voter identification rules, an effort to comply with court rulings that the current law discriminates against black and Latino voters. The … Continue reading →

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The “Man’s Right To Know” Act

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is some high-quality trolling. Texas State Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, filed a bill Friday that would penalize men for “unregulated masturbatory emissions.” The satirical House Bill 4260 would encourage men to remain “fully abstinent” and only allow the “occasional … Continue reading →

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Once again with driverless car legislation

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Third time’s the charm, right? State Rep. Charlie Geren isn’t about to let Texas get left in the dust when driverless vehicles start easing their way into everyday life. Especially since car manufacturers need somewhere to test them and could … Continue reading →

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TOP responds to Chron story on Mayor Turner

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Via the inbox, we come full circle: The following is a statement by Tarsha Jackson, Harris County director of the Texas Organizing Project, in reaction to the article “Progressives fret over Turner’s focus”: “Far from fretting over Mayor Sylvester Turner’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is there some fretting about Mayor Turner?

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe? I don’t know. I guess it depends on how you define “fretting”. The resignation of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s top deputy – a social justice advocate and one of the mayor’s few confidants in a sea of senior staff appointed … Continue reading →

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Bill to restore some budget flexibility filed

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Call it the Law of Unintended Consequences Act of 2017. The Texas House’s chief budget writer filed legislation Friday that would allow lawmakers to claw back billions of dollars that voters approved for state highways, freeing them up for other … Continue reading →

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Why shouldn’t court records be made available online?

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seems clear to me that they should. What’s the case against? Nathan Hecht, chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, has noticed a curious trend in the state’s legal system: Folks are increasingly representing themselves in legal disputes, forgoing lawyers … Continue reading →

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Let’s have a study of that hog apocalypse first

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe we should figure out what the effects of poisoning feral hogs might be before we start poisoning them. Two bills from Texas lawmakers — state Rep. Lynn Stucky, R-Denton, and state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin — would require state … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for March 12

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered on TV 20 years ago. Yes, we are old. “Scientists announced on March 1, 2017 that they’ve identified the remains of 3,770-million-year-old microorganisms, now the oldest known microfossils on Earth. The discovery is in the … Continue reading →

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Court rules several Congressional districts were illegally drawn

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Bam! Some of Texas’ 36 congressional districts violate either the U.S. Constitution or the federal Voting Rights Act, a panel of federal judges ruled Friday. In a long-delayed ruling, the judges ruled 2-1 that the Texas Legislature must redraw the … Continue reading →

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The updated bill for recapture and detachment

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the numbers as we now face them. Houston ISD voters will face a choice of either paying the state’s $77.5 million recapture fee, or risk losing $98.4 million in tax revenue over the next fiscal year, according to … Continue reading →

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Bail reform bills

Posted on March 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to see this. An unusual bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and judges has teamed up to back broad reforms in Texas that could eliminate cash bail for nonviolent offenders who are not deemed dangerous or a flight risk. Bills introduced … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Our Lips Are Sealed

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s peak 80’s with the Go-Gos: I’m so old, I’m watching them drive around in that convertible and all I can think is “PUT YOUR SEAT BELTS ON! ARE YOU CRAZY?” Different times, they were. Now here are favored cover … Continue reading →

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We could be at the end of the road of the Pasadena redistricting case

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mike Snyder continues his reporting on the Pasadena redistricting litigation. He notes that while the whole thing was concocted and pushed forward by current Mayor Johnny Isbel, several of the candidates to succeed Isbell are not interesting in picking up … Continue reading →

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House hears “fetal remains” bill

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seriously? [House Bill 35] would create a registry of organizations that can help pay for burial or cremation of fetal remains. That way, the cost associated with burials would not fall on women, [bill author Rep. Byron] Cook said. The … Continue reading →

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Bike plan vote delayed

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

What’s another two weeks? Houston’s long-term plan for improving bicycle routes around town will wait a couple more weeks after a handful of elected officials voiced various concerns. City Council members Greg Travis, Michael Kubosh, Steve Le, Mike Knox and … Continue reading →

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Border walls are bad for the environment

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not that anyone pushing for a border wall cares, but just so you know. There’s been a lot of debate about how effective the Bush-era barrier has been at keeping out illegal crossers and drug smugglers. Some data indicates the … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 36

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We built these Friday random ten lists on rock and roll. And other types of music. 1. Ditch Diggin’ – Southern Culture On The Skids (Mary Huff) 2. I Want To Be Relieved – Spirit Family Reunion (Maggie Carson) 3. … Continue reading →

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Two unsatisfying articles about the 2016 Democratic sweep in Harris County

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Democratic sweep in Harris County has drawn some national attention, as writers from the left and right try to analyze what happened here last year and why Hillary Clinton carried the county by such a large margin. Unfortunately, as … Continue reading →

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Sheriff Gonzalez testifies in bail practices trial

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He says on the stand what he has been saying elsewhere. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez took the witness stand for an hour Wednesday afternoon in a closely watched federal civil rights case that is challenging whether it is constitutional … Continue reading →

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Paxton prosecutors ask for delay

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Delay for pay, as it were. The special prosecutors handling the securities fraud case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are asking to put off his trial until they can get paid. On Thursday, the prosecutors proposed moving the trial, … Continue reading →

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It’s HCDE hunting season again

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Every two years, like clockwork. A Houston-area legislator has filed two bills targeting the Harris County Department of Education, renewing his assault on the agency that provides special education therapy services to hundreds of students. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a … Continue reading →

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SB6 is already costing us business

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There will be lots more of this to come as it advances. Three groups — with meetings estimated to bring $3.1 million in total spending — no longer are considering the Alamo City for their events because of a bill … Continue reading →

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If you can’t porkchop ’em, poison ’em

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The war on feral hogs enters a new phase. At a Feb. 21 news conference in Austin, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the agency had issued a rule that would allow Kaput Feral Hog Bait, a pesticide containing the … Continue reading →

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Back to Buzbee

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like we’re not done with this yet. Prominent Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee on Monday accused Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg of “playing politics,” saying prosecutors are trying to revive a DWI case against him that has already been … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of March 6

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance solemnly swears that it did not have diplomatic relations with that Russian, Mr. Kislyak, as it brings you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff looks at precinct data in Senate districts, which present some interesting opportunities … Continue reading →

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The bathroom bill is still terrible (and still about bathrooms)

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t care what they do to it. It’s discriminatory, it solves no problems, and it will hurt many people as well as the state’s reputation and economy. With the measure scheduled for a committee hearing Tuesday, Texas Republicans are … Continue reading →

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Bail practices lawsuit gets going

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The first day in court for this lawsuit was Monday. Neal S. Manne, a managing partner at Susman Godfrey, told Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal in his opening statement Monday that ODonnell and hundreds of other poor people … Continue reading →

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House releases school finance fix bill

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A step in the right direction. The top public education policymaker in the Texas House unveiled a $1.6 billion plan on Monday that he described as a first step to overhauling the state’s beleaguered school funding system. At a Capitol … Continue reading →

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We have an opponent for Commissioner Morman

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: DEMOCRAT MIGUEL LEIJA JR. ANNOUNES CANDIDACY For Harris County Commissioner Pct. 2 Houston, TX, March 6, 2017– Harris County is the most populous county in Texas and the third-most populous county in the United States with the … Continue reading →

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Zerwas proposes using Rainy Day Fund

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this goes anywhere. The chief budget writer in the Texas House on Friday proposed using $1.4 billion from the state’s savings account to pay bills coming due for a wide array of the state’s health and human … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Eddie Lucio is the worst

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Screw this guy. State Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. on Monday came out in support of the so-called “bathroom bill,” giving Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick a Democratic supporter in his push for the high-profile legislation. Lucio, who has previously bucked his … Continue reading →

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