Tag Archives: special session

Once again with questions about Mike Miles’ finances

More good work from Houston Landing. New Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ plans for the district are built on the promise of more. More pay for teachers. More staff in classrooms. More security officers on campuses. But all of those … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Republicans finally agree on a property tax cut

Our moderate-length semi-statewide bit of unpleasantness is coming to an end. Probably. The $18 billion compromise between the Texas House and Senate — which includes more than $5 billion approved for relief in 2021 — would give increased tax relief … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Republicans finally agree on a property tax cut

A Paxton threefer

Law professor Quinn Yeargain points out something I’ve not seen discussed elsewhere. But for both ambitious Texas politicians waiting in the wings and eagle-eyed election observers, one of the most important questions is likely who will succeed Paxton if he’s … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Impeachment in the Senate

Long Trib story about what to expect when the Senate finally takes up the impeachment trial of Ken Paxton. The Senate plans to consider impeachment rules on June 20 and to start the trial by Aug. 28. Yet there are … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

DeGuerin and Hardin to prosecute Paxton

Wow. Prominent lawyers Dick DeGuerin and Rusty Hardin will serve as lead prosecutors for the Texas House in the Senate impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton. The two Houston-based defense attorneys, introduced at a Capitol news conference Thursday, … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What will Angela do?

This is a good and balanced article about one of the people who will sit in judgment of Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate: his wife, Angela Paxton. When it came time for the high school teacher and guidance counselor … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Two thoughts on the whole impeachment thing

Let’s start with the obvious, which is the “Why now?” question. A lot of people seem to be mystified. Why, after nearly a decade of Ken Paxton’s criming, did the House General Investigations Committee decide to go all scorched earth … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Meet your Paxton prosecutors

It’s officially handed over to the Senate now. The Texas House on Monday named 12 of its members to prosecute its case against impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state Senate. The House announced a Republican-majority board of managers … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Post-impeachment pre-trial roundup

Some more links of interest relating to the Paxton impeachment-a-thon. I suspect that as more reporters and columnists read the House General Investigations Committee’s report we will see more stories that zoom in on the particulars of his offenses. For … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

House impeaches Paxton

For the third time in as many days, I say Wow. In a history-making late-afternoon vote, a divided Texas House chose Saturday to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton, temporarily removing him from office over allegations of misconduct that included bribery … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Impeach-a-palooza

The impeachment debate in the House will happen today. The Texas House intends to take up a resolution to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton at 1 p.m. Saturday, according to a memo from the House General Investigating Committee. Citing Paxton’s “long-standing pattern of abuse of … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

House General Investigations Committee votes to impeach Paxton

Once again, I say Wow. In an unprecedented move, a Texas House committee voted Thursday to recommend that Attorney General Ken Paxton be impeached and removed from office, citing a yearslong pattern of alleged misconduct and lawbreaking that investigators detailed … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

House General Investigations Committee goes hard after Paxton

Wow. A Texas House committee heard stunning testimony Wednesday from investigators over allegations of a yearslong pattern of misconduct and questionable actions by Attorney General Ken Paxton, the result of a probe the committee had secretly authorized in March. In … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Abbott threatens special session if he doesn’t get his voucher bill passed

It’s not the Lege these days without a special session threat. Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday said he would veto a toned-down version of a bill to offer school vouchers in Texas, and threatened to call legislators back for special … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott threatens special session if he doesn’t get his voucher bill passed

WaPo says Gutierrez going to challenge Cruz

This is from last week and I don’t see any other stories to this effect, but it’s what we have. Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D), a longtime lawmaker whose district includes Uvalde, Tex., intends to join the U.S. Senate … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on WaPo says Gutierrez going to challenge Cruz

Of course the redistricting lawsuit trial will be delayed

All we ever get is delays. The legal fight over the shape of Texas political representation for the next decade won’t be decided until next year after a federal panel agreed Tuesday to delay a trial over new political maps. … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of course the redistricting lawsuit trial will be delayed

Abbott weasels on raising the minimum age to buy an assault weapon

Typical. Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that it would be unconstitutional to increase the minimum age to buy assault-style rifles from 18 to 21 years old — a key proposal Uvalde parents have called for after an 18-year-old gunned down … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Redistricting plaintiffs get a win on discovery

Every little bit helps. A federal judge on Monday issued a wide-ranging discovery order requiring Texas state lawmakers to turn over documents related to the state’s congressional redistricting plans. The underlying lawsuit, filed by the League of United Latin American … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Redistricting plaintiffs get a win on discovery

Uvalde school board asks for a special session on guns

They’re not going to get it, just like everyone else who has asked that Greg Abbott Do Something about them. The Uvalde school board is formally urging Gov. Greg Abbott to call state lawmakers back to Austin so they can … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Uvalde school board asks for a special session on guns

We’re still not going to get a special session for gun safety legislation

But I still appreciate the effort. Someone has to do it. With Texas schools restarting classes in less than two months, Texas Senate Democrats renewed calls Monday for Gov. Greg Abbott to bring lawmakers back to Austin this summer to … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We’re still not going to get a special session for gun safety legislation

Two redistricting lawsuit updates

Legislators involved in the most recent redistricting effort can be made to sit for depositions. The Supreme Court refused Tuesday to block the deposition of Texas lawmakers in redistricting suits. Mum as to whether there were any dissents, the order from the … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Two redistricting lawsuit updates

The very least Greg Abbott could do

You can always count on him for that. Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday called on the Texas Legislature to form special committees to make legislative recommendations in response to the Uvalde school shooting. In a letter to House Speaker Dade … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Justice Department to review what happened with Uvalde police

Okay. The U.S. Department of Justice will review the law enforcement’s response to the Uvalde school massacre as local police face intense scrutiny for not acting quickly enough to confront the shooter. “The goal of the review is to provide … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Justice Department to review what happened with Uvalde police

SCOTx hearing on state redistricting lawsuits

The state lawsuits over the “county line rule” in Cameron County and the Eckhardt/Gutierrez “decennial redistricting only in a regular session” contention had a hearing before the State Supreme Court over whether these suits can be heard in state district … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SCOTx hearing on state redistricting lawsuits

Hey, remember when disability rights advocates were worried about the voter suppression bill?

They were right to be worried. Because of course they were. As polls opened up for early voting this week, disability advocates say they still do not have adequate guidance from the state about new voter assistance rules and worry … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

We will have a statewide special election in May

Surprise! Texas voters will decide whether to lower some property taxes that fund schools in a May 7 special election. Two propositions will be on the statewide ballot. Gov. Greg Abbott officially set the upcoming election date Wednesday. The first … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We will have a statewide special election in May

Supreme Court to hear whether state redistricting lawsuit can proceed

Here’s the update I’ve been waiting for. Not what I was hoping for, but it is what it is. The state’s bid to toss a legal challenge arguing last year’s GOP-led redistricting effort violated the Texas Constitution is headed to … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

On primarying the quorum breakers

Of interest. Working Families Party, a political party and relative newcomer to Texas politics that backs Democrats aligned with their platform, aims to spend in the ballpark of half a million dollars this cycle, WFP Texas Co-director Pedro Lira told … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On primarying the quorum breakers

The state of the state redistricting lawsuits

A good update, and a reminder that not all of the action is in federal court. In two cases heard [December 14 and 15], a group of mostly Democratic, Hispanic lawmakers from both chambers challenged the legality of when and … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Crystal Mason using SB1 to try to overturn her illegal voting conviction

Hope this works. It would be one small good thing to come out of that otherwise harmful law. Crystal Mason, the Tarrant County woman whose illegal voting conviction has garnered national attention, is asking for a Texas appeals court to … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Crystal Mason using SB1 to try to overturn her illegal voting conviction

By the way, medical abortion is now more tightly restricted in Texas, too

Another piece of crap from the special session. A new law limiting the use of abortion-inducing medication in Texas goes into effect Thursday. The law makes it a felony to provide the medication after seven weeks of pregnancy, putting Texas … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A brief update on the Gutierrez/Eckhardt redistricting lawsuit

First news we’ve had in awhile. Plaintiff: Democratic state Sens. Roland Gutierrez and Sarah Eckhardt What the lawsuit argues: Ahead of lawmakers’ third special session, two Democratic state senators sued to block the Legislature from redistricting in a special session … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The new maps are now official

Expect further lawsuits to follow. Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday approved Texas’ new political maps for the state’s congressional, legislative and State Board of Education districts, according to Texas Legislature Online. The maps were drawn to keep Texas Republicans in … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The new maps are now official

I think we are going to have a regular March primary

This happened in the second special session, after the Dems came back from Washington DC. Senate Bill 13, from Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston), has been sent to Governor Greg Abbott after being approved by the House and Senate this week. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments