Tag Archives: Dan Patrick

Anticipating the future bathroom-related litigation

Posted on July 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It will be a matter of when, not if, should a bathroom bill passes. [B]oth sides agree if any version of the bathroom bill becomes law, it will likely trigger a protracted legal battle that could have implications for the … Continue reading →

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Senate will hold bathroom hearing tomorrow

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They just can’t wait. From the inbox: BREAKING: The Senate State Affairs Committee is pushing for a hearing on anti-transgender “bathroom bill” legislation this Friday at 9AM, Charles. Intel from the Capitol tells us that Sen. Lois Kolkhorst will introduce … Continue reading →

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Long read on the ongoing bathroom bill fight

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Daily Beast. Covers a lot of ground, some of which is familiar but quite a bit of which is new or at least additive. A small sample: Two bills, HB 46 and HB 50, have so far been … Continue reading →

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Special session starts today

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It was a good summer before now, but all of that comes to an end today. In the best case scenario, the sunset bills get passed and nothing else happens. I don’t know what will happen, but at least the … Continue reading →

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News flash: Businesses still hate bathroom bills

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

IBM hates them. As state lawmakers return to Austin for legislative overtime, tech giant IBM is stepping up its fight to defeat legislation it says would discriminate against children and harm its Texas recruiting efforts. In an internal email sent … Continue reading →

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This special session is going to be so much fun

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So much repressed hostility… Five days before the Texas Legislature is scheduled to open a special session, it is clear the relationship between the leaders of the House and Senate remains as strained as it was at the end of … Continue reading →

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“America’s future is Texas”

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that long story in the New Yorker that everyone is talking about. It covers basically the entire legislative session with a bunch of preliminary background info, most of which is very familiar to all of us, so I’m just … Continue reading →

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What West Texas can do to improve their schools

Posted on July 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an op-ed from the Statesman about one educator in West Texas who has had enough. My hero this week is Graydon Hicks, Fort Davis superintendent of schools. A West Texas publication published his open letter to Gov. Greg Abbott … Continue reading →

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House still opposes vouchers

Posted on June 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Keep on keeping on, y’all. The top House education leader said Sunday that “private school choice” is still dead in the lower chamber. “We only voted six times against it in the House,” House Public Education Committee Chairman Dan Huberty … Continue reading →

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Next round of bathroom bills getting prepped

Posted on June 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the new bills, same as the old bills. Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, is expected to introduce two bills in the upcoming special session of the Texas Legislature that would regulate which public bathrooms transgender Texans, including schoolchildren, can use. … Continue reading →

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Doctors against bathroom bills

Posted on June 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. [Last] week, the American Medical Association (AMA), the country’s largest medical organization, took several actions to solidify their defense of transgender people. This included a resolution opposing any policy or legislation — like “bathroom bills” put forth in North Carolina and … Continue reading →

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Even the SBOE opposes vouchers and the bathroom bill

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A rare bout of sanity. The Texas State Board of Education is known for its conservative ideals, but a majority of its Republican members said Tuesday they oppose GOP Gov. Greg Abbott’s demand that lawmakers pass a school voucher program … Continue reading →

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Ten best and worst 2017

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is always the most anticipated part of a legislative session. Around the Texas Capitol this year, it wasn’t unusual to hear the 85th Legislature described as the worst anyone could remember. While we wouldn’t go that far, this session … Continue reading →

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Collier makes it official

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mike Collier announces his entry into the race for Lt. Governor. Democrat Mike Collier officially announced his bid for the position in Round Rock Saturday afternoon. A large crowd of supporters came to the Sharon Prete Main Street Plaza to … Continue reading →

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Two (so far) for SD10

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s what we learn in this Star-Telegram story about incumbent Sen. Konni Burton’s intent to run for re-election. At least two Democrats already have announced their intention to seek Burton’s seat. Allison Campolo, a research scientist and teaching assistant at … Continue reading →

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An interesting shift in approval ratings for state leaders

Posted on June 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

More UT/Trib poll data: The figurative wrestling match between the state’s top three officials jiggled their approval ratings, but not by much, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Gov. Greg Abbott remains the highest rated of the … Continue reading →

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The special session could get a little testy

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sow a little discord, Joe. We approve. Speaking to educators Wednesday, House Speaker Joe Straus took some jabs at the Senate for focusing on a bill to regulate public bathroom use instead of putting more than a billion dollars into … Continue reading →

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The Arizona experience

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is what Texas has to look forward to post-SB4. Seven years in, Arizona’s experience hints at what Texas, with the nation’s largest Hispanic population after California, might expect. Supporters of Arizona’s legislation say it has worked, helping to reduce … Continue reading →

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Bathroom bill or NFL draft?

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Back to some familiar questions as the special session looms. The Cowboys have made their pitch to host the NFL draft. Whether that occurs depends, in large part, on what happens in Austin this summer. NFL officials have no interest … Continue reading →

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An SB4 threefer

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We have our first SB4 casualty. A 15,000-member association of attorneys and law professors said on Wednesday that it is relocating its 2018 convention out of Texas in response to the state legislature passing Senate bill 4, a sweeping and … Continue reading →

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Abbott calls for special session

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

To begin July 18, with a laundry list of wingnut wet dreams. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday called a special session of the Texas Legislature starting July 18 and promised to make it a sweeping one if lawmakers cooperate. Abbott … Continue reading →

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Wisconsin case undermines even the scaled back bathroom bill

Posted on June 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Special session or not, this could be a big deal. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit likely just handed the Supreme Court a new case about a transgender student to consider. The Court’s opinion, issued Tuesday, eviscerates … Continue reading →

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Super Bowl economic impact was about what we expected

Posted on June 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not too bad. The receipts are in, and February’s Super Bowl LI appears to have been a substantial boon for Houston — albeit with slightly less spending than expected. Gross spending during the nine days of Super Bowl programming, minus … Continue reading →

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Are we headed for a special session?

Posted on May 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. Who knows? We’ll find out soon enough. Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday promised to make an announcement “later this week” on whether he will call a special session. “I can tell you this, and that is when it gets … Continue reading →

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Budget passes

Posted on May 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Legislature’s one mandated duty has been completed. Both chambers of the Texas Legislature voted Saturday evening to approve a $217 billion, two-year budget that would boost funding for the state’s beleaguered child welfare agency, increase the number of state … Continue reading →

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House will not negotiate on “bathroom bill” amendment

Posted on May 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is it. Refusing to go any further to regulate bathroom use for transgender Texans, House Speaker Joe Straus said on Friday that the House will not appoint members to negotiate with the Senate on its proposed compromise on … Continue reading →

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School finance bill is dead

Posted on May 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It started with this. State Rep. Dan Huberty said Wednesday that he would not accept the Senate’s changes to his school finance bill, launching a last-ditch effort to hammer out a compromise with less than a week left in the … Continue reading →

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How bad is the “Patrick Lite” bathroom bill?

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

For one view, there’s this, from Texas Competes: A review of press coverage shows that the Texas “bathroom bill” debate generated $216 million in publicity for the state of Texas in the period from January 10, 2016 through May 22, … Continue reading →

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Amendment focused on school bathrooms passes the House

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I had some hope that we could make it through this session without something like this happening, but clearly we could not. Amid threats of a special legislative session over the “bathroom bill,” the Texas House on Sunday took a … Continue reading →

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Budget deal reached

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The one bill that must get passed is on its way. After months of private squabbling and public threats of a legislative overtime session, the Texas House and Senate finally compromised to unveil a joint budget late Saturday. Lawmakers, scrounging … Continue reading →

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Patrick takes some hostages

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is what passes for leadership in our state. With deadlines looming, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday threatened to push for a special session of the Legislature to pass a bill to regulate bathroom use for transgender Texans and … Continue reading →

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The state’s voter ID failure is much bigger than you think

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You really have to read this. The confusion started in the first hour of the first day of early voting in San Antonio last October. Signs in polling places about the state’s controversial voter ID law contained outdated rules. Poll … Continue reading →

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Cornyn on shortlist to replace Comey

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is on the short list to succeed James Comey as FBI director, according to a White House official. Cornyn is one of about 11 contenders for the post, according to Fox News. He has strong … Continue reading →

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Bathroom bills and business interests

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly’s Dave Mann reviews the Republican schism over the bathroom bill and comes to the same conclusion as I have. At the moment, the Legislature—and the Republican party, for that matter—has settled into an uneasy stalemate between Patrick’s right-leaning … Continue reading →

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