Tag Archives: Dan Patrick

How anti-immigrant is this session going to be?

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It will likely be very strongly anti-immigrant. It’s really just a question of how far the Republicans pushing this will go. The Democrats can’t stop them – I’m not expecting the Senate’s two thirds rule to be much of an … Continue reading →

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

The “Dan Patrick for Senate in 2012” campaign makes its unofficial debut

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well no, nothing of that sort actually happened. But that’s my interpretation of this. Sen. Dan Patrick — the Houston Republican who earlier announced the founding of the Independent Conservative Republicans of Texas to reach out to Tea Party activists … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t forget Kay!

Posted on September 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Salon looks at recent GOP history to preview the 2012 Senate primaries: As it is, though, the Tea Party is out of Republican targets for 2010. But 2012 is just around the corner, and the Tea Party may pick up … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Scrap it and start over

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good to hear. Texas needs to scrap its school funding system and start all over, Senate Education Chair Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, said Thursday, as other members of a special school finance committee agreed that the existing system is hopelessly broken. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Fixing school finance, the neverending story

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Work on dealing with the state’s revenue shortfall and what it will mean for the schools is already underway. Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Florence Shapiro, co-chair of the 15-member panel, acknowledged that the funding system is in trouble and needs … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Metal detectors at the Capitol

Posted on January 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

After the gunfire incident at the Capitol last week, you’d think this wouldn’t be too controversial. The day after a shooting outside the state Capitol, lawmakers on Friday suggested that metal detectors to the building entrances were imminent, a move … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Statesman profiles White

Posted on December 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We’re probably going to see a lot of stories like this in the coming weeks, as the papers outside of Houston inform their readers about the new Democratic candidate for Governor. That one is a nice, thorough effort, which among … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kay’s dominoes

Posted on October 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Jason Embry notes that if Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison waits until January to officially resign, there could be a profound effect on the Republican ballot. If she announces a resignation date during the filing period (Dec. 3 – Jan. 4), … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Kay’s dominoes

Here comes Addie

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Timing is everything in this life. [Former Houston City Council Member Addie] Wiseman tells me she is going to run a full and vigorous campaign to replace State Rep. Joe Crabb. Details are still being worked out, she didn’t have … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Here comes Addie

Interview with Amy Peck

Posted on August 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next on the interview list is Amy Peck, who is running in District A. She is a UT graduate who got a ME.d in Counseling Psychology from the University of Houston at the age of 22. She works as constituent … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

From the “Nobody knows what KBH will do” department

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That would be because she doesn’t know what the hell she’s going to do. Here’s Kay, take one, from the Mark Davis radio show. Davis: So you’ll be coming out at some point. When do you think its decision time … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

From the “Reasons why KBH won’t resign” files

Posted on July 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Gardner Selby notes that whenever Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison decides to resign from the Senate, Governor Perry controls the timing of the special election to replace her and can use it to help his preferred candidate. Under the law, if … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on From the “Reasons why KBH won’t resign” files

HPOU touts its opposition to eyewitness ID reform

Posted on July 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a clip from the Houston Police Officers’ Union publication, Badge and Gun (June/July 2009 issue), written by HPOU President Gary Blankinship, detailing how HPOU successfully helped lead the fight against a couple of bills by State Sen. Rodney Ellis … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dan Patrick on legislative reforms

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I realize that Sen. Dan Patrick writing an article for the Texas Observer is a bit like Geneva Kirk Brooks having a byline in Playboy, but give the man his due: He raises some very good points in his piece … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hutchison announces her intent to announce

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Actually, what Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison wanted to tell us was that she had a lot of money available to her for her yet-to-be-announced gubernatorial bid (which, for what it’s worth, some people outside of Texas think she may yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Friends and foes

Posted on June 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Observer poo-poos the idea of “Best Of” and “Top Ten” lists, then gives us its stab at a Best and Worst tabulation by naming six of “The People’s Friends” and five “Foes”. Where Texas Monthly focuses more on … Continue reading →

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

Schieffer and centrism

Posted on June 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Tom Schieffer continues his task of making the case for himself as the Democratic nominee for Governor. Fort Worth lawyer Tom Schieffer helped make George W. Bush a wealthy man. And as President Bush’s ambassador to Australia, Schieffer sold the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Perry reportedly to veto Safe Passing bill

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The veto deadline is fast approaching, and with it comes word of various potentially doomed bills – indeed, according to Rep. Garnet Coleman, Governor Perry has already nixed one of his bills, HB3485 – so expect to hear some urgent … Continue reading →

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

The Ten Best and Ten Worst of 2009

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s time for that other biennial tradition known as the Texas Monthly Best and Worst Legislators list. And so another session is on the books. This legislative wrap-up marks the nineteenth time, beginning with the Sixty-Third Legislature, in 1973, that … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Ten Best and Ten Worst of 2009

RIP, statewide smoking ban

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I thought it still had a chance after it finally passed out of committee in the Senate, but the statewide smoking ban is officially dead. [State Sen. Rodney] Ellis held a press conference to announce the death of the statewide … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Campaign finance bill passes the House

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve had plenty of harsh things to say about House Elections Committee Chair Todd Smith this session, but he’s always been one of the good guys on campaign finance reform. Texas could start regulating how political parties use corporate and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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

Allen Fletcher

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Casey gives a short summary of this Texas Monthly feature article about State Rep. Allen Fletcher and his, um, colorful business partners, who are under investigation by the feds for running various kinds of ripoffs. There’s no indication that … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Allen Fletcher

Patrick forced to moderate his ultrasound bill

Posted on May 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Somewhat surprisingly, there haven’t been too many egregious attempts to assault reproductive choice this session; that may be partly because there’s only so much farther the Lege can go short of an outright ban, and it may be partly because … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Patrick forced to moderate his ultrasound bill

Wendy Davis

Posted on May 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been a fan of freshman State Sen. Wendy Davis since I interviewed her last year at the state Democratic convention. You could tell she was smart and ambitious, and if given the chance could really go places. I’ve been … Continue reading →

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

It only hurts when it happens to you

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This story is about the likely death of the Wentworth nonpartisan redistricting committee bill, which wasn’t unexpected, but the real story is about how it went down. A move to put redistricting into the hands of a bi-partisan public commission … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It only hurts when it happens to you

Senate passes Safe Passing bill

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via email from the CTC: On Tuesday, the Texas Senate passed the Safe Passing bill on the third reading. Thanks to each of you who contacted your senator: you helped make it happen! Before it passed, Senator Patrick proposed two … Continue reading →

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

Videotaping interrogations

Posted on April 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

One of Sen. Rodney Ellis’ many criminal justice reform bills has passed the Senate. Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, won Senate approval of a measure intended to encourage the recording of police interrogations. Ellis said his Senate Bill 116 arose out … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Videotaping interrogations

Sometimes the clock is your friend

Posted on April 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve said many times by now that the slow pace of this legislative session will threaten the prospects of many a bill. In some cases, that’s a good thing. After months with little or no action, Texas lawmakers are stirring … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sometimes the clock is your friend

Doing the easy part

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sen. Dan Patrick gets his day in the sun. Wednesday is the deadline for paying federal income taxes, but it’s also when state lawmakers will consider cutting franchise taxes for 132,000 small businesses in Texas including 24,000 in Harris County. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Doing the easy part

UI update

Posted on April 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The headline says it all: GOP holds key to unemployment stimulus dollars. Against the wishes of Gov. Rick Perry, lawmakers are pressing ahead with efforts to claim $555 million in federal economic stimulus money for unemployment benefits. With all of … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on UI update

Taking taxation aversion to its logical extreme

Posted on April 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This story just boggles my mind. Think traffic congestion is bad now? Wait until 2012. That’s when Texas’ highway fund — which relies on a motor fuels tax that hasn’t been raised since 1991 — will be out of money … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Taking taxation aversion to its logical extreme

Senate passes clean air bill

Posted on April 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This sounds pretty good. New plants in heavily polluted areas like Houston’s Ship Channel could have a harder time getting state permits under a clean air bill tentatively passed Wednesday by the Texas Senate. Environmental regulators would have to examine … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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

Danno says his vote on redistricting commission was a mistake

Posted on April 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sen. Jeff Wentworth’s SB315, which passed on second reading last week in the Senate, may not make it to third reading because Wentworth no longer has enough votes to suspend the rules and bring it back to the floor. The … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Danno says his vote on redistricting commission was a mistake

Redistricting commission advances

Posted on March 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We know about Sen. Jeff Wentworth’s biennial efforts to create a nonpartisan redistricting commission for Texas. On Monday, those efforts advanced forward a step. By a vote of 21-10, senators approved Senate Bill 315 that would create the nine-member commission … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Redistricting commission advances