Olivia Messer
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Perry Signs Michael Morton Act
Just two years ago, Michael Morton was still in prison for a crime he didn’t commit—the murder of his wife. He was finally exonerated [...] Full Story -
Hot List: Day 129 of the Legislature
The Lead: Lawmakers negotiated late into the night in an attempt to finalize the 2014-2015 state budget. Conference committee members have agreed on a [...] Full Story -
Hot List: Day 121 of the Legislature
The Lead: The franchise tax came into existence in 2006 and was trouble from the start. Businesses hated that it taxed their gross receipts [...] Full Story -
House Endorses Prison Closures, Re-Entry Programs
On Saturday morning, the House showed just how far the criminal justice debate in Texas has come. The House passed SB 213, the sunset bill for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The measure reauthorizes the agency with a few major changes, including an amendment to prioritize closure of certain private prisons. Full Story -
Hot List: Day 116 of the Legislature
Yesterday, the Senate passed the Texas Railroad Commission sunset bill, SB 212, which would rename the agency the "Texas Energy Resource Commission." Full Story
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