Olivia Messer
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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 -
Hot List: Day 112 of the Legislature
The Lead: Payday loans have become one of the session’s hottest topics. Some lawmakers and consumer advocates have said this session is the time [...] Full Story -
Dan Patrick On Parade: Life in the New Senate Education Committee
Dan Patrick’s reign over the Senate Education Committee has been a fascinating mix of empathy and cruelty, peaceful agreement and hostile shouting matches. In some ways, not much has changed since his days as a hot-tempered outsider. Full Story
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