Hot List: day 126

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Day 126 of the 82nd Texas Legislature

LINE OF THE DAY
“Isn’t it true that you stand to add to your personal wealth considerably by killing the bills? Mr. Elkins, do you understand the concept of conflict of interest?”
Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, to Rep. Craig Elkins, a Houston Republican and payday lender, during a debate last week over Truitt’s payday lending reform bill.

OBSERVED
In her latest column, Eileen Smith looks at one of Gov. Rick Perry’s emergency items this session: sanctuary cities, specifically House Bill 12 by Rep. Burt Solomons and Senate Bill 9 by Sen. Tommy Williams. As Smith writes, “Why worry about such trivial issues as education or health care or feeding children when there are civil rights to be trampled?” 

BEST OF THE REST
The legislative session may be winding down, but there is still major business to be done. In his latest column for the Austin American-Statesman, Jason Embry examines some of the biggest challenges yet to be addressed by the House and Senate, including school finance reform and solving the state’s budget crisis. 

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
There are exactly two weeks left until Sine Die, the final day of the regular session. Today the House will begin passing more Senate bills, while it looks like the Senate is still trying to reach a deal on school finance reform. Looks like we’re in for the long haul, folks. 

is an Observer reporter (and former intern) covering women's health, reproductive health and health care access across the Lone Star State. Before joining the Observer, she was a staff news writer at the San Antonio Current. She holds an MA in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and BA in journalism and Spanish from UT-Arlington, where she worked for three years on her college newspaper. After graduate school, she dipped her toe in public policy communications at the Center for Public Policy Priorities. When she's not at work, she's probably training for her next marathon. You can contact her at [email protected].

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