Handful of Democrats Grind Session to a Halt

by Will Lutz

Give the Democratic leadership high marks for creativity. Every session (except 2005), Rep. Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) finds some new way to create end-of-session chaos.

Perry Blasts Senators Who Let Bill Die, Says a Special Session May Be Necessary

Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday that he may be forced to call a special session because of actions by a group of senators the night before.

Perry Declares Session Victory

Staring at a rough Republican primary battle ahead, Gov. Rick Perry declared success Tuesday in the just-completed Texas legislative session, trumpeting victories like small-business tax cuts and unspent savings money. But primary voters may see defeat in the failure to pass anti-abortion measures he vocally backed.

Special Session Still an Option

State lawmakers on Sunday approved a windstorm insurance reform measure - eliminating the need for a special session - but legislative brinksmanship on transportation and insurance created new threats that such a session will be necessary.

There's Very Little to Remember This Session By

by Wayne Slater

The Texas Legislature creeped Saturday toward the end of its Seinfeld session, the session about nothing.

This Session, Both Parties Lose as Red-Hot Legislation Fizzles Out

Dozens of hotly debated measures, from mandatory pre-abortion sonograms to concealed handguns on college campuses, appear to have fizzled out in the Legislature - the result of a politically divided House and an ever-ticking clock.

Officials' Efforts Against Sex Trade Help Close Illicit Businesses in Northwest Dallas

There was a time when neighborhoods in northwest Dallas were besieged by massage parlors, bathhouses and rogue bars that served as fronts for prostitution and even the trafficking and exploitation of minors.

Defeat of Texas' Statewide Smoking Ban a Victory for Private Property Rights

by J.R. Labbe

There is perhaps no more zealous crusader in the world of social causes than a reformed smoker. Once people make the decision to kick the habit, they become vocal critics of anyone who chooses to continue contaminating their lungs and the health of those around them with burning tobacco.

Texas Legislature Adjourns after Meltdown in Senate; Special Session Looms

The 81st Legislature adjourned Monday night with angry state senators urging Gov. Rick Perry to call a special session to salvage $2 billion in highway transportation money. The money was left in limbo when the House killed legislation to keep the Texas Department of Transportation and four other state agencies operating.

Texas Legislature Adjourns with 2 Major State Agencies Unaddressed

The Legislature's 2009 session ended in a bitter meltdown late Monday as the Senate refused to vote on whether to keep two major state agencies alive, setting up the possibility of a special session within months to revive the transportation and insurance departments.

Two Dallas-Area Republicans Reflect on Power Shift in House

As power shifted in the House in January, two Dallas-area Republicans found themselves in unfamiliar roles.

Taxpayers Did Well This Legislative Session

The first business of any legislative session is to pass a budget. In these though economic times, Texas is one of only a few states able to balance their budget, Texas is in the black, and the state budget stabilization fund is intact. This is a major victory for Texas taxpayers and good news for the Texas economy.

Ex-CPS Worker to Serve 90 Days in Jail

A former Child Protective Services supervisor who falsely accused a man of molestation must spend 90 days in jail as a condition of her probation.