Tagged: Texas Legislature

Texas lawmakers approved a bill that replaces funds taken from public education and mental health providers but changes the structure of the state’s Medicaid.

The senate voted 29 to 2 in favor of the budget, with Senators Silvia Garcia, D-Houston, and Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, voting against the bill.

A bill requiring higher standards for abortion providers has made it out of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and is now on the senate floor for full review.

The discussion on the matter of requiring abortion providers to have a similar setup as surgical office quickly escalated from a civil conversation to a yelling match between the author of the bill, Sen. Bob Duell, R-Greenville, and Virginia Brawn, who owns a North Texas women's clinic.

With the support of the Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, a state lawmaker has filed a bill that would block pending federal assault weapons ban from affecting Texas gun owners. 

Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, said "The Texas Firearms Protection Act" draws a line in the sand when it comes to the ongoing debate in Washington over ban of assault-style weapons like the AR-15, the same type of weapon used in both the Newton, Conn. and Aurora, Colo. mass shootings.

The Committee on Natural Resources has sent a water funding bill to the House floor that addresses one of the key points stressed by Governor Perry at the start of this legislative session. 

Rep. Allan Ritter, R- Nederland, said HB 4 provides$2 billion of state funds that city municipalities and businesses can tap into for their water needs.