Texas State Legislature

Cover Story: HCAD Allegedly Running an "Enron Style" Scheme by Shifting the Property Tax Burden from the Rich to the Poor

In 2012, the Harris County Appraisal District valued Robert Mandala's modest Spring home at $59,500. The property-tax agent who represented Mandala said HCAD, while establishing a value, purposely ignored the lower priced homes in the neighborhood and grabbed sales numbers from the most expensive pr ... More >>

Texas Might Finally See the "Crack Cocaine" Gambling Its Citizens Seem to Love

Cathie Adams knows where she stands on slots. She's done the research. She's conducted the interviews. She's seen what can happen when someone finds their way to the bright, baubly machines from which casinos get a heft of their income. "They're called the crack cocaine of gambling," Adams, preside ... More >>

Ouch: Rep. Jessica Farrar Again Seeks To Put Teeth In Breastfeeding Law

As new mothers know, infants are not the most patient people when it comes to getting fed. If they get hungry, and you're a breastfeeding mom who hasn't brought along a bottle of your best, then it's time to whip out a breast. In Texas, if you happen to do that in the establishment of someone who ... More >>

Judge Tosses Out Texas' Method Of Funding Schools, Saying It's Unfair

A state district judge ruled today the method Texas uses to fund its schools is unconstitutional and unfair and must be overhauled. Ruling in a suit brought by the Houston school district and other districts, Judge John Dietz said the state has not met the basic requirements of fairness in funding ... More >>

George Prescott Bush, Yes, ANOTHER One, Considering Run for State Office

Honestly, I thought George Foreman had a lot of Georges in his family, but now I'm beginning to wonder if the Bush clan doesn't have him beat. First there was George H.W. Bush, then George W. Bush. Now, there's George P. Bush (maybe even P.G. if you count his second middle name), son to Jeb and gran ... More >>

State Senator Mario Gallegos Hospitalized In "Grave Condition" (UPDATED: He's Died)

State Senator Mario Gallegos, a member of the legislature for two decades and a thorn in the side of the Houston school district for much of that time, is gravely ill, a spokesperson says. Gallegos, 62, is hospitalized in Houston. "Senator Gallegos' family is at his side during this difficult time ... More >>

Feds Toss Out Texas's Redistricting Maps: Biased Against Minorities, Panel Says

The Texas GOP's lengthy effort to create redistricting maps that federal judges say don't discriminate against minorities hit another snag today when a three-judge panel in D.C. threw out the latest plan. The judges said the proposed maps failed to meet fairness standards using various tests and an ... More >>

Mary Gonzalez: The Lege Gets Its First Out Lesbian

Texas voters, even in the midst of a so-called "conservative uprising," managed to elect the first openly gay woman to the Texas House on Tuesday night. Mary Gonzalez, to be more specific, will be both the first woman to win House District 75 in El Paso and the second openly gay candidate to secure ... More >>

HISD Trustees Pass Budget, Listen as Larry Says He's Not a Mooch, Anna Says She's Not a Basher and Paula Says I'm No Judas

Truth or Dare at HISD.​Trustee Larry Marshall denied any conflicts of interest in his trip to Costa Rica no matter what the Houston Chronicle says. Anna Eastman said she isn't a "teacher basher" even though she knows some people think she is. And Board President Paula Harris saluted her friend ... More >>

ZZ Top Will Release New Album By Year's End, Gibbons Says

Jim BrickerZZ Top at The Woodlands, September 2010​After years of hemming and haw-haw-haw-hawing about how far along it is, who they are working with, and whether or not it even actually exists, ZZ Top singer/guitarist (Rev.) Billy F. Gibbons said the trio plans to release its first studio alb ... More >>

Five Texans Who Will Never Be Official State Musician

​Before the Texas Legislature did something completely predictable and sold out the state's public schools declared Western Swing the state's official music, it did something slightly less predictable and appointed two people not from Austin or the Hill Country as the next two official state m ... More >>

Legislature Makes Western Swing Official Texas Music

News Flash: Hank Williams still not a Texan nodepression.comBob "Willis" & His Texas Playboys​It appears Rocks Off's efforts of a few weeks ago were all for naught. Despite presenting what we thought was a fairly persuasive San Jacinto Day argument to the contrary, earlier today the Texas L ... More >>

Space Tourists Can't Sue: And Take a Look at Their Insurance Policy

Using any of these will void the policy.​With NASA getting out of the shuttle business, the next big thing is expected to be space tourism. It can be a dangerous thing, but luckily there is the Texas Legislature to make sure, as they always do, that no one can sue a company for pretty much an ... More >>

The Five Most Texan Types Of Music

​Happy San Jacinto Day, fellow Texans and people who wish they were; i.e. everyone else. If you don't know why today is special, shame on you. But since us Texans are a friendly sort, allow Rocks Off to fill you in. On April 21, 1836, Texian forces under Gen. Sam Houston (aka "Big Drunk") lau ... More >>

Bikes on Easements

North-south cycling trails could be a go!

Let Them Eat Cake

Readers rant about strict Texas food laws.

Weed: The Top Ten Texas Stoners of All Time

Matthew McConaughey possibly has experimented​The 82nd session of the august Texas Legislature will no doubt end as all the others have, without decriminalizing marijuana even for medical use. (We're just going out on a limb here with this prediction.) More and more states seem to be getting ... More >>

Come and Bake It

Local movement fights for cottage food bill.

Useless Report

Study of Teach For America's worth says little.

Are Teach For America Teachers Better? $39K Later, We Still Don't Know

Teach for America: Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. Now pay us​Anyone who's been holding his breath waiting for the Texas Education Agency to release its evaluation of the Teach For America program in the state can let it out now -- along with a sigh of disappointment. Tasked by the Texas Le ... More >>

DVR Warning: Daily Show to Take On Legislature's Right-Wing Christians Tonight

State reps, get ready for your close-up​The Daily Show is getting ready to show America just how progressive, intelligent and open-minded the Texas Legislature is -- check that, we are now informed they are going to show the Lege for what it is. The Austin American-Statesman's capitol blog re ... More >>

Death Penalty Hearing: Judge Kevin Fine Gets Slapped Down By Appeals Court

Judge Kevin Fine: Rejected​The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has permanently shut down district judge Kevin Fine's quixotic and headline-grabbing effort to examine the constitutionality of how Texas applies the death penalty. In an order issued this morning, the CCA says Fine had no busines ... More >>

The Texas Lege: Five Crazy Things It Will Debate In 2010

Come for the budget-cutting, stay for the insanity​We regret to inform you that 2011 is one of those godforsaken years when the Texas Legislature will be in session. We further regret to inform you that Republicans have a supermajority in the House, and almost half of those GOPers are proud m ... More >>

Teach For America: TEA Undertakes Audit

TFA: It's about to be audited​The Texas Education Agency has until January 31 to submit a report to the Texas Legislature that asks whether the much lauded Teach for America is doing much good for the low-income students in Texas. The Lege allocated TFA $8 million over last year and this year ... More >>

Just What America Needs: Four More Texas Votes In The U.S. House Of Representatives

Texas is a big winner​Republicans in the Texas Legislature have already been salivating over the opportunity to redraw Congressional districts with little to no interference from those annoying Democrats. The U.S. Census just handed them another gift: Four more seats to mess with. A 20 perce ... More >>

State Rep. Debbie Riddle's Pre-Filed Bills: A Sampling

Debbie Riddle's got a full plate​Monday was the first day to pre-file bills for the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature, and Tomball State Rep. Debbie Riddle famously camped out to get first crack at things. She filed nine bills. Not all of them deal with the Brown Menace attacking the ... More >>

Watch Out Muslims: State Senator Dan Patrick Creates "Tea Party Caucus" In Legislature

Dan Patrick: FINALLY the Tea Party will be heard in Texas​Right-wing radio guru Dan Patrick has announced the creation of a Tea Party Caucusfor the upcoming Texas legislative session.And no, "Tea Party Caucus" is not necessarily a synonym for "Texas Legislature," at least not yet."The Tea Party ha ... More >>

Goodbye, David Thompson

Mystery fans mourn the passing of a Houston bookseller

Horse Racing in Texas, On Its Way to the Last Round-up?

And they're off....​Is the Texas horse race industry in a death spiral? That seems to be the concern in a report filed today by Steven Long of Horseback Magazine who spent today with the Texas Racing Commission at Sam Houston Race Park.According to Long, Andrea Young of Sam Houston said the park's ... More >>

Incoming: Fairness for Victims

Plus: Darkhorse Rides In

Houston 2020: The Future Is Unwritten

But hey, that's not stopping Noise.

UH Grapples With The Guns-On-Campus Issue

The Texas Legislature is moving forward with a bill allowing concealed handguns on college campuses. Not a fan of the move: The University of Houston faculty senate. They've passed a resolution opposing the legislation.Not a fan of the faculty resolution: Some UH students.Seth Chandler, the law prof ... More >>

Fighting For The Right To Live When The Hospital Wants To Let You Die

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Texas Advanced Directive Act, which allows a hospital to discontinue life-sustaining treatment against the wishes of the patient or patient's family. And to celebrate, the Texas Legislature held hearings this week on an amendment to change the controve ... More >>

Texas Legislature Needs to Do Better By Its College Students, Or Let's Just Keep Exporting Them to Other States

As we close in on rodeo time at the 2009 version of the Texas Legislature, education funding, as usual, will be one of the main topics. And in a dour economy, it's no secret that the degree-of-difficulty factor has just been ramped up a couple extra notches.We caught up with Scott Hochberg (D-Housto ... More >>

The Secret World Of Dan Patrick, Via Twitter

Dan Patrick -- hyperbolic talk-show host, slightly unhinged state senator -- has joined the Twitter world.Normally, that wouldn't be too exciting, as his Twitter page proves ("Getting ready for the 81st Texas Legislature session").But the decision gave his compadres at Lone Star Times the chance to ... More >>

Texas Pols, Make Sure Those Checks Have Cleared -- It's Bankruptcy Time For Bo Pilgrim

Ah, Bo Pilgrim -- it takes a tough man to go from passing out checks on the floor of the Texas Legislature to filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but you've done it.Pilgrim's Pride, the toast of Pittsburg, Texas, announced today that it's seeking bankrputcy protection "in an effort to address certain ... More >>

Requiem for the Balinese Room

College Tuition In Texas Just Keeps Going Up

You Can Ignore Evolutionary Theory In Texas

The Trial of the Galveston Cat Killer

Thanks to a Slick Move, Houston-based Weatherford Keeps Drilling in Sudan

Off and Running

The Also-Rans

The schools who could have been contenders

Contributing Factors

Debra Danburg swears she'll defend your right to open government. But when it comes to Internet campaign finance reports, ignorance is bliss.

Rogue Elephant

Log Cabin Republicans want to be part of the GOP, which wants no part of them

One Perfect Meal

Ordering right -- and wrong -- at the erratic Tien Fu

Never Mind!

Don't you wish the Legislature could forgive your screwups?

The Curriculum Question

Businessman John Privett thought he had a solution to the problems of some of Houston's troubled schools. The parents wanted to try it. The teachers wanted to try it. But HISD administrators said no.

Live Shots

Pub Flubs Grub

The drinking beats the dining at the new Village Brewery