Tag Archives: Robert Duncan

State Rep. James White not running for re-election

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. State Rep. James White, R-Hillister, has decided not to seek reelection, he told East Texas TV station KLTV in a roundtable with lawmakers. And he hinted to another news station that he’s … Continue reading →

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Perry wins SD28 special election

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

That would be Charles Perry, the current incumbent in HD83. State Rep. Charles Perry on Tuesday night won the special election for Senate District 28, besting a crowded field to avoid a runoff for the seat in West Texas. With … Continue reading →

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Wait, there’s another special Senate election coming up?

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, there is. And you thought (okay, I had thought) SD04 was the last election till November. The field is taking shape for the special election next month in Senate District 28, with at least five people announcing they’re running … Continue reading →

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The Senate is likely to get stupider again

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The cause. The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents officially named state Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, the sole finalist to be the system’s next chancellor in a press release issued Monday afternoon. Duncan is expected to start in his … Continue reading →

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Who will be on the Ten Best and Ten Worst lists?

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib starts the speculation. Texas Monthly‘s list of the best and worst legislators of the 83rd session doesn’t come out until June 12, but why should Paul Burka and his colleagues have all the fun? Use this interactive to … Continue reading →

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Michael Morton Act signed into law

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent news. With exoneree Michael Morton by his side, Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday signed a measure that aims to avoid wrongful convictions by preventing prosecutors from suppressing evidence. “This is a major victory for integrity and fairness in our … Continue reading →

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Modified teacher retirement bill passes Senate

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Modified again, this time enough to garner support from the teachers. Teachers, the state of Texas and school districts all would pay more to help support the Teacher Retirement System of Texas under a bill passed by the Texas Senate … Continue reading →

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Modified teacher retirement bill put forth

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds like progress, though we’ll have to see how it goes from here. Members of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas objected strongly last week to a legislative proposal that would have required about half of current employees to work … Continue reading →

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Senate examines pensions

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This sort of thing always makes me nervous. Legislative proposals to shore up Texas’ two largest public pension funds could require teachers and state employees to work years longer than they must today to get full retirement benefits. For example, … Continue reading →

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Redistricting remains a partisan issue

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We’re not surprised by this, right? Amarillo Sen. Kel Seliger offered a redistricting bill to the Senate State Affairs Committee that would formally adopt interim maps drawn by a federal court in San Antonio last year. The maps for Congressional, … Continue reading →

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Businesses say they want Medicaid expansion, too

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This really comes down to two things. Chambers of commerce representing companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Kimberly-Clark Corp. (KMB) are challenging Texas Governor Rick Perry and lawmakers to expand health care for the poor in the state … Continue reading →

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Reciprocal discovery

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a bit of controversy brewing over one of the criminal justice reforms that have been proposed. The bill at issue was filed on deadline day. Senate Bill 1611 would enact uniform discovery requirements in criminal cases across Texas. It … Continue reading →

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Jefferson pushes for judicial reforms

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Most of what Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson had to say to the Lege during his biennial address was good stuff that I hope the Lege will heed. Presenting his State of the Judiciary speech to Texas lawmakers, … Continue reading →

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The strip club tax is on the table

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Among the things that conference committee members will be discussing as they try to finalize the budget is a reworking of the strip club tax that was first passed in 2007. This session, while awaiting a ruling on the case … Continue reading →

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House says it may be close to approving expanded gambling

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This would be as far as they’ve gotten in recent sessions. Rep. Mike “Tuffy” Hamilton, R-Mauriceville, who chairs the Licensing and Administrative Procedures committee, said he is close to having enough votes to pass his ever-morphing gambling bill. As Hamilton … Continue reading →

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House approves a little more money, Senate readies its budget

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Just a little. Texas House budget-writers voted Monday to free up an additional $3 billion for key state services through such moves as speeding up tax collections, delaying payments and suspending the back-to-school sales tax holiday. The bills next go … Continue reading →

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How does school finance work, anyway?

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib has a useful guide to this incredibly complex topic. Here’s our layman’s guide to figuring out the current system, compiled with the help of experts at the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, the Equity Center and the Texas … Continue reading →

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Gambling interests tout job creation benefits

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: REPORT OUTLINES 77.5K JOBS BY REGION, SECTOR CREATED BY SLOTS BILL Confirms Texans Continue To Spend Billions Gaming in Neighboring States AUSTIN, Texas – Win For Texas released a new report today outlining the specific regions and … Continue reading →

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Still going through the couch cushions

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Senate is looking for funds wherever it can find them. Hoping to cushion the impact of proposed state budget cuts to public education and health care, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Wednesday that a special subcommittee will be named … Continue reading →

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Is it time for a statewide property tax?

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. State Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, on Tuesday breathed some new life into a proposal to enact a statewide school property tax to address Texas’ persistent education funding woes. “We’ve never made a change in the school finance system without … Continue reading →

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New frontiers in open meeting laws

Posted on May 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

There’s an awful lot here to think about. The Texas Legislature may become the first in the nation to tackle whether tweeting and texting is being used to circumvent open meetings laws and whether the private devices of public officials … Continue reading →

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No check for you!

Posted on November 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Nice little bit of holiday cheer for Texas’ retired public employees this week. Retired public employees discovered yesterday that they would not receive additional $500 checks this year. According to Senator Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, they shouldn’t hold their breath for … Continue reading →

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More on the AG and the LRB

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, in the aftermath of the Senate pajama party on voter ID last week, State Rep. Mark Homer touted HJR 53, which he had filed earlier in the session, which would replace the Attorney General on the Legislative … Continue reading →

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If he can’t testify, he shouldn’t redistrict

Posted on March 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

One of the questions that was raised during the Voter ID All-Nighter in the Senate was why Attorney General Greg Abbott took a pass, even though the Democrats wanted him to be there, since he was a leading crusader of … Continue reading →

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Voter ID: That’s it for now

Posted on March 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In case you hadn’t already heard, the measure was passed out of committee – which was the full Senate in this case – by the predicted party-line vote, which was actually 20-12 since Lt. Gov. Dewhurst, sitting in the cheap … Continue reading →

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Today’s the day for Voter ID in the Senate

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Ready or not, here comes the voter ID battle in the Senate. There’s a chance today will merely be Day One of this fight, as Patricia Kilday Hart notes in her preview. Sen. Robert Duncan, who will chair tomorrow’s Committee … Continue reading →

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If you’re going to reform it, reform it right

Posted on February 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with State Supreme Court Justice Wallace Jefferson that the way we elect judges in Texas needs reform. I just don’t think he’s proposing a real fix for the problem he’s identified. Texas remains one of only seven states … Continue reading →

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