Monthly Archives: April 2015

Voter ID appeal report

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib reports from New Orleans. A federal appellate judge on Tuesday questioned why the Texas Legislature had not addressed concerns that its four-year-old voter ID law discriminated against minority voters. U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Catharina Haynes … Continue reading →

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No one is going to be forced to perform a same sex wedding

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Would someone please reassure Dan Patrick of this before he wets himself? Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, said he sponsored Senate Bill 2065 at the urging of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The Senate suspended its rules to allow the bill … Continue reading →

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Not everyone likes the idea of online voter registration

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

And most of them are from Harris County. A House panel got a taste late Monday of the deep skepticism toward bringing online voter registration to Texas, skepticism coming from at least one population-rich part of the state. It was … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of April 27

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes that Blue Bell can get its act together before it’s too late as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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SCOTUS finally tackles same sex marriage

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We all know what went on at the Supreme Court yesterday, so I’m just going to link to some of the coverage: TPM Daily Kos 1 Daily Kos 2 Buzzfeed The Slacktivist Washington Post SCOTUSBlog analysis SCOTUSBlog liveblog I think … Continue reading →

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House passes sales tax cut

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Over to you, Danno. The Texas House tentatively approved a $4.9 billion tax relief plan Tuesday that includes a cut to the state’s sales tax, marking a clear line in the sand against the Senate, which favors property tax cuts. … Continue reading →

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System reimagining will be mostly better for most

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

But not quite all better for all. Metro staff analyzed 452 hypothetical trips along the new [bus] network, most in low-income and minority areas. The standard for disproportionately affecting a trip is that trip taking 15 minutes longer than under … Continue reading →

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Pierce Skypark

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

How’s this for a big idea? “Imagine something big,” says John Cryer, an architect at Page Southerland Page. “Really big.” He’s talking about the Pierce Elevated Freeway, the raised stretch of I-45 that hooks around the west side of downtown … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit to hear Texas voter ID appeal

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

There’s more than one big appellate case being heard today. The Texas voter identification law will make a stop at a federal appeals court in New Orleans on Tuesday on a likely path to the U.S. Supreme Court. Texas Solicitor … Continue reading →

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Anti-immigration bills dying on the vine

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I think I’m going to just got to the executive summary at the bottom of this DMN story. AT A GLANCE: WHERE 3 KEY MEASURES STAND 1. Repeal of tuition law: Seeks to change the 2001 law that allows some … Continue reading →

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What’s next for Wendy Davis

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Back to issues advocacy, which in this case is a fine thing. Wendy Davis, whose fight against tighter abortion restrictions catapulted her into the national spotlight and an ill-fated race for governor, said Monday she is planning a national initiative … Continue reading →

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Driverless car bill is dead

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. A bill to update Texas law for the age of driverless cars has stalled due to two serious roadblocks: Google and major car manufacturers. Both the technology giant and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an industry … Continue reading →

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Hillary Clinton’s Texas staffer

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here he is. Hillary Clinton is dispatching a full-time organizer to Texas, part of a 50-state strategy to build support for her presidential bid. Manfred Mecoy, the Texas grassroots organizer, is a Fort Worth native and University of Texas at … Continue reading →

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Perry meets his appellate judges

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

He knows one of them very well. Rick Perry may be somewhat familiar with one of the judges picked to hear an appeal in the criminal case against him. That’s because Justice Bob Pemberton has worked for the former governor, … Continue reading →

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Senate passes anti-red light camera bill

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Is this finally the end? Red-light cameras in Dallas and other Texas cities would be gradually turned off under legislation approved Wednesday by the Senate. The measure by Sen. Bob Hall, a Republican whose district includes part of Dallas County, … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Express News goes for LVdP for Mayor

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting has begun in San Antonio, and the Express News has made its choice for Mayor. Will San Antonio be blessed enough to elect three exceptionally strong mayors in a row? That’s a tall order. But if any of … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for April 26

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The war on acronym overuse continues apace. “Universal Television, which developed the project and is producing it, always had been high on Emerald City, initially trying to shop it elsewhere and then taking a new stab at the premise, described … Continue reading →

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Jailhouse woes for the Sheriff

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Been a bad couple of weeks for Sheriff Garcia. A year and a half after a mentally ill inmate was found festering in squalor in a Harris County jail cell – apparently for weeks – Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Judicial bypass is already a huge obstacle

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Jane’s Due Process highlights just how hard it is for a pregnant teenager to get a judicial bypass for the purpose of obtaining an abortion under existing law. The Survey. Jane’s Due Process (JDP) is a 501(c)(3) organization that formed … Continue reading →

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Ted Cruz still really dislikes gay people

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Though he’s happy to take their money if they’re foolish enough to offer it to him. Nobody tell the adoring fans at U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential announcement at Liberty University that he was palling around liberal New York City … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS rejects North Carolina redistricting

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. On Monday, the Supreme Court vacated a ruling from North Carolina’s highest court that had upheld Republican-drawn maps of the state’s congressional and legislative districts. While we don’t yet know what the final outcome will be, the court’s … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

In a world where music videos had plot lines, there was Cyndi Lauper’s 80s classic: Lauper went on to do several remakes and remixes of this song, which stands up pretty well 30 years later. While this is absolutely Lauper’s … Continue reading →

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Early voting for May elections begins Monday

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Almost one million of Harris County’s registered voters will be eligible to vote in elections conducted during the May 9, 2015 Uniform Election, according to Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, the chief elections officer of the county. … Continue reading →

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Profiling the high speed rail opponents

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

City Lab takes a look at the people who are resisting the proposed Texas Central Railway. Turns out you don’t need to rely on public money to be hated as a U.S. high-speed rail project. That much is becoming clear … Continue reading →

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More on the Texas Compassionate Use Act

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron covers the legislation that has been introduced to loosen medical marijuana laws just a bit. The twin bills, both authored by Republicans and supported by lawmakers across the aisle, await hearings in Senate and House subcommittees. The bills … Continue reading →

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B-Cycle’s future

Posted on April 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

There’s some trouble in San Antonio. San Antonio B-Cycle could be on the verge of following rideshare and disappearing from the San Antonio landscape, multiple sources have told the Rivard Report, unless it can win the local government, corporate and … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Parenthetically speaking, part 12

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Twelve! Twelve lists of song names with parentheses in them! Ah ha ha! 1. Strangest Party (These Are The Times) – INXS 2. Sweet Dreams (Of You) – Patsy Cline 3. (Take A) Beetle To The Badlands – The Slip … Continue reading →

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TxDOT reveals its I-45 plan

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Just, wow. A massive reconstruction of Interstate 45 through most of Houston would topple one of downtown’s most frustrating barriers – the Pierce Elevated – and move the freeway east of the central business district. That’s just one of … Continue reading →

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Two anti-gay bills advance

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Look out. Gay rights advocates began sounding the alarm Wednesday after two anti-LGBT bills cleared House committees and another received a favorable hearing. Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, said if LGBT groups and their corporate allies don’t … Continue reading →

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A different push for health care expansion

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to spark some interesting conversations. Two Democratic lawmakers called Wednesday for Texas leaders to explore a new type of Medicaid waiver that they say could provide health coverage to many of the state’s millions of uninsured. The waiver, … Continue reading →

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Prosecutors respond to latest Team Perry filings

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Back and forth, forth and back. The special prosecutor in the case against Rick Perry is asking a judge to deny the former governor’s latest two efforts to quash the indictment against him. Perry, meanwhile, is once again showcasing a … Continue reading →

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A little trouble in paradise

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s that time of the biennium, y’all. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s tea party advisory panel on Tuesday blasted Gov. Greg Abbott’s quality pre-K legislation as “socialistic” and “a threat to parental rights,” contributing friction to the already tense balancing act … Continue reading →

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Statewide Uber/Lyft bill passes out of committee

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s gotten better, but it’s still not good enough. A bill to establish statewide rules for “transportation network companies” like Uber and Lyft has been tweaked to address some concerns that its background check requirements weren’t stringent enough. That change … Continue reading →

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Meet your Paxton prosecutors

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Technically, they’re district attorneys pro tem, for those of you keeping score at home. Two Houston attorneys have been appointed to replace Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis in any potential prosecution of his friend and business partner Attorney General … Continue reading →

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