Tag Archives: The Lege

On longshot candidates

Posted on October 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron looks at candidates running in districts they are highly unlikely to win. I have a few thoughts. In the 2022 election, a Houston Chronicle analysis found only about 5% of Texans lived in districts with competitive races for … Continue reading →

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More of the omnibus voter suppression bill blocked

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Better (very) late than never. Certain provisions of Texas’ sweeping 2021 voting law that restrict voter assistance violate the federal Voting Rights Act and cannot be enforced, a federal judge in Texas ruled Friday. Among the rules struck down by … Continue reading →

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“Wrongful death” anti-abortion lawsuit dropped

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Texas man who sued three women for allegedly helping his ex-wife obtain a medication abortion, one of the first and most explosive lawsuits after Texas began banning the procedure, has dropped his claims, according to defendants. The wrongful … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit hears drag ban appeal

Posted on October 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Hope for the best as always. A Fifth Circuit panel grappled with questions of free speech and expression on Wednesday as it deliberated whether to uphold a lower court’s ruling that a Texas law dealing with sexually explicit performances and … Continue reading →

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Some finance and fundraising bits

Posted on October 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Colin Allred keeps raking it in. U.S. Rep. Colin Allred raised $30.3 million for his Senate campaign in the third quarter of the year, outpacing U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s haul over the same three-month period, according to figures announced by … Continue reading →

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Of course Ted Cruz doesn’t want to talk about abortion

Posted on October 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He has nothing good to say and he’s trying not to lose. Simple as that. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has been a loud anti-abortion crusader throughout his political career. But as reproductive rights loom over the election season as a … Continue reading →

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Maybe those Appraisal District elections weren’t such a hot idea

Posted on October 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks to Tarrant County for setting the bad example. The Tarrant Appraisal District’s recent changes to local tax policy might violate Texas law, according to a state lawmaker. “I don’t believe the actions they’ve taken are legal,” Sen. Paul Bettencourt, … Continue reading →

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Eighteen million registered voters

Posted on October 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Number go up. Texas has been one of the nation’s fastest-growing states since the 1970s, but its voter rolls have at times been stagnant. From 2000 to 2012, the number of registered voters grew by 1.2 million. In only the … Continue reading →

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Vote harvesting provision of omnibus voter suppression law SB1 blocked in federal court

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Very timely, even if it took forever to get here. A federal judge ruled on Saturday that part of a Texas law that enacted new voting restrictions violated the U.S. Constitution by being too vague and restricting free speech. The ruling, made by … Continue reading →

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SCOTx rejects Paxton’s State Fair appeal

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Game over, you lose. The Texas Supreme Court denied a request by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to block a gun ban by the State Fair of Texas, meaning the fair will go forward this weekend with the gun ban … Continue reading →

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Appeals court rejects Paxton in State Fair gun case

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Texas court of appeals has denied the request by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to block a gun ban by the State Fair of Texas. The fair will go forward this weekend with the gun ban in place. … Continue reading →

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Paxton appeals State Fair ruling

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Days before the State Fair of Texas is set to begin, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is again seeking to block enforcement of the fair’s new policy banning most people from bringing guns to the fair this year. … Continue reading →

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Some Republicans consolidate around one Speaker candidate

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As is always the case, the field has narrowed. In the most concerted attack to date on Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan from within the GOP House ranks, 48 representatives and nominees for House districts selected Rep. David Cook … Continue reading →

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What can the state do to help create more affordable housing?

Posted on September 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Probably a few things, though it’s not clear what is on tap at this time. If Texas wants to rein in its high housing costs, it needs more homes, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s office said Tuesday — the latest sign … Continue reading →

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Dallas judge rejects Paxton’s State Fair lawsuit

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Fair’s ban on guns will stand, at least for now. A Dallas County district judge is leaving the State Fair of Texas gun ban in effect after an injunction hearing Thursday. Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Dallas and the fair last month because … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Catching up

Posted on September 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has been doing endorsements a few days a week, one at a time, in no particular order. Here are three recent ones, to catch up a bit. CD22: Marquette Green-Scott Marquette Greene-Scott says she never got to know … Continue reading →

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How about a Dem for Speaker?

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos, come on down! A Texas House Democrat is joining the crowded field to challenge Republican Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, for the speakership. Rep. Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos, D-Richardson, told The Texas Tribune she felt energized to run for … Continue reading →

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More on Paxton versus the State Fair

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This guy, I swear. Attorney General Ken Paxton this week withdrew an eight-year-old legal opinion that gave private nonprofits the green light to ban guns on land they lease from a city — a move that comes as Paxton challenges … Continue reading →

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Smithee makes five

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

And the beat goes on. State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, is the fifth person to enter the race for Texas House speaker. Smithee, a 73-year-old attorney, is a long-serving Republican state representative from Amarillo. He is one of the most … Continue reading →

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Complaint filed over CenterPoint’s unused generators

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll admit, I didn’t even know there was a complaint process for this. The Texas Consumer Association filed a complaint Wednesday asking the state utility regulator to deny CenterPoint Energy the ability to continue to pass on the costs of … Continue reading →

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Four! Four Speaker challengers!

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Everyone in the pool! State Rep. James Frank, a Wichita Falls Republican who is one of the Texas House’s leading voices on health and foster care, announced Tuesday he is running for speaker, making him the fourth member to challenge … Continue reading →

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And then there were three Speaker challengers

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I know nothing about this guy. Mansfield Republican David Cook said Tuesday he intends to run for Texas House Speaker, becoming the third person to challenge the chamber’s current leader, Beaumont Republican Dade Phelan. Cook, who has served two terms … Continue reading →

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Texas SCOPE Act partially blocked

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

One of the many Internet/social media-related laws passed in the last legislative session(s) has been partially put on hold by a federal judge. A handful of new laws went into effect Sunday, including the Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment … Continue reading →

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Paxton versus the State Fair

Posted on September 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

First there was this. The state and its third biggest city are set to square off in court over a ban on guns at Texas’ most celebrated tribute to itself — the State Fair. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced … Continue reading →

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Can we get some help with these water repairs?

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t hurt to ask. Houston officials are seeking assistance from state lawmakers to help pay for some of the $4.93 billion in water utility improvements needed to prevent people from suffering widespread boil water notices and mass water loss, should … Continue reading →

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Shawn Thierry confirms our suspicions

Posted on September 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t let the door hit you, etc etc etc. State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who was defeated in her primary earlier this year, announced Friday she is switching to the Republican Party. Thierry was ousted by primary challenger … Continue reading →

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Can we un-stack the Lottery odds?

Posted on September 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. Not sure this goes far enough. After assisting investors who stacked the odds to guarantee winning a $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot last year, Texas Lottery Commission officials said they have changed their procedures to prevent another such occurrence … Continue reading →

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Trib overview of HD112

Posted on August 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A top pickup opportunity for Dems, which could slam the brakes on vouchers for at least this session. Also an interesting race in its own right. Rep. Angie Chen Button, 70, is living the American Dream. After immigrating from Taiwan … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over Texas anti-ESG law

Posted on August 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. A coalition of progressive business organizations is suing Texas over a 2021 law that blocks the state from investing in and contracting with companies that boycott the fossil fuel industry. The suit, filed in federal court in Austin … Continue reading →

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Election monitors coming

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

::rolls eyes:: The Secretary of State’s Office will again assign state inspectors to observe the handling and counting of ballots and monitor election records in Harris County, the state agency said while releasing a new audit outlining problems with the … Continue reading →

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More on Paxton’s “election fraud” raids

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s just wild stuff. A Democratic candidate for the Texas House on Monday dismissed as “nonsense” a state investigation into a vote harvesting scheme that led authorities to confiscate her phone and search the homes of a legislative aide and … Continue reading →

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Another Loving County election tossed

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Wow again. The Texas Eighth Court of Appeals overturned results in a third race in the November 2022 general election in Loving County, Texas, the least-populous county in the United States, after a district court overturned two other close races … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s “election fraud” raids

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

All sorts of warning bells here. The League of United Latin American Citizens plans to request a federal investigation into raids Attorney General Ken Paxton conducted this week as part of what he called an “ongoing election integrity investigation.” Gabriel … Continue reading →

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CD18 special election lineup set

Posted on August 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s Erica Lee Carter and two people you’ve never heard of. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s daughter, Erica Lee Carter, will be the only Democrat on the ballot seeking to finish the late congresswoman’s term, priming Carter for a few … Continue reading →

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