Tag Archives: Tom Craddick

Republican Party Chair craps on Republican presumed Speaker

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I expected this upcoming legislative session to be interesting, but I didn’t think it would be this interesting this quickly. Texas GOP Chair Allen West said Monday that the state party “will not support, nor accept” state Rep. Dade Phelan … Continue reading →

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TMF files for Speaker

Posted on October 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Now it’s a race. State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer announced Monday that he is running for Texas House speaker, becoming the second Democrat in the lower chamber to launch a bid for the gavel. Martinez Fischer, from San Antonio, joins … Continue reading →

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Rep. Senfronia Thompson files for Speaker

Posted on October 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

One hat in the ring, who knows how many to go. State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, the longest-serving woman and Black person in the history of the Texas Legislature, filed Friday to run for speaker of the Texas House, making her … Continue reading →

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Speaker’s race? What Speaker’s race?

Posted on October 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder that one of the three most powerful political offices in the state is on the ballot this November, even if it’s largely invisible to us. State Rep. Senfronia Thompson fielded a question last week that’s been on … Continue reading →

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Rep. Mike Conaway to retire

Posted on August 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We will have at least three new members of Congress from Texas in 2021. Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas will not seek reelection in 2020, according to multiple GOP sources, becoming the fifth Republican to announce their retirement over the … Continue reading →

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Rep. Eric Johnson declares for Speaker

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not as crazy as it sounds. State Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, filed Wednesday to run for speaker of the Texas House, making him the first Democrat to enter the race to succeed retiring House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio. … Continue reading →

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Speaker Straus not running for re-election

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A bombshell no one saw coming. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, a San Antonio Republican, announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election in 2018, a decision that has the potential to upend the political balance of power in the … Continue reading →

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Abbott signs texting while driving ban

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the good news. The bad news is that being Greg Abbott, he wants to make it worse. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday signed into law a bill that creates a statewide ban on texting while driving. The measure, authored … Continue reading →

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Texting while driving ban passes the Senate

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this one gets signed into law. Legislation that would create a statewide texting-while-driving ban overcame a last-ditch attempt in the Senate on Friday to gut the bill. The bill’s author, state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, said he … Continue reading →

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One more thing about vouchers

Posted on April 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to enjoy this just a little bit more. The Texas House of Representatives all but killed Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s prized school choice bill Thursday, dealing the powerful Republican a major loss as he struggles to push his … Continue reading →

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This could be the session that a statewide texting-while-driving ban passes

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t followed the progress of the filed-every-session statewide-band-on-texting-while-driving bill, but recent tragic events have put a spotlight on it and raised the probability of it actually becoming law. Texas is one of four states that do not have a … Continue reading →

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Straus not very excited about Patrick’s potty bill

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Take this for what it’s worth. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus doesn’t think passing a transgender bathroom bill is a pressing issue state lawmakers need to address during the 2017 legislative session. “This isn’t the most urgent concern,” Straus, R-San … Continue reading →

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Texting while driving ban bills filed again

Posted on November 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this gets a different result. Drivers know the risks, and in more than 95 Texas counties they live under local cell phone ordinances that ban texting while driving. But the Lone Star State remains one of four … Continue reading →

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If you really want to improve turnout in city elections

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This is a plan that would do it. Councilman Ron Nirenberg [recently] called for a major change to local elections that he says would boost voter turnout and bolster public participation. The councilman said he’s spent years considering ways to … Continue reading →

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Chron Mayoral profile: Sylvester Turner

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This is the seventh (and last!) in a series of profiles on the top candidates running for mayor in Houston. Sylvester Turner followed his mother’s wisdom like a beacon, through the University of Houston, where he graduated magna cum laude … Continue reading →

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Taking decentralization too far

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Seriously? The governor and attorney general might have to work in Austin, but under a proposed constitutional amendment, they won’t have to live there. Under the proposed amendment, the century-old requirement that state leaders reside in the capital city would … Continue reading →

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Some Republicans embrace tuition re-regulation

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This is a welcome change, but let’s not be distracted by what isn’t being said. Tuition and fees at the state’s public colleges and universities would be capped at their current levels and only be permitted to grow at the … Continue reading →

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More on the Mayor’s payday lending ordinance

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron story on Mayor Parker’s proposed payday lending ordinance, which is described as having been toughened up from an earlier proposal: Consumer groups had called [City Attorney David] Feldman’s compromise proposal too weak; he said he preferred tougher … 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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House debates its budget

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, yesterday was Budgetpalooza in the House. The House budget puts more money into public education and less into health and human services than a Senate proposal that passed the upper chamber last month. “No one is or … Continue reading →

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Payday lending legislation may go nowhere

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t say I’m surprised, since Sen. John Carona’s most recent version of a payday reform bill was not met well by advocates for consumers and the poor. Among other things, Carona’s proposal would limit the maximum size of loans … Continue reading →

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What can you get for $10,000?

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

You can now get a college degree – at some colleges, in some programs, if you’re lucky. Many were skeptical when Gov. Rick Perry last year challenged Texas public colleges and universities to offer degrees costing no more than $10,000. … Continue reading →

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Simpson in, Hughes out to challenge Straus for Speaker

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It started with an announcement that Rep. David Simpson would make the Speaker’s race a three-way, which I assure you sounds dirtier than it actually is. Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, filed papers to run for Speaker of the House, he … Continue reading →

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The Lege will take another crack at payday lending

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad to see this, because the Lege definitely left business unfinished last time. About 83 percent of customers in Beaumont and 75 percent in the Houston and San Antonio metro areas are locked in a loan renewal cycle, latest … Continue reading →

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The CFPB and payday lending

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be good. Picking his first public fight with the banking industry, Washington’s top consumer cop, Richard Cordray, promised on Thursday that his examiners will scrutinize a handful of big banks that make high-cost loans. Inspection of major … Continue reading →

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Payday lenders face new regulation

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

New regulations aimed at curbing the excesses of payday lenders are now in effect, but they will not be the last word on the subject. Proponents of the new regulations passed by lawmakers during the 2011 session say they’re needed … Continue reading →

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It’s news but it’s not new

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Before the Labor Day weekend, Sen. Dan Patrick said something that was considered to be newsworthy even though he and others have been saying it for years. A Republican state senator calling for a tax increase is clearly in the … Continue reading →

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Texting while driving ban passed

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Somehow, this managed to happen as everything else was going on at the end of the session. The Senate voted for a statewide ban on texting while driving Wednesday night, as an amendment added to another bill. Sen. Judith Zaffirini, … Continue reading →

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Lege gets set to tackle payday lending

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The good news is that the Lege is ready to tackle legislation dealing with the scourge of payday lenders. The bad news can be summarized by the following remarks in this Chron story. This week, State Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, … Continue reading →

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Payday lending bills advance

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Legislation by Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth that would cap fees and interest on loans made by payday and car title lenders was approved Thursday by the Senate Business and Commerce Committee. The bill, which now heads to … Continue reading →

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House passes texting while driving ban

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Put that phone down and drive. This is no LOL matter: Texting while driving could soon be prohibited statewide. The House preliminarily passed a bill [Thursday] that singles out “text-based communication” — texting, instant messaging or e-mailing — while driving … Continue reading →

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It’s way past time to regulate payday lenders

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Observer: As an industry, when you’ve got Tom Craddick, consumer groups, the Midland County District Attorney and Bible-quoting Baptists arrayed against you, most likely you’re facing a serious come-to-Jesus moment. Today, a House committee heard hours of impassioned … Continue reading →

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Another look ahead at redistricting

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The short version of this Chron story is basically “Republicans would like to control every aspect of the redistricting process, while Democrats would at least like to win the Governor’s office and maintain some semblance of parity in the House”. … Continue reading →

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The DeLay trial finally gears up

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

OMG, I’m almost as excited about this as I am about the World Series. Lawyers in the Tom DeLay conspiracy trial have subpoenaed a who’s who of witnesses, from associates of disgraced Washington, D.C., lobbyist Jack Abramoff to former Texas … Continue reading →

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