Texas Motion Picture Alliance plans live webcast of their Las Colinas-based North Texas regional meeting

By John P. Meyer

The film lobby's legislative agenda will be discussed, and you can watch the action in your bathrobe. (Or whatever.)

Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008

Texas Motion Picture Alliance benefit planned at Las Colinas Studios

By Pegasus News wire

You can wear black or white, but not both. (If I'm reading this correctly...)

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008

TXMPA to hold North Texas regional meeting May 28

... at the Studio Movie Grill in Addison.

By John P. Meyer

Last year they pushed a film incentive program through the state legislature. What's next? (Attend the meeting to find out.)

Saturday, May 24, 2008

The Lodge pays taxes, Texas-style

By Pegasus News wire

Sexually-oriented business makes its first six-figure payment even as it challenges the consitutionality of Texas' new sin tax.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Area legislators to address Chamber

By Pegasus News wire

Hear legislative priorities and predictions for the 2009 session from Sen. Bob Deuell and Reps. Joe Driver and Barbara Mallory Caraway.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Ethics Commission: ‘Rent To Own’ scheme violates Texas law

Other North Texas officeholders involved in similar schemes

By Pegasus News wire

Texas Ethics Commission imposed a $10,000 fine against former Republican Representative Toby Goodman of Arlington.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

McKinney’s Faubion Middle School student wins third place in Congressional Essay Contest

By Pegasus News wire

Congressman Sam Johnson to Present Award During a Special Ceremony on Monday, March 24.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Dallas-based state senator proposes higher gas taxes

By Pegasus News wire

Since John Carona chairs the Transportation Committee, he has the means to expedite such things.

Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008

Will pre-paid phone limits aimed at crime fighting inadvertantly hurt poor Texans?

By Vince Leibowitz

There are many poor Texans for whom pre-paid cell phones are their only means of communication.

Friday, Feb. 1, 2008

State Senator Royce West to open second District Office

By Shawn Williams

The Deep Ellum office is located at 2612 Main Street in Dallas.

Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008

Report by Texans for Public Justice reveals Sen. John Carona of Dallas to be 2nd biggest spender in Texas Senate

By Pegasus News wire

To be fair, he was easily beat by even bigger spenders in the state including Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst and Attorney General Greg Abbott.

Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008

Ticketing for marijuana possession not acceptable for Dallas

... says assistant DA.

By Pegasus News wire

Meanwhile, Austin's Travis County is moving ahead with provisions of the new law.

Monday, Dec. 31, 2007

Texas strip club owners want to support the children

By Pegasus News wire

Owners say Texas Constitution mandates money from new surcharge go to public schools.

Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007

Congressman Pete Sessions visits Nimitz High School

By Chad Jones

Sessions secured a seasonal session with several seniors.

Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007

Richardson tech firm to receive Texas Emerging Technology Fund award

By Pegasus News wire

Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson will announce the winner on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Monday, Oct. 29, 2007

Seven candidates vie for Texas house district 97

By Catherine Cuellar

Six Republicans and one Democrat hope to replace Anna Mowery in Nov. 6 election.

Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007

Texas Legislature record on environment leaves much to be desired

By Vince Leibowitz

There were only six votes on which the legislators could be judged. What the heck happened to all of the rest of the pro-environment legislation? The answer, by and large, is that it languished in committee and died. Meanwhile, Rep. Lon Burnam of Fort Worth aced the test.

Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007

New Texas laws place stricter penalties for animal cruelty, attacks

By Pegasus News wire

The owners of dogs that attack human beings can now be labeled "criminally negligent."

Friday, Aug. 31, 2007

State of Texas spending $20 million to fight childhood obesity

By Pegasus News wire

The deadline for schools to apply for a Texas Fitness Now grant is Oct. 1.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Texas prosecutors reflect on 80th session

By Scott Henson

What did Texas prosecutors think about the 80th Texas Legislature? For $100 you can find out at a legislative update from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association near you.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Dallas legislators review bright spots and regrets from the 80th Texas Legislature

By Scott Henson

The Dallas Morning News asked Dallas area state legislators "In what way did you make the biggest impact, what was the Legislature's biggest accomplishment for the state and for your district, and what was your biggest regret?"

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Perry veto of probation funding fix a surprise to Jerry Madden

By Scott Henson

"One of the worst of Perry's vetoes."

Friday, June 22, 2007

Sheriffs snubbed by blue warrant bail veto

By Scott Henson

Perry's justification of the veto was contradictory.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Grits for Breakfast ranks best and worst local legislators on justice policies

By Scott Henson

Texas Monthly has their venerable list. Scott Henson adds his own.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Legislature approves new prison beds

By Scott Henson

Here you have it - the 60 second version of 140 days of politicking.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

UIL sets guidelines for athletes who test positive for steroids

By Pegasus News wire

If the athlete looks like this guy, don't waste any of that $3 million budget on testing him/her.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Opponents of jail overcrowding measure ignore its permissive nature

By Scott Henson

In counties like Dallas, which recently had to release 700 inmates under orders from the Commission on Jail Standards, law enforcement is desperate for tools to manage jail populations, and the easiest way to do that, just like in the prison system, is to reserve incarceration for more serious offenders.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Criminal justice funding in the 80th Texas Budget

By Scott Henson

Add it all up and criminal justice funding in the 80th Texas budget will cost taxpayers $17 billion, with a "B," in the next biennium.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

New TYC rules make more kids eligible for release

By Pegasus News wire

Several new rules just took effect at the Texas Youth Commission that have received little attention and surprisingly no public comment since they were proposed in April.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Marlin next company town for Texas’ prison system

By Scott Henson

Marlin will become Texas' next prison town thanks to a combination of actions by the 80th Texas Legislature.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

What did the Texas Lege really do on TYC now that the dust has cleared? Part I

By Scott Henson

After a discussion over the weekend with Grits commenters about whether it was appropriate for legislators to claim to have "fixed" the Texas Youth Commission, I thought I'd take a closer look at what WAS done in SB 103, the main TYC reform legislation

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Grits For Breakfast releases 2007 Liberty Index

By Pegasus News wire

Scott Henson has put together an analysis of votes on the key criminal justice and civil liberties issues facing the state over on Grits For Breakfast.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Administering wicked laws in Texas

By Scott Henson

I keep putting off analyzing the good and bad legislation from the 80th Texas Legislature for two reasons: The Governor could still veto good bills, and the bad ones (which are all nearly certain to become law) make me too depressed to think about.

Monday, June 4, 2007

State appropriates $22 million for film incentives

It ain't over 'til it's funded. And now it's over. (Almost.)

By John P. Meyer

First, you get the bill; then you get the money.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Texas lawmakers pass bill to test high school students for steroids

By Pegasus News wire

On Monday, the bill for passed with a 104-4 vote.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

140 days is a long, damn time for lawmakers

By Scott Henson

Sine Die is today, the final day of the 80th Texas Legislature.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Watered down parole measure amended to bill in Texas Senate

By Scott Henson

In an effort to salvage some of the legislation that died waiting for a floor vote in the Texas House, the Texas Observer blog lets us know that Sen. John Whitmire got his SB 838 (discussed here on Grits) amended to another bill.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Texas Legislature: Good bills dead and living

By Pegasus News wire

Just five days left in the 80th Texas Legislature - at this time of year it's routine to watch public policy proposals people have worked on for months or years stall out in a matter of moments, and that includes some of the positive legislation I've been tracking on Grits.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Wow! Texas House approves needle exchange for Bexar County

By Scott Henson

Well, it's not the statewide permission for local governments to approve needle exchanges that Senator Deuell and the Texas Senate wanted, but the Texas House approved an amendment to SB 10 this afternoon to allow Bexar County to operate a pilot needle exchange program.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Ex-prosecutor: Counsel waivers good for ‘judicial economy’ but not justice

By Scott Henson

"Do rights matter if you don't know about them?," asks Robert Guest, a criminal defense attorney in Kaufman County and former prosecutor at I Was The State.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007