The House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety heard testimony from state agencies Monday regarding the deadly explosion in West, Texas. Lawmakers want to ensure safety while not over-regulating the state's vital agricultural sector. YNN’s LeAnn Wallace was at the hearing this morning and explains what worries the lawmakers the most.
6/17/2013 - By: LeAnn Wallace
Gov. Perry cut funding for the Public Integrity Unit Friday afternoon after Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, the head of the unit, was convicted of drunk driving and refused to resign.
6/14/2013 - By: Associated Press
After a two week recess, the Texas House convened at the State Capitol, Monday. The House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety met to discuss the deadly fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. Meanwhile, in another committee room, members of a House select committee debated if they should adopt the court drawn maps that were used in the last election.
6/17/2013 - By: Capital Tonight Staff
Voters' Voices: It was a chance to celebrate music and dance, but it was also an opportunity to reflect on the state of the Hispanic vote in the United States. Sunday, the Puerto Rican Folkloric Dance and Cultural Center celebrated a milestone.
9/10/2012 - By: Sebastian Robertson
Governor Rick Perry has reportedly vetoed the Texas Lilly Ledbedder Fair Pay Act Friday. The legislation passed with bipartisan support during the regular session in an effort to help prevent wage discrimination and Texas Democrats are calling the veto a political attack against women.
6/14/2013 - By: LeAnn Wallace
The Texas Senate is moving ahead with its special session call. Lawmakers voted to make the interim redistricting maps permanent and to change sentencing statutes for juvenile capital offenders and passed two other bills out of committee. On Friday's show, we took a look back at the week in review
6/14/2013 - By: Capital Tonight Staff
Gov. Rick Perry has signed a law mandating drug testing for some unemployment benefits recipients. The changes approved by the Texas House and Senate previously and signed into law by Perry on Friday require workers who lose their jobs to fill out state questionnaires.
6/14/2013 - By: Associated Press
Stiffer abortion regulations are back in front of state lawmakers after Gov. Perry added the legislation to lawmakers' special session list on Tuesday. The Senate's Health and Human Services Committee opened up public testimony Thursday on a group of pro-life bills. YNN's LeAnn Wallace has more from both sides of the debate.
6/14/2013 - By: LeAnn Wallace
In Thursday's episode: A Senate committee heard testimony on both sides of the abortion issue; Sen. Dan Patrick weighs in on the special session and the race for lieutenant governor; and our Capital Commentators break down the rest of the day's political news.
6/13/2013 - By: Capital Tonight Staff
The governor Thursday signed into law a bipartisan bill removing any legal risks of saying "Merry Christmas" in Texas public schools. He said "religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion."
6/13/2013 - By: Associated Press
Lawmakers were back at work at the State Capitol Wednesday, trying to move forward with some of Gov. Perry's special session calls. Two separate committees met to take up redistricting and transportation funding.
6/12/2013 - By: Sarah Grady
After hours of debate and public testimony, Texas senators on the state's redistricting committee are back where they started. The committee passed a series a maps Monday largely uncharged from the maps drawn by federal judges more than a year ago. YNN's LeAnn Wallace updates us on where the state stands in the ongoing redistricting process.
6/12/2013 - By: LeAnn Wallace
The special session “to do” list for lawmakers got significantly longer this week. Governor Rick Perry added transportation to the list on Monday and just a day later, added abortion and juvenile criminal justice. YNN’s LeAnn Wallace explains why the added items weren't tackled during in the session.
6/11/2013 - By: LeAnn Wallace
Governor Rick Perry added two more items to the Special Session call, Tuesday. He is asking lawmakers to pass stricter abortion regulations and consider and mandatory life sentences for certain juvenile offenders. Tonight's guests and analysts offer their thoughts on the governor's decision.
6/11/2013 - By: Sarah Grady
In a statement he released Monday, Perry said the state's growing economy and population made additional spending on roads and bridges necessary.
6/10/2013 - By: Associated Press
Gov. Rick Perry put pen to paper, officially signing a stack of education bills into law today. He was joined by Sen. Dan Patrick and Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock as he formally adopted six bills, including House Bill 5.
6/10/2013 - By: Sarah Grady