Last week we reported that lawmakers had lumped this session’s most prominent pieces of legislation — property tax reform, school finance reform, and a sales tax — into one codependent heap. Yesterday, the Senate took steps to remove and kill the sales tax portion of the heap. Legislators had argued that it made sense to …

With the 86th legislative session rapidly drawing to a close, all eyes are on the Senate and House bills that could reform Texas property taxes — and now, by extension, school financing — if they are passed in time. So who are the power players (and their backers) who could be key in pushing property …

Texans were promised that this legislative session would be different. Unlike every legislative session in recent memory, when gridlock and acrimony were the order of the day, Austin politicians promised this time to work together and deliver for Texans. Every session in recent memory was dominated by the power battle between the conservative and liberal …

This week we close out our series on the Myths about Money in Politics by debunking the most insidious myth of all — that your money, time, and vote don’t matter. With constant political chatter about dark money swirling around and rumors of billionaires buying elections, it’s hard to believe that a simple contribution to …

Last week we gave you an overview of how a bill becomes law in Texas. Now that you know how the process works, here’s a status update on some important bills as they make their way through the legislative gauntlet in Austin. Why It’s Important: It’s important to understand how the system works because lawmakers …