Sitting Down With Your Senator

Sarah Eckhardt goes deep on democracy, womanhood, and our era

"...In the midst of a fiery legislative session, the inner bowels of the Capitol have plenty of..."

April 11, 2025 News Feature by Maggie Quinlan

Austin’s Sole Federal District Judge May Be the Most Overburdened in America

The case of the missing judges

"...Federal district judges become suddenly very important when decisions with nationwide implications are in their hands. Say, when..."

Sept. 29, 2023 News Feature by Maggie Quinlan

What You Need to Know About U.S. Senate and House Races in Texas

Early voting in Texas starts Feb. 18, 2020. Here's the view from atop your Texas primary ballot.

"...Although Texans voted only a month ago – the Nov. 5 constitutional referendum..."

Dec. 6, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

Law Professor Ron Beal Surrenders to Governor Abbott's "Code of Silence"

“I wanted to let you know that you have won”

"...One quixotic casualty of Sine Die was Prof. Ron Beal’s..."

June 6, 2019 News Post by Michael King

Voter Purge Leader David Whitley Resigns

Embattled SoS calls it quits after discriminatory voter purge

"...purge effort in January that targeted thousands of supposed non-citizen voters and led to three separate lawsuits from voting..."

May 27, 2019 News Post by Mary Tuma

Senate Confirms Abbott's Nominee for State Office of Administrative Hearings Chief

Governor's list has hundreds of unconfirmed "holdover" officials

"...new Chief Administrative Law Judge, following the April 24 Senate confirmation of the recommendation of its Committee on Nominations...."

May 2, 2019 News Post by Michael King

Senate Delivers First Blow to Paid Sick Leave

SB 15, the boy who cried "voter fraud!" advance, and other Lege news

"...On Feb. 28, the Senate Committee on State Affairs advanced..."

March 8, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

Lege Lines: Do It for the Kids

House Dems lay out school finance plan

"...And It's a Big One: The Texas House Democratic Caucus laid out an ambitious..."

March 1, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

David Whitley Apologizes for "Confusion" Wrought by Voter Purge List

Three lawsuits later, Texas secretary of state basically says "whoops"

"...– facing major blowback after inaccurately suggesting 95,000 possible noncitizens are registered to vote – admitted that the Office..."

Feb. 22, 2019 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Lege Lines: Senate Still Hasn’t Confirmed Texas Secretary of State David Whitley

Architect of recent “voter fraud” fiasco shifts blame to DPS

"...Gov. Greg Abbott in December, but he still needs confirmation from the Senate. At his hearing before the Senate..."

Feb. 15, 2019 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Texas Secretary of State Defends Voter Purge Fiasco

Whitley ducks blame during contentious confirmation hearing

"...state, Texas Secretary of State David Whitley doubled down on his defense during a hearing before the Senate Nominations..."

Feb. 8, 2019 News Post by Mary Tuma

Controversial SOAH Chief Judge Takes Her Leave

Lesli Ginn will not seek reappointment to State Office of Administrative Hearings

"...office that I do not seek reappointment to this position."..."

Jan. 25, 2019 News Feature by Michael King

Van Boven Fallout Continues

While appeals proceed, Baylor professor campaigns to save SOAH

"...The years-consuming litigation between Dr. Robert Van Boven and the Texas..."

Jan. 10, 2019 News Post by Michael King

State Admin Law Judges Departing in Droves

State admin law judges departing in droves

"...Hearings – he resigned Feb. 22 "in lieu of termination" – another ALJ wrote to Gov. Greg Abbott about..."

Nov. 23, 2018 News Feature by Michael King

Texas Medical Board Defends Itself

Responding to complaints, agency renews attack on critics and judge

"...In September of 2017, Administrative Law Judge Hunter Burkhalter exonerated Dr. Robert Van Boven of charges of sexual "boundary..."

June 15, 2018 News Feature by Michael King

Representation Matters

"...Dear Editor, Three days after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Wilhelmina Delco became Austin’s..."

May 9, 2018 Postmarks

Can’t Convict the Defendant? Convict the Judge.

Chief judge defends Burkhalter firing

"...Chief Administrative Law Judge Lesli G. Ginn demanded the resignation "in lieu of termination" of ALJ Hunter Burkhalter, whose..."

May 4, 2018 News Feature by Michael King

Are City Employee Pensions at Risk?

Pension systems in Dallas and Houston have been beat up by bad spending.

"...Public pension systems – funds that pay out retirement income to..."

Feb. 24, 2017 News Feature by Margaret Nicklas

Legislative Committees Take Shape

Lite Guv Patrick begins making appointments

"...Take Your Committee Seats..."

Jan. 30, 2015 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Star Wars Day: Happy May the Fourth, And a Very Merry Revenge of the Fifth

One man's 35 year trip to a galaxy far, far away

"...and the rest of the world could wait weeks, months or in vain for films to arrive. Living in..."

May 4, 2013 Screens Post by Richard Whittaker

TPPF, Jim DeMint, Milton Friedman, and Me

Lunch and school choice with unholy free market triumvirate

"...If conservatives had invented love-ins, they would look a lot like..."

March 31, 2013 News Post by Richard Whittaker

LegeLines

UT Regents, education, gun control, and more

"...Lt. Gov. David Dew­hurst accused the regents of "character assassination." The surprising outburst from the normally taciturn Dewhurst came..."

Feb. 22, 2013 News Column

LegeLines

School finance, evolution, secession, and more

"...On Feb. 11, the House Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to..."

Feb. 15, 2013 News Column

The Senate Committee Shuffle

Austin's four Senators get their appointments for 2013

"...First, that we got screwed by the lack of one centralized, unified Senate voice. Second, that now Travis has..."

Jan. 21, 2013 News Post by Richard Whittaker

Docket Is Full, but Judges Are Few

Federal judges see a jump in cases as court vacancies go unfilled

"...– the former Downtown club owners popped in March on money laundering and drug charges – there was one..."

July 27, 2012 News Feature by Jordan Smith

Top 10 State Stories

Budget cuts and wildfires left us a bit parched

"...wasn't just the record high temperatures. It was the half-billion dead trees, the shrinking lakes, the 3.5 million acres..."

Jan. 6, 2012 News Feature by Richard Whittaker

Headlines

"...• If you were wondering about the sudden uptick in traffic in and around..."

March 18, 2011 News Feature

sxswf: Even More 'Incendiary'

More from our Q&A with filmmakers Steve Mims and Joe Bailey Jr.

"...The death penalty case of Cameron Todd Willingham, executed in 2004 for the alleged arson..."

March 10, 2011 SXSW Post by Jordan Smith

God's Gift to Forensic Science

Will Bradley remain chair of the Forensic Science Commission?

"...The Senate Nominations Committee has approved the interim appointment by Gov...."

March 4, 2011 News Feature by Jordan Smith

What Your Senators Will Be Up To

Committee assignments, redistricting, and more

"...Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announced committee assignments for the Senate last Friday. The senator who..."

Feb. 4, 2011 News Feature by Lee Nichols

1   2     NEXT ›    2 »