Government

Following several out-of-town hearings on the subject of redistricting, the Senate committee is back in Austin hearing various plans for changing the state’s voting maps, which included a plan from Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, who said he borrowed his argument from Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

"It concludes by saying -- in essence -- that while the Voting Rights Act may not require the creation of a crossover district, the purposeful dismantling of a crossover district would raise serious questions under the 14th and 15th Amendments of the Constitution," Watson said.

Texas Democrats are outraged that Gov. Rick Perry is threatening to veto a portion of the state budget unless embattled Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg steps down.

This spring, Lehmberg was arrested and convicted for driving under the influence in which her blood alcohol was three times the legal limit.

The governor’s office confirmed that Perry is considering a veto of a portion of the state’s budget bill that funds the state’s Public Integrity Unit, which investigates government entities and is headed up by the Travis County district attorney.

Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, has one of about six bills that address some aspect of abortion in the special session. Patrick said his bill would hold institutions like Planned Parenthood to strict guidelines when dispensing the Plan B abortion pill the abortion pill (mifeprestone), a set of pills that medically ends a pregnancy and can be used up to 9 weeks after the woman's last period.

Hoping to solve some of the state’s glaring problems with transportation, Gov. Rick Perry has opened the special session agenda to transportation-related bills.

This move has been a whispered rumor since the session began, but now lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate will begin debate on over 12 pre-filed transportation bills. 

The big one with the most buzz is a bill co-authored by Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville.