WILL WEISSERT

13 - 12:26am

AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas House has approved a plan to train some teachers for classroom gun fights. With a simple voice vote and no debate Monday night, lawmakers approved a proposal by Houston Republican Sen. Dan Patrick that would apply to public schools that don’t already employ armed guards. It finances 16 hours of instruction on how to respond to an armed attack. Two employees on each campus could take classes instructing teachers already certified to carry concealed weapons to first conceal children, then return fire. The bill passed the Senate last month.

Texas House OKS much-watched charter school bill 05/17/13 - 12:19am

AUSTIN — The House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a plan to expand the number of charter schools allowed to operate throughout Texas, shaking off long-held fears that doing so could hurt traditional classrooms.

Perry shrugs off claim he's derailing budget talks 05/16/13 - 4:14pm

AUSTIN (AP) — Gov. Rick Perry is shrugging off suggestions by top Democrats that his office is derailing state budget talks by steering money away from public education. With just 11 days to go in the legislative session, no deal has been reached on the Texas budget for the next two years. Democratic lawmakers say a key sticking point is Perry told GOP leaders to squelch an agreement that would have put $3.9 billion back toward education after 2011, when the Legislature cut $5.4 billion from classrooms.

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House sends donor disclosure bill to Perry 05/15/13 - 12:05am

AUSTIN — A proposal requiring politically active nonprofits to make the names of their major donors public cleared the Texas Legislature on Tuesday, despite repeated attempts by conservative lawmakers to kill it and mounting pressure on Gov. Rick Perry to veto it. Supporters say Senate Bill 346 will crack down on “dark money,” or contributions secretly made to groups that avoid campaign finance and disclosure laws because of their nonprofit status. Those opposed argue it violates free speech.

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Texas House approves Morton criminal justice bill 05/14/13 - 12:29am

AUSTIN — The House on Monday approved the Michael Morton Act, a measure designed to prevent wrongful convictions and named in honor of a Texan who spent nearly 25 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. It would create a uniform “open file” policy in Texas, compelling prosecutors to share case files with defense attorneys that can help defendants’ cases.

Hundreds of House bills dead -- at least for now 05/11/13 - 12:12am

AUSTIN — The final gun for passing legislation proposed by lawmakers in the Texas House sounded Friday, killing hundreds of bills, most of which never even made it to the floor for debate. While bills still have a few more days to win approval in the Senate or be revived as a last-minute amendment, many measures that once seemed vitally important now lie among the considerable legislative carnage.

Texas charter school wait list numbers remain fluid 05/10/13 - 12:20am

AUSTIN — As lawmakers debate expanding Texas charter schools to accommodate students wanting to leave unsatisfactory traditional classrooms, new details show charter school waiting list numbers can fluctuate during the year due in large part to varied reporting standards and duplications.

Lawmaker urges increase in vehicle registration fees 05/10/13 - 12:21am

AUSTIN — Facing stiff opposition from fellow conservatives and a veto threat from Gov. Rick Perry, a top Texas House Republican on Thursday nonetheless pleaded with his colleagues to raise the state’s annual vehicle registration fees by $15 to fund repairs to aging roads, bridges and highways. And then Rep. Drew Darby of San Angelo pulled his bill without putting it to a vote — making his appeal purely symbolic.

Texas charter school waitlist numbers remain fluid 05/09/13 - 1:56pm

AUSTIN — As lawmakers debate expanding Texas charter schools to accommodate students wanting to leave unsatisfactory traditional classrooms, new details show charter school waitlist numbers can fluctuate during the year due in large part to varied reporting standards and duplications.

Perry warns of special session if no $1.8 billion in tax cuts 05/09/13 - 12:32am

AUSTIN — With still more than two weeks to go in Texas’ legislative session, Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday it’s too early to issue ultimatums to lawmakers. Then he promptly issued one: Pass more tax cuts or work through the summer. Perry threatened to call legislators back after the session ends May 27 if they don’t approve a budget containing $1.8 billion in tax cuts and $2 billion for major water and infrastructure projects statewide.