Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

"The local-option tax proposal so strongly supported by North Texas elected officials emerged Friday as the biggest obstacle in Austin as House and Senate members search for a compromise that would keep the session's largest transportation bill alive."

"A transportation funding measure strongly supported by North Texas leaders appeared in peril Friday night as a key House member said it would not be included in a final version of massive legislation overhauling the Department of Transportation."

"State Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, gave some transportation lobbyists what-for today after he said he found out they were collecting signatures on a petition he considered misleading."

"House adjourns, passes deadline without passage of HB 300. Carona and Hegar spar over the wreckage. Keep up with events today on the NPT blog."

"The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition on Friday presented its Best Freshman award to state Rep. Marisa Marquez, D-El Paso, who sits on the House Committee on Corrections."

"A majority of Hispanic children are now U.S.-born children of immigrants, primarily Mexicans who came to this country in an immigration wave that began about 1980, according to a report released yesterday."

"The Texas Senate has approved a bill that would expand the ability of school districts to grant property tax breaks in an effort to attract new jobs. The measure includes provisions that could help the Austin area lure more new projects, supporters say."

"A House vote Wednesday may dash North Texas leaders' hopes to come out of the 2009 Legislature with authority for counties to seek voter approval for higher taxes to pay for road projects."

"Norma Chávez's snippy-sniffy little tiff involving a fellow El Paso state representative makes us all look bad. Our lawmaker delegation must be a laughingstock at the nearly concluded 81st session of the Texas Legislature."

"Senate negotiators are offering to reduce two proposed fees on motorists and delay countywide elections by two years."

"The state House voted 84-59 on Wednesday to urge five legislative negotiators to strip proposed higher gasoline taxes and fees that would finance local transportation projects from a massive bill restructuring the Texas Department of Transportation."

"The ability of North Texas to build out its road and rail network rests on a house of cards in Austin, with too many members of the Texas House eager to see it collapse."

"A last gasp, long shot of an effort to fund the third building at El Paso’s medical school was emerging this afternoon as speculation grew around the Capitol that SB 2567, the fiscal matter bill, might be brought back to life."

"As state Rep. Norma Chávez celebrated one of the biggest accomplishments of her life, she made it clear there was one person she did not want around her -- a fellow El Paso legislator she helped win elected office."

"The Texas Senate approved a $182 billion two-year state budget on Thursday that includes significantly less money for border security operations than Gov. Rick Perry asked for."

"Proposed bill strongly decried by minority and civil rights advocates that would require applicants for new or renewed driver’s licenses to furnish proof of citizenship or residency died in the Texas House on Wednesday."

"The legislation that would help Texas Tech and other universities in the state get national research institution status, more commonly known as tier-one or flagship, is alive and well in the Texas Legislature."

"The man thought to be the frontrunner for Texas' top health and human services job is already being criticized as lacking experience and failing to fully grasp key issues."

"Texas is not globally competitive. If we do not change course, for the first time in our history, the Texas generation of tomorrow will be less prosperous than the generation of today."

As senators worked feverishly to keep dozens of House bills from dying as a midnight deadline approached, legislative leaders expressed new confidence Wednesday that an impasse on windstorm insurance can be broken to avoid a special legislative session.