News
Texas Monthly’s Best Legislators
Slider image credited to the Austin American Statesman This Session I was honored to be named the “Bull of the Brazos” by Texas Monthly magazine in their much-anticipated “Best and Worst of the Legislature” list. While you will have to wait before you can read the entire story online, I was humbled to be recognized [...]
Austin American Statesman: In session, Democrats became masters of legislative rule book
By Tim Eaton When Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer strolled up to the microphone toward the back of Texas House chamber, Republican lawmakers knew a fight was coming. Democrats, who were outnumbered 2-1 by Republicans in the Texas House, realized early on in the recently concluded session of the 82nd Legislature that they wouldn’t be major [...]
TMF on CNN to discuss redistricting
I was proud to talk to Ed Lavandera with CNN about Texas and the redistricting battle ahead. You can watch the full segment below:
The Economist: Not so easy
REDISTRICTING, so the old saying goes, is when politicians get to choose their voters. Every ten years, following the national census, each state must redraw the constituency boundaries for both its members of Congress and its state legislators. In most states, the party in power controls both those processes, either directly through the state legislature [...]
Politico: Many states not quick on the redraw
By Alex Isenstadt Only three states have completed the redistricting process so far, but that hasn’t held back a flood of redistricting lawsuits — most filed against states with plans that haven’t even been finalized. The decennial process of drawing new congressional districts is typically a magnet for lawsuits. This year, however, the litigation is [...]
Leading House Dem: ‘Everybody’s still on edge’
By Robert T. Garrett The chairman of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus said late Monday afternoon that House members on the surface are acting nice but “everybody’s still on edge.” Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, said House GOP leaders have proposed more subtle ways to shut off debate and “railroad” Democrats, such as proposing [...]
San Antonio Lawmaker Squares Off Against San Antonio Speaker
By Gary Scharrer Mexican American Legislative Caucus Chairman Trey Martinez Fischer chided Republicans leaders for bringing a bill that he claims amounts to a full assault on Texas Hispanics – before taking the unusual step of moving away from the lectern and turning his attention to Speaker Joe Straus standing on the elevated speaker’s rostrum behind [...]
Sanctuary cities ban passed
By Patricia Kilday Hart AUSTIN — After taking the unusual and highly controversial strategy of cutting off debate, the Texas House voted 99-47 in favor of a ban on “sanctuary cities,” despite objections that the measure was unnecessary and will increase racial profiling against Hispanics. House Republicans voted to end debate by calling for an immediate vote [...]
Meltdown in the House
By Gary Scharrer AUSTIN — Tempers flared in the Texas House on Saturday — one lawmaker even hurled the House rule book high into the air — as legislators struggled over controversial legislation with only three weeks remaining in the session. About four hours into a series of contentious arguments that included an attempted lockdown, Speaker Joe Straus [...]
Tempers fly….so does House rule book
By Gary Scharrer Tempers got even testier moments ago when House Calendars Chairman Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi wanted to suspend all necessary rules for several controversial bills on Monday’s agenda. Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, threw the House rule book high into the air to show his disgust. Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, raised his voice from the [...]
