Local legislative delegation files 190 wide-ranging bills CORPUS CHRISTI — Coastal Bend legislators have authored 190 bills dealing with issues such as windstorm insurance, court redistricting, economic development and even a study of the way the state taxes boats. The local House delegation’s senior member, Todd Hunter, chairman of the influential Calendars Committee, authored 46…

No-texting bill is a needed step for open government CORPUS CHRISTI — State Rep. Todd Hunter has filed a bill that would advance the cause of government openness by prohibiting electronic communications by members of government bodies during public meetings. House Bill 2977 says a member of a government body “commits an offense if the…

Redbirds Rule Amid Speaker Team Power Surge while Budget Players Flex Most Muscle at Capitol AUSTIN – In the opposition vernacular, the “cardinals” were 11 House Republicans who huddled privately in Austin one night in early 2009 and anointed Straus as the consensus challenger in a speaker’s race that he won in less than 48…

In the News – March Texas Legislative Power Rankings 2011 – In the opposition vernacular, the “cardinals” were 11 House Republicans who huddled privately in Austin one night in early 2009 and anointed Straus as the consensus challenger in a speaker’s race that he won in less than 48 hours. Republican State Rep. Todd Hunter…