Joe Straus, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, was our guest in the Texas Politics Speaker Series on Friday, March 24, 2017. Below find a complete video of the interview, along with short excerpts on key topics including the budget, education policy, his own political future, and, of course, bathroom access. The interview held off on the latter as long as possible, though for better or worse, it was the headline news in the Austin American Statesman, The Texas Observer, Houston Public Media, and The Texas Tribune.
On his support for using the rainy day fund, and the tenor of the discussion around it.
On taxes and school finance.
On sanctuary cities bills.
On sexual assaults on campus and legislative approaches to the problem.
On his time as Speaker and, to some extent, his future.
And: on SB6, the "bathroom bill,"