South Texas Delegation Files Bills for New University
The South Texas delegations of the Texas House and the Senate on Monday announced the filing of bills to create a Rio Grande Valley university that would include a medical school. Full Story
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![University of Texas at Brownsville President Juliet Garcia and University of Texas-Pan American President Robert Nelsen look on as University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and lawmakers discuss the creation of a new university in the Rio Grande Valley.]()
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Medicaid Expansion in Spotlight as Session Heats Up
Will Texas expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act? That’s the $100 billion question this session at the Capitol, where supporters of federal health care reform may be gaining traction. Full Story
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Good Times or Bad, the Budget Remains Tight
When money was tight two years ago, the state's top budget writers employed cutbacks and accounting tricks to balance the budget. Money is flowing again, but the budget folks are still finding it easy to say no. Full Story
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Lege Could Ban Drones Over Private Property
State Rep. Lance Gooden says he will carry legislation to make it illegal to use a drone to capture video or photographs of private property without the consent of the property’s owner or occupant. Full Story
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![Micheal Cincienne of Absolute Aerospace and Texas A&M Corpus Christi, engineering student Adam Ersepke, and lab coordinator Jack Edward Esparza carry the University’s RS-16 unmanned aerial vehicle, otherwise known as a drone, back to the command center after a test flight over the Kennedy Ranch near Sarita, Texas on January 18, 2013.]()
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Newsreel: State of the State
In this edition in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: Gov. Rick Perry delivered his State of the State address this week. It was big on large-scale spending, but didn't touch hot-button issues like abortion, immigration or gun control. Anti-abortion advocates rallied on the steps of the state Capitol. And U.S. Representative Roger Williams raised his Second Amendment banner. Full Story
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Budget Surplus May Not Stretch Far
At first glance, the first drafts of the House and Senate budgets leave billions of dollars on the table. A closer look shows there may not be as much left as many have hoped. Full Story
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Ethics Commission Declines to Raise Legislators' Session Pay
There will be no pay raise for legislators this year. The Texas Ethics Commission, at the urging of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus, declined to raise the per diem payments lawmakers get when they're in session. Full Story
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Perry's Call for Tax Relief is Subject of Confusion
The $1.8 billion in tax relief that Gov. Rick Perry called for this week was short on details, but the few that are out there are already sparking questions. Full Story
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TribLive: A Conversation with Williams and Pitts
Full video of my 1/31 TribLive conversation with state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie. Full Story
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Searching for Clues in Perry's State of the State
The governor stayed away from social issues and some obvious hot-button topics in his State of the State speech this week. But that doesn't mean it wasn't a political speech. Full Story
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Texas Ethics Reform: A Long, Tortured History
From Gov. James "Pa" Ferguson's impeachment to the Sharpstown scandal, Texas has weathered mighty ethics controversies. Despite reforms, the Legislature still faces criticism over lax disclosure rules and ties with lobbyists. Full Story
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![A portrait of power in Texas in 1970: House Speaker Gus Mutscher, Governor Preston Smith, former president Lyndon Johnson, and Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes, at "Gus Mutscher Day" in Brenham, August 17, 1970.]()
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Bill Would Clarify End-of-Life Treatment for Terminally Ill
The families of terminally ill patients would receive more time to find a willing medical provider for their relative and get more help through difficult end-of-life legal processes under a bill filed by state Sen. Robert Deuell. Full Story
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TribLive: Williams and Pitts on Public Ed Funding
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, talked about how the school finance litigation affects the debate over public education funding. Full Story
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TribLive: Williams and Pitts on Medicaid
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, discussed what the state should do about its exploding Medicaid obligations. Full Story
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Bills Aim to Stop Diverting Funds Meant for State Parks
Some legislators say the practice of diverting funds earmarked for state parks compromises the integrity of the state budget and the quality of parks. Full Story
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Pitts and Williams Say School Funding Debate Can Wait
Ongoing school finance litigation will likely prevent the Legislature from discussing education funding issues this session, two Republican budget leaders said at a TribLive event Thursday. Full Story
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TribLive: Williams and Pitts on the Rainy Day Fund
At Thursday morning's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, talked about the possibility of withdrawals from the Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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Straus Makes House Committee Assignments
House Speaker Joe Straus announced committee assignments for the Legislature's lower chamber on Thursday, ending speculation over key chairmanships and giving lawmakers the go-ahead to start considering bills. Here's his list. Full Story
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Lawmakers Seek Cash to Fix Roads Hit by Drilling
As lawmakers look for a way to fix infrastructure crumbling under the weight of a drilling boom, talk of reducing the tax money that feeds the state's Rainy Day Fund is drawing attention. Full Story
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Senators Take On Health Care Costs, Medicaid Expansion
Texas budget writers got a briefing on the state’s health care programs Wednesday, and the biggest questions focused on how the state can reduce fraud and what to do about ever-increasing health care costs. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
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