Texas Legislature

TPPF, State Leaders: Medicaid Growth Is "Unsustainable"

By Emily Ramshaw Feb. 22, 2011

A conservative think tank and Republican state leaders gathered this morning to offer their solutions to the state's "unsustainable" Medicaid cost crunch. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Wentworth, Rodriguez Debate Campus Carry on CNN

By Evan Smith Feb. 22, 2011

On today's broadcast of CNN's American Morning, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, and state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, debated the controversial issue of concealed handguns on college campuses. Full Story
Garnet Coleman: The TT Interview

By Emily Ramshaw Feb. 22, 2011

The Democratic state representative from Houston on his Republican colleagues' quest for a federal Medicaid waiver, the problem with block grants and what realistically the feds could do to help Texas and other states. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Carter, Burkett and Anderson on the Rainy Day Fund

By Evan Smith Feb. 21, 2011

At last Wednesday's TribLive conversation, first-term House members Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite, and Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie, talked about whether the Legislature should dip into the Rainy Day Fund to reduce the size of the projected budget shortfall. Full Story
TribLive: Carter, Burkett and Anderson

By Evan Smith Feb. 21, 2011

Last Wednesday, I sat down with three first-term members of the Texas House — Stefani Carter, R-Dallas; Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite; and Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie — to talk about their first weeks in office. Full Story

Credit: Justin Dehn
TribLive: Carter, Burkett and Anderson Full Video

By Evan Smith Feb. 21, 2011

TribLive: Evan Smith interviews state Reps. Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite, and Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie. Full Story
Carter, Burkett and Anderson on the Speaker's Race

By Evan Smith Feb. 21, 2011

At last Wednesday's TribLive conversation, first-term House member Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite, explained why she voted against Speaker Joe Straus. Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, talked about losing the North Texas Tea Party's "approved" status after she voted for Straus. And Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie, weighed in on his own vote for Straus. Full Story
Carter, Burkett and Anderson on Public Ed Cuts

By Evan Smith Feb. 21, 2011

At last Wednesday's TribLive conversation, first-term House members Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite, and Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie, explained why they think deep cuts to public education are possible. Full Story
UT/TT Poll: Voters Want Budget Cuts but Don't Like Options

By Ross Ramsey Feb. 21, 2011

By more than 2 to 1, Texas voters believe lawmakers should solve the state's shortfall by cutting the budget, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, but they're divided on specific cuts. Full Story
Inside Intelligence: Public Education Funding Is...

By Ross Ramsey Feb. 21, 2011

For the latest installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked whether public education is sufficiently funded in Texas — and how deep the coming cuts are likely to be. Full Story
"Rube Goldberg" School Finance System Faces New Test

By Ross Ramsey Feb. 21, 2011

Cutting $10 billion public education funding could push more than two-dozen school districts from the group that receives state financing into the group that writes checks to the state to even things out between richer and poorer districts. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith Feb. 19, 2011

The best of our best content from Feb. 14 to 18, 2011. Full Story
The Week in Texas Politics Recap: 2/14 to 2/18

By Justin Dehn and Thanh Tan Feb. 18, 2011

No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Full Story
Triblive: Michael Williams

By Todd Wiseman and Justin Dehn Feb. 18, 2011

Triblive: Evan Smith interviews Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams. Full Story
Texplainer: Where Did the Sunset Commission Get Its Name?

By Andrew Weber Feb. 18, 2011

Nothing scares the good men and women of state agencies more than one word: Sunset. But where did the Sunset Commission get its name? Full Story
Minorities Drove Strong Texas Growth, Census Figures Show

By Ross Ramsey, Matt Stiles, Julián Aguilar and Ryan Murphy Feb. 18, 2011

Texas' explosive growth during the past decade was fueled by a boom in its minority population, which accounted for 89 percent of the total increase in population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Full Story
Small Brewers Pushing to Tap Into the Action

By Christopher Smith Gonzalez Feb. 18, 2011

Brewpubs want to be able to sell their distinctive beers in stores, restaurants and other bars and are fighting for the right to expand. The major beer distributors like things the way they are. Full Story

Credit: Jacob Villanueva
Energy or Railroad: Are the Politics Different?

By Ross Ramsey Feb. 18, 2011

What’s in a name? The Texas Railroad Commission — and the elected officials who run it — may soon find out. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Jeramey Jannene/Paul Lowry/Todd Wiseman
Texas Seeks Medicaid Waiver, but Prognosis Is Poor

By Emily Ramshaw, The Texas Tribune, and Marilyn Serafini, Kaiser Health News Feb. 18, 2011

Only months ago, Texas lawmakers threatened to drop out of Medicaid. Now, Texas and other financially strapped states are asking Washington for permission to operate the program as they see fit. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Video: Texas Senate Passes Abortion Sonogram

By Justin Dehn Feb. 17, 2011

Abortion sonogram legislation passed the Senate 21 to 10, and is moving to the House, where the overwhelming Republican majority is expected to pass it. Here's a look at the floor debate. Full Story

Credit: Justin Dehn