House Committees Named
Speaker Joe Straus appointed members to committees today, shuffling the assignments in a Texas House where one in four members is a freshman and where Republicans have a two-to-one numerical advantage. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus, R-Alamo Heights, in January 2011.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Doctor Loan Repayment Deal in Jeopardy
More than 100 Texas doctors made a deal with the state: For four years, they would practice in underserved communities and treat the neediest patients — in return for having their med school debt forgiven. But now state officials may be backing down from their side of the bargain. Full Story
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![Dr. Xavier Muñoz treats a patient in El Paso. Muñoz agreed to treat low-income, underinsured patients in return for having his medical school bill repaid — a program that could be eliminated through state budget cuts.]()
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Sonogram Bill Reworked
Even before state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, tweaked a bill requiring a woman seeking an abortion to have a sonogram performed, he said lawmakers and the media had misunderstood his intent. Full Story
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![Round Rock physician Dr. Matt Romberg testifies before the Senate State Affairs Committee on February 9, 2011]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Students Rally for UT Funding
Cries of "Texas fight" and "It's 8:45, and we're still underfunded" rang across a crowd of nearly 100 students, who marched to the Capitol this morning to rally for adequate funding for the University of Texas. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senators Call Tuition Set-Aside Theft, Secret Tax
One state senator calls it "a 20 percent backdoor secret tax" on those paying for college. Another argues that eliminating it would help create a Texas with a "have-and-have-not culture." And some students say the the tuition set-aside program mandated by the state in 2003 is just plain theft. Full Story
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Texas Democrats Blame Republicans for Budget Blues
Gov. Rick Perry's State of the State speech on Tuesday was part pep rally, part budget proposal, with a dash of national politics. And, as Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, Democrats weren't charmed. Full Story
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![State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Ft. Worth at the 2010 Texas Democratic convention in Corpus Christi, Tex. on June 26.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge -
State Democrats Accuse Perry of "Ponzi Scheme"
State Democratic lawmakers responded to Gov. Rick Perry's State of the State address Tuesday, calling his budget proposals a "Ponzi scheme." Full Story
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Perry: Protect Rainy Day Fund
Gov. Rick Perry told lawmakers Tuesday he is against tapping the state's $9.4 billion Rainy Day Fund to close the budget shortfall: “That approach would not only postpone tough, necessary decisions." Full Story
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What Do the Historical, Arts Commissions Do?
Gov. Rick Perry wants two state agencies — the Texas Commission on the Arts and the Texas Historical Commission — defunded because they don’t provide “mission-critical” services. But what do they do? Full Story
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![Cow John and Old Ruidoso by Robert Summers. On display at the White Horse Station, a coffeeshop, event space, and art gallery, in Clifton, Texas.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
LiveBlog: Perry's State of the State
Gov. Rick Perry delivered his sixth State of the State speech today, addressing a joint session of the Texas House and Senate, and selling the state's fiscal troubles as an opportunity to make government more efficient. Full Story
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![Gov. Rick Perry delivering his State of the State address on Feb. 8, 2011]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Perry to Push Colleges to Offer $10,000 Degree
Gov. Rick Perry will challenge the state's colleges and universities to offer a $10,000 bachelor's degree, including books, in his State of the State speech later this morning, according to sources familiar with some of the proposals. Full Story
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![Word cloud aggregate of Rick Perry's State of the State speeches from 2001 to 2009.]()
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Senators Grill Education Agency Over Cuts
At the Texas Education Agency's first appearance before the Senate since the release of a budget that reduces school funding by $9.3 billion, senators called for a "full picture" of the state's spending on public education. Full Story
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![Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott speaks at the TASA midwinter conference in Austin, Texas February 1st, 2011]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Hartnett Expected to Recommend HD-48 Winner Friday
After three days of testimony and today's closing arguments, state Rep. Will Hartnett, R-Dallas, is expected to recommend a winner of the disputed HD-48 seat on Friday. Full Story
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![Dan Neil at table with attorneys during a public hearing for the election contest of House D-48]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
A Conversation with Rob Eissler
For our latest TribLive conversation, I sat down with the chairman of the House Public Education Committee to talk about the coming cuts to public ed: how big they're likely to be, the prospect of tens of thousands of teacher and non-instructional-staff layoffs and whether new revenue sources are on the table. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
A Conversation with Rob Eissler
For our latest TribLive conversation, I sat down with the chairman of the House Public Education Committee to talk about the coming cuts to public ed: how big they're likely to be, the prospect of tens of thousands of teacher and non-instructional-staff layoffs, whether new revenue sources are on the table and more. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Rob Eissler on Public Ed Layoffs
The chairman of the House Public Education Committee on how many public school teachers, administrators and non-instructional staff members are at risk of being laid off as a result of the budget shortfall. Full Story
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Rob Eissler on the Rainy Day Fund
The chairman of the House Public Education Committee on whether the Rainy Day Fund should be used, in part or in whole, to reduce the size of the budget shortfall. Full Story
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Rob Eissler of the Size of Public Ed Cuts
The chairman of the House Public Education Committee on whether the cuts to public ed will be as bad as everyone says they'll be. Full Story
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Bill Aims to Make Sexting Illegal
Under the proposed legislation, teens caught "sexting" could face up to a Class A Misdemeanor. Parents could also face penalties. Full Story
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A Trio of Bills on Student Ticketing
State Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, has filed three bills aimed at regulating the practice of ticketing students for misbehavior in public schools. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
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