The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The health commission’s Office of Inspector General, which says Texas has misspent hundreds of millions of dollars on Medicaid orthodontic and dental fraud, has now lost its first three court battles against accused providers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Dental-Instruments.jpg)
State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer believes that the investigation into whether a University of Texas System regent should be impeached could require a look at UT regents' personal computers, iPads and smartphones. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/10/23/7C2A4718.jpg)
This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: The vote on water and other constitutional amendments is days away, Todd Staples jabs at Dan Patrick and Democrats start testing Ted Cruz's popularity with independent voters. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/1031_newsreel_still.jpg)
Full video of my 10/31 TribLive conversation with Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a 2014 candidate for lieutenant governor. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/StaplesTodd082.jpg)
What's normal in Texas general elections — legislators in one party endorsing candidates challenging colleagues from the other party — is turning up in primaries. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/10/31/Sheff-Ratliff.jpg)
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a 2014 candidate for lieutenant governor, talked about his opposition to in-state tuition and other state programs for undocumented immigrants. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/StaplesTodd109.jpg)
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples explained why he decided to run for lieutenant governor in 2014. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/XStaplesTodd097.jpg)
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a 2014 candidate for lieutenant governor, talked about his three Republican opponents. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/xStaplesTodd135.jpg)
Two of the nine constitutional amendments on the Nov. 5 ballot could benefit many of the 1.6 million veterans in Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/SoldiersMarching.jpg)
In the wake of criticism from a former Texas Trial Lawyers Association president about the group's spending practices, the association has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday in Austin to address concerns. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/10/29/Mostyn-TTLA_1.jpg)
Sometimes, it's the non-announcement that gets the political headline. Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns won’t run for the Senate, greatly increasing already high odds that the SD-10 seat will go to the Republicans. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/10/28/WendyAndJoel.jpg)
At our 10/23 Hot Seat conversation at the Texas Tech University, state Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, and state Reps. John Frullo, R-Lubbock, and Drew Springer, R-Muenster, talked about water, transportation, public education and other issues in play in the 83rd session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Water-Lubbock.jpg)
This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz checks in with voters on a post-shutdown tour of Texas, surprising moves on the 2014 campaign trail and Gov. Rick Perry announces a Texas A&M campus in Israel. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Cruz_Nugent.jpg)
Gubernatorial candidates Wendy Davis and Greg Abbott are throwing their support behind Proposition 6, the constitutional amendment that will fund projects designed to help the state meet its growing need for water. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f9668f82725cd2a24668e4423e791df6/DONT%20USE%20Abbott%20Davis%202013)
Failures in the foster care system put children in Texas and across the nation at greater risk of falling into the sex trade, activists and lawmakers asserted Wednesday on Capitol Hill. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/10/23/Poe.jpg)
In the second TV ad of his campaign for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Dan Patrick promises to cut property taxes for all Texans and eliminate tax increases for senior citizens. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Screen_shot_2013-10-23_at_10.20.11_AM.png)
UPDATED: Records requests that University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall filed with the University of Texas at Austin were the subject of hours of testimony Tuesday afternoon during a legislative committee hearing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/75f9ab1bbf47ea51743af6ecaa65d515/BD%20INC%20Jim%20Pitts%20CMS%202013%20TT)
State Rep. Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, said Tuesday that she is abandoning her campaign for the Railroad Commission of Texas, opting instead to seek a third term in the Texas House. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b82c47c491eb97f83f84d1a25150aa4c/BD%20INC%20Carter%202011)
This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: The federal government shutdown comes to an end, Gov. Rick Perry racks up sky miles with a trip to Israel and London, and a resignation in the state Senate starts a political land rush. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/101713_newsreel.jpg)
Currently the only state that doesn’t allow seniors to use reverse mortgages for purchasing homes, Texas could switch course if voters approve a constitutional amendment in the Nov. 5 election. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/10/15/OldPeopleMortgage.jpg)