The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
This week in the Newsreel: The flap between University of Texas regents and UT-Austin President Bill Powers rages on, Attorney General Greg Abbott calls for pre-trial DNA testing for capital cases and legislators are talking of arming teachers in public schools. Full Story
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Some Texas lawmakers are renewing an effort to make Texas’ stance on Washington policies official through resolutions reaffirming the state’s sovereignty. Full Story
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Full video of Ross Ramsey's 3/21 TribLive conversation with three first-term lawmakers: state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, and state Reps. Scott Turner, R-Frisco, and Gene Wu, D-Houston. Full Story
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Eleanor Kitzman, the state's insurance commissioner, will be out of a job at the end of the session if she's not reappointed by Gov. Rick Perry and approved by the Texas Senate. Full Story
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After successfully leading the bruising campaigns for two state senators and a state representative, Terrysa Guerra, an unassuming Democratic strategist, has emerged as a secret weapon for her party. Full Story
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The automatic federal spending cuts known as the sequester could hit special education and programs for low-income students hardest. And state lawmakers are unlikely to come up with cash to fill the federal hole. Full Story
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He's been out of office for months, but one of Ron Paul's pet issues — gold — may be gaining traction in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Call it the Rick Perry gold rush: The governor wants to bring the state’s gold reserves back from a New York vault to Texas. Full Story
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The $193.8 billion budget approved by the House Appropriations Committee includes an extra $2.5 billion for public education. The bill is smaller than the Senate budget by about $1.7 billion. Full Story
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A House committee discussed whether to regulate the ownership of “big cats and nonhuman primates" at a hearing Wednesday. Animal rights groups say these animals are a threat to public safety, while owners of tigers, lions and other large cats say they already face enough regulation. Full Story
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In a marked departure from 2011, the state Senate on Wednesday passed a two-year budget with relative ease. Full Story
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Your evening reading: Senate passes $195.5 billion budget; Cornyn calls talk of pathway to citizenship premature; UT System votes to seek review of Law School Foundation Full Story
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The Texas Senate approved a $195.5 billion budget Wednesday that even supporters called an intermediate step toward a final spending plan for the next two years. Full Story
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A Senate committee on Tuesday approved a controversial Republican-backed bill that would raise licensing standards for abortion clinics. Democrats say the legislation would effectively ban abortion in Texas. Full Story
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The $195.5 billion budget that senators will vote on Wednesday includes $1.4 billion extra for education and pay raises for most state employees. A House committee is expected to vote Thursday on its version of the budget. Full Story
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A Senate committee has advanced a controversial bill that critics say amounts to a backdoor abortion ban in Texas. Full Story
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Legislation that could lead to term limits on statewide officeholders made its way through the Senate on Tuesday. Lawmakers also heard testimony on several high-profile bills in committee hearings. Full Story
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As a House committee on Tuesday took up a bill that would allow Texas liquor stores to open their doors on Sundays, one member raised concerns about whether the legislation could make it easier for minors to access liquor. Full Story
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In an interview with The Shark Tank, a Florida politics blog, Gov. Rick Perry said he would decide whether to run for re-election in June, then make his decision on a presidential bid "sometime later in the year." Full Story
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Political insiders rarely take things at face value, so it’s not surprising that they are scratching their collective heads over Ann Bishop’s sudden hiring and equally sudden departure from the office of Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story
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