The Midday Brief: May 23, 2011

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "House and Senate negotiators agreed on spending on education, state salaries and benefits this morning and hope to have the final vote on the 2012-13 budget sometime this weekend." — Budget Negotiators Agree on Education Funding

• "A homeland security bill that was a major factor in whether the state’s sanctuary cities legislation — one of Gov. Rick Perry's emergency items — would be signed into law failed to get placed on a House calendar for this week." — With Clock Ticking, Immigration Bills in Limbo

• "As the parents of Asher Brown watched, the Senate today unanimously approved a bill meant to prevent bullying in schools, sending it to Gov. Rick Perry's desk for a final signature." — Anti-Bullying Bill Headed to Governor

• "The budget that state lawmakers are poised to accept attempts to eliminate wide variations in what hospitals are paid by Medicaid for performing the same procedures on similarly sick patients — a sweeping change in how Texas hospitals are funded." — Texas Hospitals Face Dramatic Payment Overhaul

• "The residency programs that train Texas doctors will take a giant hit under the education budget agreement lawmakers unveiled today." — Medical Residencies Take Big Budget Hit

• "Legislation on football helmet safety is one step closer to crossing the goal line after passing the Senate today nearly unanimously. Helmets are 'the first line of defense' for football players, said Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, the senate sponsor of HB 675." — Senate Approves Football Helmet Safety Requirements

Your afternoon reading:

• "Inspired by the surprising discovery of a truckload of embalmed human heads during a traffic stop northeast of Dallas, the Texas House today approved a bill to regulate the transportation of body parts donated to science." — House passes 'body parts' bill, Postcards

• "House and Senate budget negotiators on Monday rejected a proposal to allow the University of North Texas and its branch campus in Dallas to jointly establish a pharmacy school." — Budget negotiators say no to North Texas pharmacy school