Despite mounting concerns over disruptions to the environment and infrastructure, Texas lawmakers haven't soured on fracking. But that hasn't kept the practice out of the sights of legislators pushing for more regulations.

In the latest iteration of our one-of-a-kind Public Schools Explorer, compare individual schools and districts to one another, cross-filter by metrics like performance and spending, and check out the latest data on everything from TAKS to enrollment.

The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition has released a report calling on lawmakers to approve several bills that would increase supervision over the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which oversees the state’s prisons.

Texans are generally against tougher gun control laws, according to the new University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, but they overwhelmingly support criminal and mental health background checks for gun purchases.

State Rep. Bobby Guerra, D-Mission, is expected to file a bill this week that would help address the shortage of agricultural specialists who inspect produce coming across the Texas-Mexico border.

Texans remain mostly opposed to new gun control measures, but the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll reveals some wrinkles in public opinion.

Calling the old policy "stupid," the head of the Department of Public Safety said Tuesday that congressional and state elected officials will no longer have to endure a background check to access the Governor's Mansion.

At the Trib's February 25 symposium on public education at Rice University, Morgan Smith talked about what it takes to find and retain great teachers with Linda McSpadden McNeil of Rice University, Elisa Villanueva Beard of Teach for America, Gayle Fallon of the Houston Federation of Teachers and former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige.

Just as death and taxes are certainties, we can be sure that several cloaked voucher bills will be introduced by the Legislature. No matter how it is sliced and diced, no matter its moniker, if passed it will result in public dollars going to private schools.

Choice would empower parents to select the best schools for their children and would empower teachers to earn more. Our failing schools would improve. 

Two House Republicans filed a “fetal pain” bill on Tuesday that would ban abortions 20 weeks after conception. Gov. Rick Perry has publicly expressed support for the measure. 

For this week's nonscientific survey of insiders in politics and government, we asked about the state's gun laws, school choice, the governor's "fetal pain" bill, and about whether Texas election laws still need federal oversight.

The Texas Senate on Tuesday sent a $6.6 billion supplemental bill back to the House after Democrats in the upper chamber were assured that efforts to restore some funding to schools will be considered later.

In a letter to Gov. Rick Perry, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano laid out the effects of federal budget cuts on agencies in Texas. The letter discusses increased wait times at at land ports and a loss of emergency management grants.

Texans rallied at the Capitol on Tuesday, hoping to persuade Gov. Rick Perry and other Texas lawmakers to expand Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Craft breweries and the Texas Beer Alliance, which represents major-brand beer distributors, joined forces to lobby the Senate Business and Commerce Committee on Tuesday, but not all distributing groups are on board. 

Your evening reading: Senate passes Medicaid IOU bill after school finance debate; protesters rally for Medicaid expansion; House Republicans file "fetal pain" bill

After months of planning, state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, and Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, filed bills on Tuesday to overhaul the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association and rein in rate hikes on coastal residents.