Your afternoon reading: Texas faces lawsuits over education cuts; bill targets "sexting"; and El Paso nears end of water crisis
The causes may have been explained away, but the fallout from last week's rolling blackouts may just be heating up.
For the latest installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked whether a Republican who supports abortion rights can survive a statewide primary, whether the sonogram bill on the governor's list of emergency items addresses a real or a political problem, whether it will pass and what other issues of interest to social conservatives might win approval from this Legislature this year.
The short answer is yes — and no. It's still around, and would work if it was plugged in. But it can't be used for executions in Texas anymore.
Your afternoon reading: abortion sonogram hearings set for next week; Anchia's plum Super Bowl seat; and a Texas congressman's own budget woes
There’s no universal definition but essentially, the term refers to the country’s top research-focused universities. While there are specific benchmarks to be considered part of that group, some aren't clear or rely purely on perception.
Heat sounds good right about now, but not the kind the Gov. Rick Perry's taking.
Your afternoon reading: good news for Donna Howard, Huckabee in border spat, and a Perry appointee's political history raises questions
Reading this on a device tethered to an electrical outlet? Thank your lucky stars. Also, thank Mexico.
There are almost 1,600 parking choices when you come to see your lawmakers in action under the pink dome — though a fraction of them get reserved for special interest groups.
Your afternoon reading: Perry going to CPAC; House committee assignments likely coming next week; Capitol security still making some nervous
If there's one thing that politicians are good at, it's talking. And chubbing is a kind of talking that's used to stall legislation in the Texas House. While state representatives do have the power to talk something to death, this session it will be harder to do than in the past.
In a sign of the tough budgetary times, Texas school districts turned their focus to harsh realities on Tuesday.
Your afternoon reading: Senate hears testimony on foster kids, Howard-Neil fight under way, and Shapiro files school-mandate bill
The Legislature's been under way for weeks now, but the last fight for a seat in the lower chamber isn't over.
