The Evening Brief: Jan. 10, 2013
Your evening reading: Perry bashes federal government in speech touting tax relief; bills would put $2 billion toward water projects; report questions history course offerings at UT and A&M Full Story
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![Gov. Rick Perry presenting the Governor's Award for Historic Preservation to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Wildland Firefighting Teams.]()
Credit: Allen Otto -
CPRIT Foundation Releases List of Donors
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Foundation — a nonprofit that supplements the salaries of the leaders at the state’s beleaguered $3 billion cancer research agency — released a full list of its donors on Thursday. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
83rd Texas Legislative Session on Opening Day: A Time Lapse Video
Time lapse video of the opening day of the 83rd Legislature on Tuesday, as the Capitol welcomed legislators, their families, staff, lobbyists and hundreds of other Texans. Full Story
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Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
In Pitching Tax Relief, Perry Points Finger at Washington
In a speech calling for tax cuts in the new legislative session, Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday bashed the federal government for its "irresponsible" spending decisions and praised Texas' fiscal restraint. Full Story
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TribLive: Williams on Guns in Schools
At this morning's TribLive conversation, Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams talked about possible legislation that would increase access to firearms for teachers and other school personnel. Full Story
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Ritter's Bills Would Put $2 Billion Toward Water Projects
State Rep. Allan Ritter, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, filed two bills on Thursday that would allocate $2 billion from Texas' Rainy Day Fund to create a fund for water-supply projects. It's the largest amount proposed to date. Full Story
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![Construction finishing on a two million gallon water tank in a 13,000-acre water well field owned by the Colorado River Municipal Water District near Wickett, Texas. The land and existing infrastructure, purchased from Luminant Generation using state funds, as well as newly constructed water wells and pipeline, can pump up to 30 million gallons of water out of the field a day.]()
Credit: Jerod Foster -
In Report, University History Departments Face Scrutiny
A new report questions the history course offerings at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, which could signal the return of contentious debate over what professors should be teaching the state's students. Full Story
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![University of Texas at Austin students pass by the Main Building on their way to and from classes.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa -
Immigration Lawyers: Thinking Small Can Also Help Generate Reform
Reform advocates are hoping for comprehensive changes to immigration policies, as President Obama has promised, but short of that, there are still plenty of ways to fix existing policies and arcane laws, they say. Full Story
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![Demonstrators march through the streets of downtown Dallas in 2010 to protest the passage of Arizona's controversial new immigration law.]()
Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller -
Interactive: Weighing Medicaid Expansion
As they contemplate whether to expand Medicaid, Texas lawmakers will weigh factors including enrollment growth, costs and savings, and the effects on the rate of insured. This interactive breaks down the numbers connected to those factors. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman / Becca Aaronson -
The Brief: Jan. 10, 2013
With lawmakers' plans for the legislative session still taking shape, state leaders on Wednesday touted one issue they've already made a priority: lowering taxes. Full Story
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![The Texas Senate on the opening day of the 83rd legislative session on Jan. 8, 2013.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Dewhurst: Set Money Aside for School Lawsuits
In a wide-ranging interview, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst talked about the state budget, education, immigration, water, transportation, and his hopes and plans for the legislative session that began this week. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on opening day of 83rd Legislative Session, Jan. 8, 2013]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Report: Investing in Drug Treatment Could Save State Millions of Dollars
A new report by the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition says that rather than throwing drug addicts in jail, the state should invest more money in substance abuse treatment, which it says could save millions of dollars and improve public safety. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Chuck Grimmett / Todd Wiseman -
After Positive Economic News, Push for Tax Cuts Emerges
Texas lawmakers may have $29 billion more to spend on the state budget this session than they did in 2011. Now, Gov. Rick Perry is floating the idea of tax cuts. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Fear of Violence Still Hurting Cross-Border Tourism
Officials on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border have reported a decrease in holiday season tourism, likely due to the persistent threat of Mexican drug violence. But Mexico's new president hopes to do something about that. Full Story
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![A view of the Texas-Mexico border from El Paso.]()
Credit: Robert Thomson -
State of Mind: Mental Health Funds the Focus for Harris County
With roughly a quarter of its huge jail population receiving psychotropic drugs or other treatment for mental illness, Harris County officials decided to do something different to address what they call a 'crisis' in their community. Full Story
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Credit: Justin Dehn / Todd Wiseman
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