Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst

Border lawmakers who oppose Gov. Rick Perry's call to abolish “sanctuary cities” in Texas are misinterpreting his stance on the issue, according to his aides.

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Leaders from school districts across Texas had tough words for lawmakers as they gathered this morning to denounce the "devastating" cuts to state public education funding.

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Attorney General Greg Abbot on Jan. 31, 2011, speaking about Texas' lawsuit against federal health care reform.

A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — the federal health care reform that was signed into law in March — is unconstitutional, largely because it forces all Americans to purchase insurance. 

Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

Senators gather in Texas Senate well as they discuss SB 14 Voter ID January 26th, 2011

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst appointed senators to committees late this afternoon

Enlarge photo by: Caleb Bryant Miller

A demonstrator marches through the streets of downtown Dallas to protest the passage of Arizona's controversial new immigration law.

Gov. Rick Perry’s request that lawmakers work to abolish “sanctuary cities” in Texas could potentially increase crime in spots across the border from Mexico, according to lawmakers who met in El Paso today to denounce the governor’s request.

Enlarge photo by: Julian Aguilar

Thousands of motorists wait in line on the southernmost stretch of IH-35 in Laredo, Texas. Despite a global recession and escalating violence in Mexico thousands of "paisanos" still made the trek south for Christmas. As the hours passed, however, their concerns about traveling Mexico's highways at night grew. A recent prison break in Nuevo Laredo didn't help soothe their fears about bandits lurking on the roadways. "We might have to get a hotel here," said one traveler.

In case you were planning any trips to violence-ridden Mexico, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety says don't — again.

Lawmakers have proposed cutting Medicaid provider rates 10 percent to help meet the state's budget crisis. But health care groups suggest the cuts are far deeper.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams joined The Texas Tribune's Evan Smith for a TribLive event this morning in Austin. Williams made it official that he's running for the U.S. Senate in 2012.

As expected, the Texas Senate approved the controversial voter ID bill on Wednesday. Next, the measure will move to the Republican-dominated House, where it is also expected to pass easily.

Disability rights advocates filed a class-action lawsuit today claiming that six Texas officials, including Gov. Rick Perry, violated the rights of more than 4,200 residents in state-supported living centers.

Late Tuesday, in what was a foregone conclusion, the Texas Senate passed its version of voter ID legislation out of the chamber's committee of the whole.

Criminal justice in Texas got a fourfold performance review from the Legislative Budget Board today. From incarceration projections to the cost per bed for prisoners, the board broke down the state's public safety performance in cold, hard numbers. 

Some of the 1.2 million Texas drivers whose licenses have been suspended because they failed to pay expensive traffic ticket surcharges can catch a big break right now from the Department of Public Safety.

Most of the drama was saved for another day in the Texas Senate after the first installment of the planned debate over the contentious voter ID bill was postponed. Senate Democrats did their best, however, to derail Republicans’ attempts to fast track the issue, which Gov. Rick Perry declared an emergency item last week.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announced he will name the Senate's committees on Thursday or Friday of this week, with one exception. He wants the Senate Finance Committee to get going right away, and named that panel this afternoon.