Vol 31, Issue 22 Print Issue

The Week in the Rearview Mirror

Republicans began gathering in Fort Worth for their state convention. Aside from the open-carry activists outside, the initial focus fell on the work of the platform committee, which was reworking language from two years ago on immigration reform. In addition, a plank on homosexuality was being reworked after a gay GOP group, the Log Cabin Republicans, was denied a booth at the convention.

Attorney General Greg Abbott asked the presiding judge in the challenge to the state's school finance system to recuse himself. At question, according to Abbott, are emails sent by District Judge John Dietz to attorneys working for the school districts challenging the state. Dietz declined the request and now the matter will go to San Antonio Judge David Peeples.

President Barack Obama issued an order to dramatically slash carbon dioxide emissions from the country's power plants. The action is expected to have a large impact in Texas because the state is the nation's largest emitter of the greenhouse gas.

A recommendation from the state's Sunset Advisory Commission to shutter six of Texas' 13 state-supported living centers has reopened a giant divide in the disability community that had seemed to narrow in recent years. Singled out for closure was the Austin center, which could shutter by August 2017.

Political People and their Moves

Harvey Aikman of Mission was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for a term to expire Jan. 1, 2015.

Henry Porretto of Galveston was reappointed by Perry to the Board of Pilot Commissioners for Galveston County Ports for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2018.

Perry appointed four members — Jesse Barba of McAllen, Luis De La Garza of Laredo, Laurie Fontana of Houston and Brian Padden of Austin — to the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board for terms to expire Jan. 31, 2016.

Ann Bishop will step down as executive director of the Employees Retirement System of Texas after the 2015 legislative session, finishing what will be a more than decade-long tenure at the helm of the agency. A national search will be conducted to find a replacement who will serve alongside Bishop during next session to ease the transition in leadership.

Deaths: Grace Garcia, executive director of Annie's List, in a car crash in Waxahachie. She previously served as a senior advisor in the U.S. State Department under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She also worked as a scheduler in the Clinton White House.