Legislative Budget Board Rosters Set, for Now
Also, Zaffirini loses her spot on the board with broad responsibility for formulating the budget
Full StoryAlso, Zaffirini loses her spot on the board with broad responsibility for formulating the budget
Full StoryAnother gubernatorial candidate files a "notable" fundraising report.
Full StoryThis week in the Newsreel: Abbott and Davis are at odds over fundraising figures, and the fight over unaccompanied migrant children mounts.
Full StoryFor this week’s nonscientific survey of insiders in politics and government, we asked about chemicals, workers’ comp and migrant children in Texas.
Full StoryKey meetings and events for the coming week.
Full StoryAbbott, even if he were to not raise another dime during the second half of 2014, would still have enough money to run a very competitive campaign in the fall, whereas Davis does not have enough money to run a high-level campaign during the month of October.
Rice University political scientist Mark Jones on the significance of Greg Abbott's cash-on-hand advantage in the governor's race
It tastes the same as Wichita Falls water always has. It’s not really good tasting water … That’s why most people have always had bottled water in their homes.
Katherine Smith of Wichita Falls, on the city's introduction of treated wastewater to help deal with a historic drought
The state of Texas, as it has in redistricting cycles since 1970, adopted maps that discriminated against its citizens.
U.S. Department of Justice Attorney Bryan Sells, during opening statements at the latest round of the legal challenge to electoral maps enacted by the Legislature in 2011
You’re not supposed to be taking a bunch of selfies and freaking people out at the doughnut shop. These guys are just jackwagons.
Barry Kooda, organizer of Dallas' Open Carry Guitar Rally, criticizing open carry activists' decision to take long arms into businesses such as Chipotle
The sheep have done a really good job of keeping it nice.
Sara Krueger of OCI Solar on the decision to use the wooly landscaping crew to keep the grass down around a 45-acre solar farm northeast of San Antonio
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst filled the long-standing vacancy at the head of the Senate Finance Committee, naming Jane Nelson to the post. She is now positioned to be one of the lead budget writers in the 2015 legislative session. She succeeds Tommy Williams, who left in October for a job with Texas A&M University.
The two major-party candidates for governor — Republican Greg Abbott and Democrat Wendy Davis — released their latest campaign finance numbers with each claiming historic numbers. Abbott said the $35.6 million sitting in his campaign's account is a record sum for any gubernatorial candidate, while Davis said the $27 million raised by her campaign this election cycle is unmatched by any Democrat.
The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday — for the second time — that the University of Texas at Ausin may use race as an element of its admissions decisions for candidates not admitted via the state's top 10 percent law. Attorneys for the plaintiff, Abigail Fisher, said they planned to appeal the ruling.
After a lengthy hearing on Wednesday, a co-chair of the House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations said members were "very close" to reaching a consensus on what to do about UT Regent Wallace Hall.
Voters will decide whether Denton will become the state's first city to ban hydraulic fracturing after the City Council rejected a proposal to ban the method of oil and gas extraction.
Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.
House Speaker Joe Straus named three legislators — Drew Darby, R-San Angelo; John Otto, R-Dayton; and John Zerwas, R-Simonton — to spots on the Legislative Budget Board. They replace three members — Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie; Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville; and Dan Branch, R-Dallas — who will not be returning to the Legislature in January.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst named three senators — Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound; Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls; and Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler — to join Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa on the LBB.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is promoting Ranger Wende Wakeman to the rank of lieutenant, which would make her the highest-ranking female in Texas Ranger history. The promotion is effective Aug. 1.
Wesley "Scott" Smith of Murphy was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Funeral Service Commission for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2017.
Perry has appointed 12 members to the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities. They are Joe Bontke of Houston (chairman); Marilou Fowler of Katy; Rames Gonzalez Jr. of Palmview; Linda Millstone of Austin; David Ondich of Fort Worth; and Shawn Saladin of Edinburg for terms to expire Feb. 1, 2015. Aaron W. Bangor of Austin; Rodolfo "Rudy" Becerra Jr. of Nacogdoches; Heather Griffith of Fort Worth; Faye Kuo of Austin; Margaret Larsen of Austin; and Marco Trevino of Edinburg for terms to expire Feb. 1, 2016.