Tea Party leaders are already hard at work on a legislative agenda built around transparency and paring back government tax and economic incentive programs aimed at promoting economic development.
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Also, freshman Hurd scores a rare subcommittee chairmanship, and Empower Texans will factor the speaker vote in its legislative scorecard.
Full StoryThis week in the Newsreel: Will regents at Texas A&M University rename a building after Gov. Rick Perry? The unofficial nose counting in the race for speaker of the House looks to be in favor of Joe Straus.
Full StoryFor this week’s non-scientific survey of insiders in politics and government — the last one of 2014 — we asked for impressions of Gov. Rick Perry, who leaves office next month after 14 years on the job.
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Key meetings and events for the coming week.
Full StoryJack Stick's verbal resignation last Friday as top lawyer at the Health and Human Services Commission has not quelled controversy over Stick's involvement in awarding a $110 million no-bid contract to detect Medicaid fraud. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, on Thursday asked the state's public integrity unit to investigate. On Wednesday, HHSC canceled another smaller contract awarded on a similar no-bid basis from the Department of Family and Protective Services to help caseworkers find information on families under investigation.
Gov. Rick Perry decided against having the Academic Building at his alma mater, Texas A&M University, named after him. The proposal to change the name of the historic building had spurred opposition. Perry said in a Thursday address at the university's convocation ceremony that "certain places on this campus ... transcend any one individual."
President Barack Obama's decision to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba could help revive trade between Texas and the Caribbean island nation. In the last five years, red tape has slowed Texas exports to Cuba and some hope the change in federal policy will help restore robust levels of trade.
U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia last Friday declined to lift a stay that is preventing same-sex marriage in Texas, writing that a temporary lifting of the ban would create further "confusion and doubt."
Austin voters chose Steve Adler to lead the city, handing him an easy win in a Tuesday runoff for mayor against Councilman Mike Martinez. The election was also significant for ushering in a new single-member district system for the city.
U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold's office is facing a lawsuit in which a former staffer has alleged sexual harassment. A spokesman for the Corpus Christi Republican has denied the accusations, but operatives are mulling what could happen to the congressman on Capitol Hill.
A bill filed Monday could create a financial incentive for students to become mental health care providers. The legislation by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, would create a loan reimbursement program for certain licensed mental health workers who assist the underserved.
Gov. Rick Perry is asking to address a joint session of the Legislature one more time before he leaves office. Once a common practice, the custom of an outgoing address has fallen out of fashion. The last governor to make such a speech was Mark White in 1987.
Disclosure: Texas A&M University is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. Steve Adler is a major donor and former board chairman of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus has been chosen to serve as vice chairman of the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC) in 2015. The national organization's focus is on electing more Republicans to state legislatures.
Sarah Saldaña has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She served most recently as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Land Commissioner-elect George P. Bush has named the members of his government relations team. Jim Darwin will serve as federal and veterans liaison. Don Forse, Jackie King and Molly Quirk will serve as legislative liaisons. Anna Lisa Montoya will serve as legislative coordinator.
Shawn Saladin of Edinburg was named by Gov. Rick Perry to the board of the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) for a term to expire Jan. 31, 2017.
Michael Hanley of Leander was named by Perry to the board of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) for a term to expire Jan. 1, 2017.
Rob Looney, who spent 26 years at the Texas Oil & Gas Association and nearly all of them leading the organization, has landed at Austin-based law firm Beatty Bangle Strama PC.
Martin Hubert has been hired as vice president and counsel for the Austin office of Cornerstone Government Affairs. His most recent service was as deputy comptroller. He has also worked at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Department of Agriculture and as general counsel to then-Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock.
Mark M. Ellison is leaving Perry's office of economic development and tourism to join IDE Americas, Inc. as regional director of sales. Ellison, who has been with Perry "off and on" since 1991, starts his new job Jan. 3. He will continue to be based in Austin.
Ryan Streeter has been named director of the Center for Politics and Governance at The University of Texas at Austin. He most recently served as deputy chief of staff for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and also spent time as an adviser in the George W. Bush White House. His first day is Jan. 2.
Mia McCord is joining the consulting firm of Sabrina T. Brown. McCord was most recently chief of staff for state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills. She begins work on Jan. 1.
Disclosure: The Center for Politics and Governance at UT-Austin is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.
