The Midday Brief: May 19, 2011

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "Gov. Rick Perry said this morning that he has been 'kind of pushing people' to come together on a budget deal and suggested that only $850 million separates legislative leaders. 'I hope, and I think, that cool heads will prevail and that we won't stumble over the House and the Senate not coming together,' he said." — Perry: Legislative Budget Leaders "Very, Very Close" to Deal

• "Amid the budget drama of the day, senators had a few moments of levity when they brought up the 'noodling' bill, which would legalize the practice of hand-fishing for catfish." — Senate OKs Legalizing "Noodling"

• "He may have pulled the plug on 'sanctuary cities' legislation yesterday, but Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, said today he still supports it — even if he considers his own homeland security legislation a higher priority." — Williams Explains Move That Gutted HB 12

Your afternoon reading:

• "Who wins when the House and Senate conveniently lock up over funding the budget and a special session is necessary? Not the public schools. This Legislature will never be generous in its spending. Not health and human services agencies, for the same reason. The big winner is … gambling." — Conspiracy theory, BurkaBlog

• "An attempt to keep secret the exact hotels, meals and other travel costs of the governor's security officers appears to be dying in the Legislature." — Bill to keep governor's security travel costs secret fizzles, Trail Blazers

• "Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said he was working toward a budget agreement this afternoon that could resolve the standoff between House and Senate." — Dewhurst: Budget talks moving in right direction, Postcards

• "The Senate this morning passed a bill rescinding the requirement that Texas restaurants display a poster showing how to perform the Heimlich maneuver to save choking victims." — Senate passes Heimlich poster bill, Postcards