The ideological partnership of the raucous Tea Party movement and fiscally conservative Texas Republicans has dominated the agenda of the state lawmaking session that is sputtering to an end.
May 2011
Posted in
Politics
A Meandering Route to a Congressional Redistricting Map
When it comes to congressional redistricting in Texas, inaction is louder than words.
Posted in
Inside Intelligence
Inside Intelligence: The Political Climate is…
For the latest installment of our unscientific survey of political and policy insiders, we asked some questions about the political atmosphere in Texas, about the job performance of leaders and institutions and about whether immigration is good or bad for the country right now.
Posted in
Health care
Cliffhanger
The media (and we do include ourselves, thanks) loves the sort of legislative or political story line that goes like a cliffhanger episode of a TV show. And the Lege always seems to provide at least one during the session. Will they finish in time? Will they fail and go into overtime?
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas A&M System Bidding for Biosecurity Center
The Texas A&M University System announced a bid today to become one of the nation’s key centers for defense against infectious diseases and other biological threats.
Posted inHigher Education
Interactive: 2006-2010 TEXAS Grant Distributions
The Texas Legislature created the TEXAS (Towards EXcellence, Access and Success) Grant program in 1999 to make higher education more accessible to students from low-income families. Check out the interactive to see how much in TEXAS Grants funding has been allocated to the state’s 94 public colleges and universities between 2006 and 2010.
Posted in
Economy
Anxious High School Seniors Await Word on College Grants
Thousands of Texas students have been forced to put their college plans on hold as the Legislature, working on the state budget, determines what level of funding there will be for TEXAS Grants, the state’s principal financial aid program for financially needy college students.
Posted in
Economy
The Budget: Where Everything Stands
Where did the time go? Texas legislators are a mere nine days away from the end of the session and still have to finish work on several bills to finish up their budget for the two-year period that starts September 1.
Posted in
Health care
Video: Why Hughes Opposed the Smoking Ban
Late Friday night, the Texas House tentatively approved a statewide ban on smoking in public places by a vote of 73-66. State Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Marshall, explains why he voted against the measure.
Posted in
State Government
Video: What About Congressional Redistricting?
Lawmakers may be getting to the congressional maps a little late, but state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, the chair of the Senate redistricting committee, says they’re going to do everything they can until the very last minute to get as far as they can.