Current law requires inmates to make a copayment of $3 per doctor visit. HB 26, by state Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Plano, seeks to offset some of the prison health care costs that taxpayers now absorb by requiring inmates in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to pay an annual fee of $100 if they use prison medical services.
June 2011
Posted in
Public Education
House Approves Key Education Bills
When the Senate passed her two signature education bills, Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, made an effort to keep her colleagues from weighing them down with extra amendments. The lower chamber took a different approach.
Posted inState Government
The Midday Brief: June 16, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Republicans reverse Democrats’ Rainy Day win; the Ten Best/Worst writers explain themselves; Perry polling in single digits in Texas survey
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Poll: Obama Almost as Popular as Perry in Texas
Likely voters in Texas approve of President Barack Obama almost as much as they approve of Gov. Rick Perry, according to the third and final release of poll results from the Texas Lyceum, a nonprofit, nonpartisan group of civic leaders.
Posted in
State Government
TribLive: Why Dewhurst Made the Ten Worst List
At this morning’s TribLive conversation, the authors of Texas Monthly’s biennial Best and Worst Legislators story explained why they put Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on the Ten Worst list.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: June 16, 2011
Gov. Rick Perry’s swing through the U.S. this week has left some Texas Democrats — still holed up in Austin — less than enthused.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Government Pay Update Completes UT System
We have a special update to the Tribune’s government employee salary database, adding recently acquired salary data from the last six agencies missing from the the University of Texas System, Texas Woman’s University and the Sabine River Authority.
Posted in
Public Education
Guest Column: An SBOE That Resists the Herd Mentality
Following a legislative session that sought more accountability, monitoring and oversight of public education, the capacities of the State Board of Education will be severely tested. The good news is that the board’s 15 members are up to the task.
Posted in
Public Education
Guest Column: Please, No More State Board of Embarrassment
The SBOE needs to think realistically and strategically about whom we serve and how we serve them. We need to keep children at the center of every last decision, big and small. And we need to put in place safeguards to keep us off The Daily Show.
Posted in
State Government
Lucio Asks Perry to Add Checkpoints to Agenda
A border lawmaker has written Gov. Rick Perry in the hopes of adding another item to the agenda for the current special session.