Many of the general election races are already decided, because redistricting made some districts unfavorable for one party or another. Use these maps of the Texas House, the state Senate and the U.S. House to see which districts are without major party candidates. Full Story
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At last Friday's quarterly meeting of the Texas Lyceum, I interviewed the energy magnate about his exit from the water business, the status of the Pickens Plan and Obama vs. Romney. Full Story
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As state officials prepare to take full control of the once federally funded Texas Women’s Health Program on Nov. 1, they’re running into a series of unexpected challenges, from rule changes to questions about funding. Full Story
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The state fire marshal on how he’ll implement the changes in a Texas Forensic Science Commission report, ideas for educating fire investigators and ways to bring more experts to the scene when arson occurs. Full Story
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Long lines and cautious optimism marked the first day of the application process for young illegal immigrants seeking a deportation reprieve. Full Story
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Rocio Hernandez and Rodrigo Morales couldn't wait to apply for deferred action, which if approved would allow them to stay in the country and work legally in Texas. They were among the first to apply in the state. Full Story
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In 2011, Texas drastically changed the way it regulates school district purchases of instructional materials. Last week, a new online marketplace opened, giving districts more than 100,000 options to exercise their newfound freedoms. Full Story
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Evan, Ross, Reeve and Morgan mull Mitt Romney's selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate, discuss the state of Texas schools and wonder what the shooting in College Station means for future gun legislation. Full Story
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A judge in Montgomery County plans to recommend that the state move forward with the execution of Larry Swearingen, who argues that science proves he is innocent of the 1998 murder for which he was condemned to die. Full Story
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Your evening reading: illegal immigrants line up for deportation deferrals; Rubio, in Houston, offers preview of convention speech; judge upholds Pennsylvania voter ID law Full Story
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Mexican poet Javier Sicilia will bring a caravan to Texas this month to publicly condemn American drug policies and Mexico's approach to fighting drug-related crime. Full Story
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Despite recent high-profile shootings in Texas and other states, advocates on all sides of the gun-control debate say there is little chance for change to gun laws. Full Story
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Marco Rubio's out of the vice presidential limelight, but not off the campaign trail, which on Wednesday takes him to Texas. Full Story
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College students hoping to have an easier time paying off their student loans may want to consider carefully which major they pursue, according to a new report prepared for the Legislature. Full Story
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By 2020, bullet trains might be transporting Texans between Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston in less than 90 minutes, if a private firm's plans to build the system without public funding come to fruition. Full Story
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Your evening reading: Hutchison responds to conservative critics; A&M trying to distance itself from shooting; state lawmakers debate additional tax for small tobacco companies Full Story
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The state House Ways and Means Committee heard discussion Tuesday on a possible extra tax on small tobacco companies to equalize what the big tobacco companies call a competitive advantage because of pricing. Full Story
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With move-in day less than one week away, Texas A&M University officials are working to address the fallout from Monday's deadly College Station shooting — even though it did not actually occur on campus. Full Story
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State officials are reporting more than 380 human cases of the West Nile virus in Texas so far this year — and no region has been harder hit than North Texas. Here’s an interactive look at reported West Nile cases and deaths by county. Full Story
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For this week's nonscientific survey of political and governmental insiders, we asked about the Senate in general and its two-thirds rule in particular, and about personal financial disclosures by public officials. Full Story
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