Bill filing is under way and Murphy and Swicegood built a tracker for all that legislation. Ramshaw reports on the whether Texas will implement federal health care provisions. Root reports on the conservative trial lawyer who wants to be speaker of the House and E. Smith snags Bryan Hughes for a TribLive interview. M. Smith reports on the laws behind the school finance fight, Grissom on a state prisoner who’s hoping for the acquittal given to her co-defendants, Galbraith on Austin’s dalliance with fossil fuel producers, Batheja on the first volleys over the state’s next budget and Aaronson on the blowback against state Medicaid investigations: The best of our best from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, 2012.
November 2012
Posted inState Government
The Evening Brief: Nov. 16, 2012
Your evening reading: Cruz says Romney “French-kissed” Obama; new Super PAC formed to help Republicans on immigration; Obama administration rejects Perry’s request for renewable fuel waiver
Posted in
Demographics
New U.S.-Mexico Cargo Agreement on Horizon
Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S. said Thursday that a new initiative would let certain Mexican cargo trucks bound for America be inspected south of the border and be allowed to circumvent lines at U.S. ports of entry.
Posted in
State Government
Guest Column: The Case for Joe Straus
Larson: The conservative House has a conservative speaker, and there’s no reason to change leaders.
Posted in
State Government
TribLive: A Conversation with Bryan Hughes
Full video of my 11/15 TribLive conversation with state Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, a declared candidate for speaker of the Texas House.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Father Cleared of Murder Charges Asks Why His Daughter is Still in Prison
Megan Winfrey has watched as her father and brother were released from jail because the dog-scent evidence used in the murder case against them was deemed faulty. But she remains in prison, awaiting a ruling on her plea for acquittal.
Posted in
Health care
Medicaid Providers Push Back on Fraud Inquiries
Medical providers are speaking out against the state’s Medicaid fraud investigations, saying the investigations are crippling innocent businesses and impacting patient care. Investigators say they only target providers when there’s credible evidence.
Posted in
Public Education
Defining “Adequate” in Financing Texas Schools
Since 1984, Texas has faced six lawsuits over public school funding. Over the years, a chorus of conservative voices has posed another fix for the school finance problem: Why not just change the duties under the state Constitution?
Posted inState Government
The Brief: Nov. 16, 2012
With national Republican leaders recuperating and reassessing after last week’s election, a humbled John Cornyn has followed suit.
Posted in
Congress
Cornyn: Senate Losses Cause for Party to “Reflect”
Some are arguing Sen. John Cornyn is now vulnerable in his race to become the second in command in the US Senate, given the number of key Republican seats lost Tuesday night. Others cite outside factors for the unexpected outcomes.
