The kickoff of the 83rd legislative session packed few surprises. The Texas Senate voted on rules, Joe Straus won without breaking a sweat, Comptroller Susan Combs announced the state budget forecast and Gov. Rick Perry laid out his priorities for the 140-day session. Full Story
Batheja on growing calls for infrastructure spending, Dehn and Rocha report on voters’ legislative wishes, Murphy counts noses in the new Legislature, KUT’s Philpott sniffs out a push for tax relief, M. Smith tracks House Speaker Joe Straus after his re-election, Kalifa’s lovely time-lapse look at the Legislature’s first day, Aaronson on the Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on hopes for immigration reform, Grissom on the tribulations of Kerry Max Cook, Hamilton looks into a college curriculum battle, and E. Smith’s TribLive interview with Michael Williams: The best of our best for the week of Jan. 7, 2013. Full Story