UPDATED: As debates over gun control intensify across the nation, state senators on Tuesday tentatively approved a measure allowing Gov. Rick Perry to offer economic incentives to gun manufacturers that want to move to Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/28/txtrib-Guns-CCR002.jpg)
The strong message sent by Texas lawmakers to UT System regents about their plan to pay for an external review of UT-Austin is summed up in the first song on this week's news-based playlist: Sister Hazel's "Change Your Mind." Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/02/11/Pitts-Dewhurst.jpg)
This week in the Newsreel: The Legislature makes progress on key education and water bills; Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, is busted for barratry; and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst bares his partisan teeth. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/032913_ART_newsreel.jpg)
Aaronson on a new front in the war over abortion, Aguilar on narco cinema, Batheja on budget riders, Galbraith and Henry of StateImpact Texas on fracking and wastewater wells, Grissom on the Norwood verdict, Hamilton on the Texas Senate vs. the UT regents, Murphy and Galbraith update their app tracking Texas reservoir levels, Ramsey on the battle of St. Augustine, Ramshaw on bipartisan support for transparency, Rocha on a state lawmaker's arrest, my sit-down with the UT and A&M system chancellors and M. Smith on the passage of sweeping education legislation: The best of our best content from March 25-29, 2013. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/29/TribWeek3-25.jpg)
Your evening reading: Castros to deliver rebuttal to Republicans on Medicaid expansion; Texas politicians denounce Alaska congressman's use of racial slur; business and labor close to deal on immigration reform Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e42843334f302d92cd13d725910e45e0/DO%20NOT%20USE%20Castro%20Twins%2001%202011)
UPDATED: U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, and his twin, San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro, will hold their own event at the Capitol on Monday to promote the Medicaid expansion provision of federal health reform. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/27/perry-cornyn-cruz.jpg)
Texas added 80,600 new jobs in February, but the state's unemployment rate still increased slightly to 6.8 percent. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Unemployment-JobHunt.jpg)
State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, the Republican chairwoman of the House Public Health Committee, gives a whiteboard math lesson in this video posted by Gov. Rick Perry's office. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/_KCA0785.jpg)
Full video of my 3/28 TribLive conversation with University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/ChancellorsshakeCMS.jpg)
Gov. Rick Perry torments Democrats and disparages trial lawyers, but he likes Aggies. Even if they're Democratic trial lawyers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/28/Anthony-Buzbee.jpg)
Multiple amendments to the budget pre-filed by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, would limit the spending authority of the University of Texas System regents. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d2a4d9e50410a38e87e25a2e56824b20/BD%20INC%20Pitts%20381%202011)
The state House this week passed legislation that would alter the courses students must take to receive a high school diploma. The bill has drawn mixed reactions from education experts, some of whom are worried about the effects on minority students. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/VOUCHERS1152.jpg)
State Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, has filed legislation that would encourage Texas educators to learn how to help the state's estimated 1 million public school students struggling with mental illnesses. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/01/untitled-006-2.jpg)
As the water-intensive practice of fracking continues to spread, the amount of wastewater being buried in disposal wells around Texas has skyrocketed. But the wells bring concerns about truck traffic and the possibility of groundwater contamination. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/28/WaterFracking-Wells.jpg)
Austin has become a growing market for Mexican narco cinema, hastily made films inspired by the cartels. The videos are popular in Austin partly because of the city's increasing population of Hispanic immigrants and Texas’ proximity to Mexico, where the movies are made. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/28/TxTrib-CartelMovies001.jpg)
As he weighs his political future, Gov. Rick Perry faces an unfamiliar behind-the-scenes challenge. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/60e61b93654a828a98b18e5a92d1b725/BD%20INC%20Perry%20Capitol%20Reflect%202012)
Though a payday lender group says the industry supports some regulation, consumer advocates worry that a measure intended to protect low-income Texans from predatory loans has been so watered down that it would allow unfair practices to continue. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PayDayLoans.jpg)
Your evening reading: Perry urges TxDOT to fund airports; ethics complaint filed over Gohmert parking ticket altercation; Cruz featured in new Palin video Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f82457135b77862e84ece46e397ead30/BD%20INC%20Perry%20Speaks-%20Drug%20Test%20Conference%202012)
At this morning's TribLive conversation, University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp talked about the per-student decline in state funding of higher education and whether excellence is achievable on a lean budget. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Chancellors106CMS_1.jpg)
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa discussed the roiling conflict between the Board of Regents and UT-Austin President Bill Powers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Chancellors072TT_copy.jpg)