Gov. Rick Perry, in office since December 2000, won’t say until June whether he wants to run for another term in 2014. Almost everybody in Texas politics is waiting as if their futures depend on it.
April 2013
Posted inState Government
The Brief: April 22, 2013
Immigration reform is threatening to turn the amity between Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio into a rivalry.
Posted in
Public Education
Seeking to Pare State Exams, Lawmakers Take Aim at Testing Firm
As the Texas Legislature looks to overhaul the state’s standardized testing program amid outcry from parents and school leaders, state lawmakers have focused their criticism on the company that develops the tests.
Posted inState Government
The Playlist: Hard Times
It has been an undeniably rough week, from the Boston Marathon bombings to the devastating fertilizer plant explosion in West. In light of those and other tragedies, our news-inspired playlist begins with Eastmountainsouth’s version of “Hard Times.”
Posted in
Public Education
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Testing, Texting, Taxes
In this edition of the Newsreel: A Senate committee approves an education bill cutting some current requirements for high school diplomas, the House wants to make texting and driving a crime, and the governor calls for tax cuts.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson tracks the latest on Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on lawmakers’ openness to driving permits for non-citizens, Batheja on surprising support for higher state spending, Root and Galbraith on the state’s search for answers after the West explosion, M. Smith covers the debate over high school standards, Grissom finds a shadow payroll at the Capitol, Hamilton on the man with a plan at UT, Rocha spots a special deal for lawmakers accused of crimes, KUT’s Philpott on obstacles to road funding and Ramshaw on the privileges of legislative membership: The best of our best for the week of April 15-19, 2013.
Posted in
Politics
Agenda Texas: The Twitter Lobby
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Plenty of lobbyists are running around the Capitol during the legislative session, but as we enter the digital age, more of the lobbying is taking place on social media.
Posted inState Government
The Evening Brief: April 19, 2013
Your evening reading: in surprise, Perry presses House to break spending cap; regulations in spotlight after West explosion; State Board of Education urges Legislature to reject vouchers
Posted in
Energy
West Explosion Raises Regulatory Questions
As investigators search for the cause of the explosion, environmentalists said that the situation highlighted lax regulations in Texas for plants handling dangerous chemicals — especially those located near schools.
Posted in
Higher Education
TribCast Plus: Complete College Texas
In a special TribCast, Reeve talks with Complete College America President Stan Jones, former UT System Regents Chairman James Huffines and former Texas State University System Chancellor Charles Matthews about a new report on college completions.