In light of the improved economic forecast announced recently by the state comptroller, education advocates are asking for more money to go to Texas’ public education system — the state’s preschools included.
2013
Posted in
State Government
The Brief: Jan. 14, 2013
Vanquished in his fight to unseat House Speaker Joe Straus, state Rep. David Simpson isn’t backing down.
Posted in
Bidness As Usual
News App: Exploring Lawmakers’ Personal Financial Interests
The Lawmaker Explorer is a first-of-its-kind interactive tool that gives Texans a window into the personal interests of their state legislators. It is the linchpin of the Tribune’s Bidness as Usual project, a session-long look at ethics and transparency in the Texas Legislature.
Posted in
Bidness As Usual
A Part-Time Legislature, but in Whose Interest?
With a lacking conflict disclosure system, virtually toothless ethics laws and a Legislature historically unwilling to make itself more transparent, Texans know little about who or what influences the people elected to represent them.
Posted in
State Government
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Opening Days
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.
Posted in
Higher Education
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
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.
Posted in
State Government
David Simpson: The TT Interview
On Friday afternoon, the Republican state representative from Longview talked about why he ran for speaker, the real reason he quit the race and what happens next.
Posted inState Government
The Evening Brief: Jan. 11, 2013
Your evening reading: Dewhurst wants state to fund firearms training for teachers; judge denies Planned Parenthood’s appeal to rejoin health program; Patterson says he could beat Dewhurst in 2014
Posted in
Public Education
Dewhurst: Texas Should Fund Teacher Firearms Training
In the wake of the Connecticut school shooting, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called Friday for the state to consider funding specialized firearms training for school employees.
Posted in
Energy
Lawmakers Talk of Bold Measures This Session
Momentum is growing for Texas lawmakers to commit large amounts of money to address the state’s long-term infrastructure needs, particularly water and transportation.