Contending that Texas is struggling to lure businesses, House lawmakers on Thursday gave initial approval to bill to quicken the pace at which regulators crank out permits for major industrial projects – by limiting public scrutiny. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott only made matters worse by wading into long-simmering paranoia over a military training exercise scheduled to begin this summer in Texas. He has asked the State Guard to keep an eye on the operation, a fascination of conspiracy theorists. Full Story
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The bill that helped spark last week's blowup between the state's top officials is suddenly moving in the Senate, despite fierce opposition from Tea Party conservatives. Full Story
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A controversial bill that would make it harder for homeowners and companies to recover certain damages from their insurance companies — cheered by the insurance industry and criticized by liberal groups and some businesses — cleared the Texas Senate on Thursday. Full Story
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State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, managed to add an amendment to a bill Thursday that would make it more difficult for some local entities to raise property taxes. Full Story
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The Texas House gave initial approval Thursday to a major boost in transportation funding from sales taxes, setting the stage for a showdown with the Senate over the best way to pay for Texas roads. Full Story
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The state Senate on Thursday gave the green light to a proposal to designate one weekend a year when Texas shoppers would not have to pay sales tax on guns. Full Story
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At issue is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a stockpile of over 700 million barrels of crude oil stored in Texas and Louisiana. Congressional lawmakers are uncertain of the reserve's role in an age of abundance. Full Story
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State Sen. John Whitmire is asking questions about a program for at-risk youths run by the Texas Military Department where more than half of the applicants are truant students referred by justice of the peace courts or from the schools themselves. Full Story
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A Texas House committee on Thursday considered a pair of bills taking aim at the state film incentives program. One would block state grants for films and video games containing adult content. Another would abolish the program altogether. Full Story
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A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Thursday called for the repeal of a state program that requires drivers convicted of certain traffic offenses to pay annual surcharges to keep their driver's licenses. Full Story
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The rate of Texans without health insurance has fallen 8 percentage points since enrollment began in the federal Affordable Care Act, according to a new study. Full Story
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In this week's episode of The Ticket, a co-production of the Tribune and KUT, Jay and Ben break down the presidential campaign announcement speech of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and talk with Mathew Dowd, who directed George W. Bush's 2004 re-election campaign. Full Story
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Full video of my 4/30 conversation with state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and a candidate for Houston mayor. Full Story
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On day one of our spring membership drive, we're hoping to sign up 100 new members by 7 p.m. Fingers crossed that you'll not only help us reach that lofty number but exceed it. Full Story
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Dallas-based Teladoc is fighting tooth and nail to stop an impending rule change by the Texas Medical Board that could undermine the company's business model of having doctors consult with patients over the phone or internet. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: No change in passing rates since introduction of STAAR test, Obama stresses education as a response to Baltimore unrest and an interview with Colleen Reutebuch of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk at the University of Texas at Austin. Full Story
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Business-friendly Texas still isn't quite friendly enough, Republican lawmakers say, and they're pushing legislation to curtail public input and speed up permits issued by state environmental regulators. Full Story
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A gathering of Hispanic evangelicals in Houston on Wednesday attracted two Republicans eyeing a run for the White House who repeated positions on immigration that have gotten them in hot water with party conservatives. Full Story
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At a conference for Hispanic evangelicals Wednesday, two White House hopefuls straddled the line on immigration, illustrating the GOP's challenge in reconciling views on what the federal government should do with millions of people in the country illegally. Full Story
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