The Texas House voted Tuesday to use $212 million from the Rainy Day Fund, a savings account largely fed by oil and gas production taxes, to decrease premiums and deductibles for retired teachers in the state-run health insurance program.
August 2017
Posted inState Government
The Brief: Legislature divided over retired teachers’ health care
The House and Senate are trying to agree on how to pump $212 million into an unfunded health insurance program for more than 1 million retired teachers in the state.
Posted inState Government
With retired teachers’ health care at stake, legislators clash on fixes
The House and the Senate are figuring out whether they can compromise on exactly how to put $212 million into an underfunded health insurance program for retired teachers. Teachers say they’ll take their frustration to the polls.
Posted in
Public Education
When school’s out, rural Texas towns struggle to feed their hungry kids
In East Texas, 86-year-old Clara Crawford shuttles kids to a summer meal program at the local community center. In the Panhandle, Kay Calvert and a group of volunteers want to revive a similar program in tiny Quitaque.
Posted in
Economy
U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway staking legacy on passing politically tricky farm bill
As he escorted fellow congressmen across West Texas this week, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway was laying the groundwork for passing a massive piece of legislation next year that thousands of farmers in his district are counting on.
Posted in
TribCast
Special session update, Rick Perry and Dawnna Dukes (podcast)
On this week’s TribCast, Aman talks to Evan, Ross and Patrick about how the special session might end now that we’re at the halfway point and reports that Rick Perry might be Trump’s next head of Homeland Security. Plus, an update on Dawnna Dukes’ corruption case.
Posted in
State Government
Lawmakers take aim at Abbott on ethics reform, but he fires back
A bipartisan group of lawmakers called on Gov. Greg Abbott Wednesday to add ethics reform to the agenda of the special session. The governor’s office, in a rare rapid response, quickly attacked the effort as “showboating.”
Posted in
Higher Education
What it means for Texas colleges if Trump targets affirmative action
There’s not much room in federal law for the U.S. Department of Justice to target Texas schools for the use of affirmative action, but a lawsuit pending in state court could spell trouble for race-conscious admissions at the University of Texas at Austin.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
U.S. Rep. Will Hurd gets first major Democratic challenger for 2018
Gina Ortiz Jones, a former Air Force intelligence officer, is launching a bid against U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, who is widely viewed as the most vulnerable Republican member of Congress from Texas.
Posted in
Politics
Report: Trump considering Perry for secretary of Homeland Security
A new report says Rick Perry is in consideration to lead the Department of Homeland Security.