Cruz Aide Leading New Political Action Committee
The campaign manager for Ted Cruz’s successful 2012 Senate bid, John Drogin, will run a new political action committee that endorsed the senator on its first day in operation Thursday. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to supporters with his father Rafael, his wife Heidi and their children outside his new presidential campaign headquarters in Houston on March 31, 2015.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato -
Analysis: A Senate Trying to Regulate Its Own Spending Habits
The Texas Senate wants to limit growth in the state budget — by adding a fifth spending limit to state law. Full Story
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![State Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, speaking at the Texas Public Policy Foundation legislative orientation session on Jan. 7, 2015.]()
Credit: Robin Daemmrich -
Interactive: Where Undocumented Students Pay In-State Tuition
Just 2 percent of students enrolled in an institution of higher education in Texas are undocumented and pay in-state tuition — and most of them attend community college. Check out these students' enrollment by campus. Full Story
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Credit: Michael Stravato -
State Readies for Court Battle in New Orleans
Two months after a Brownsville-based federal judge halted President Obama's immigration program, attorneys for Texas will try to convince a three-judge panel at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to keep it on hold. Full Story
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![President Obama talked about the U.S. economy in a speech on July 10, 2014, at the Paramount Theatre in Austin.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
New in Trib+Edu: Early Education Bill Passes House
In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: A key early education bill passes the Texas House, rethinking the role of school librarian and an interview with Christopher McCarthy, an educational psychology professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Jacob Villanueva -
The Brief: April 16, 2015
For all the talk about undocumented immigrants qualifying for in-state tuition at Texas colleges and universities, it turns out that these students make up a very small portion of the college-going population. Full Story
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![Students arrive in caps & gowns to Texas Capitol on April 6th, 2015. The Senate sub-committee on border security will listen to testimony on SB #1819 relating to determination of resident status of students by public institutions of higher education]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Cruz Nets $4.3M With Help of Texas' Top GOP Donors
In early campaign fundraising, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is adding some deep-pocketed Texas donors to the loyal base of small givers backing his presidential bid. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to supporters with his father Rafael, left, and wife Heidi, back, outside his new presidential campaign headquarters in Houston on Tuesday, March 31, 2015.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato -
Lawmaker Says Death Penalty Could End if Drug Suppliers Revealed
If the names of the compounding pharmacies providing execution drugs to Texas officials are made public, it could end the death penalty, state Rep. John Smithee told a house committee on Wednesday. Full Story
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![The view of Texas' execution chamber from a witness viewing room.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
"Parent Trigger" School Bill Clears Texas Senate
If a public school isn't getting the job done, parents would have greater power to demand changes under legislation passed by the Texas Senate on Wednesday. Full Story
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Universities Plead for Help With Hazlewood
School officials say the cost of providing free tuition for veterans and their dependents is growing at an unsustainable pace. Lawmakers in the House are considering tweaks to the law. Full Story
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Credit: Spc. Karen Kozub -
Lawmakers Consider End-of-Life Care for Pregnant Women
The family of the late Marlise Muñoz, a pregnant Fort Worth woman who in 2013 was kept on life support against her family’s wishes, asked state lawmakers on Wednesday to help prevent other families from going through similar trauma. Full Story
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![Erick Muñoz, widow of Marlise Muñoz, speaks during a press conference at Texas Capitol, where "Marlise's Law" was introduced on March 12, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Senators Approve Partial Consolidation of Health Agencies
The Texas Senate on Wednesday tentatively approved a measure to partially consolidate the state’s massive health and human services system. Full Story
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Analysis: Abbott Wants a Tax Cut Without Picking Sides on Proposals
As the House and Senate continue their "robust discussion" over whether to cut sales or property taxes, Gov. Greg Abbott touted his own preference, along with a way to avoid the fight: business tax cuts, along with whatever legislators decide. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott holds a press conference with Ellen Wood, president and CEO of vcfo on his plans to greatly reduce the Texas business franchise tax, on April 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Abbott Refuses to Take Sides on Tax Cuts
Gov. Greg Abbott refused to pick sides Wednesday in a growing squabble over how best to cut state taxes, and moved away from an earlier promise to “insist” that Texas lawmakers cut property taxes before the session ends on June 1. Full Story
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![Gov.Greg Abbott outlines his plan to reduce the Texas business franchise tax at a press conference at vcfo on April 15, 2015]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
TribCast: Open Carry, State Spending and Hillary's Texas
In this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Morgan about the gun battle that wasn't, the budget negotiations to come, a "non-voucher" school choice pitch and the reasons why Hillary Clinton needs Texas. Full Story
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Shark Fin Ban Back on the House Menu
A proposal to ban the trade of shark fins in Texas sailed through the Texas House on Wednesday, but it faces choppier waters ahead: the Texas Senate, where similar legislation foundered in 2013. Full Story
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![A bowl of shark fin soup with crab meat at Ho Ho Chinese BBQ in Austin.]()
Credit: Ryan McCrimmon -
Lawmakers in No Rush to Disclose Lobbyist Wining and Dining
Two bills aimed at disclosure of lobbyist wining and dining are on the verge of being snuffed out in a Senate committee, according to the sponsor of the measures. That's despite Greg Abbott’s vow to “dedicate this session to ethics reform." Full Story
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![Sen. Kirk Watson D-Austin and Sen. Joan Huffman R-Houston, discuss language to amendment for SB #11 relating to campus carry on March 18th, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
School Finance Plan Praised in Capitol Hearing
A plan to overhaul the state’s public education funding system from a top House lawmaker received largely favorable reviews from school districts during a marathon legislative hearing that ended late Tuesday night. Full Story
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![House Public Education Committee chair Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, on the floor during House Bill 1 debate March 31, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
John Legend Targets Texas Incarceration Rates
Ahead of a trip to Texas to advocate for an end to mass incarceration, the Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer talked with the Tribune about why the state is so crucial to the criminal justice reform movement. Full Story
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UT Must Tussle With Outsiders for Strong and Smart Trademarks
The University of Texas at Austin filed for five trademarks related to the hiring of basketball coach Shaka Smart this month. But an alumnus, his neighbor and a Louisiana company beat it to the punch on three others. Full Story
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![New UT-Austin basketball coach Shaka Smart (left) and UT football coach Charlie Strong.]()
Credit: Rickster2/Texas Longhorns