The Evening Brief: May 1, 2013
Your evening reading: lawmakers probe West explosion at hearing; Cruz-for-president buzz builds; House votes to reduce reliance on budget diversions Full Story
Your evening reading: lawmakers probe West explosion at hearing; Cruz-for-president buzz builds; House votes to reduce reliance on budget diversions Full Story
House members on Wednesday passed two bills that take aim at the practice of budget diversions, in which fees collected for specific purposes are used in another manner. The measures now go to the Senate. Full Story
UPDATED: The Health and Human Services Commission received approval on Wednesday to raise the Medicaid premiums that go to managed care companies. Full Story
Emily, Reeve, Ross and Evan calculate the chances of the following: the Texas Legislature funding the state's water plan, Sen. Ted Cruz running for president, and/or any ethics bills making it to the governor's desk. Full Story
A private company that runs 12 of the state's prison facilities is being sued by a publication that says the company is failing to release information related to deaths and health care at the Dawson State Jail in Dallas. Full Story
State Rep. Jim Keffer, who is sponsoring legislation that would overhaul CPRIT, told a House committee Wednesday that “there was never anybody feathering their nest” with funds from the cancer research institute. Full Story
While not downplaying the devastation of the deadly fertilizer plant explosion in the town of West, the head of the state's emergency management operations told lawmakers on Wednesday that "the system worked." Full Story
At the Trib's April 25 symposium on health care at the University of Texas at Austin, Becca Aaronson talked about federal health reform with state Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, John Davidson of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Anne Dunkelberg of the Center for Public Policy Priorities and former deputy comptroller Billy Hamilton. Full Story
The best way to finance Texas' pressing water and transportation needs — and to supplement spending on public education — is to let voters decide whether to use the state's Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
People wanting to require that Texas' public universities administer a controversial test of students' critical thinking skills will probably be disappointed this session. A bill establishing such a requirement seems stuck. Full Story
State lawmakers have talked a big game this year on transparency and ethics, but with less than a month to go in the 83rd legislative session, the bills they’ve filed haven’t made much progress. Use our interactive to see where they stand. Full Story
The Texas Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would allow students with concealed handgun licenses to keep firearms locked inside their cars on college campuses. Full Story
With just four weeks remaining in the legislative session, there has been little to no pressure from the top — including key committee chairs — to pass measures that would force greater transparency upon Texas’ elected officials. Full Story
Major gun rights legislation appears to have lost steam in the Legislature, but supporters say they still have time. Full Story
The day after the leading measure to fund state water projects stumbled in the House, legislators shifted their focus to a bill that some members hope will also include money for education. Full Story
University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall came under fire for failing to disclose all of the lawsuits in his background before he joined the board. Hall has since updated the filings, which were obtained through an open records request. Full Story
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: The bill that was supposed to pay for Texas' water plan suffered a setback in the House on Monday night, leaving state leaders with a narrow set of options. Full Story
Your evening reading: Straus says House will find way to fund water plan; state, federal lawmakers to probe West plant explosion; Obama says opposition to health care law will hurt Texans Full Story
On Monday, I interviewed two members of the U.S. House's "Gang of Eight" — Reps. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and John Carter, R-Round Rock — about comprehensive immigration reform: why we need it, what it should include and whether the votes are there in Congress to pass it. Full Story
Republican leaders in Texas want the Legislature to take up redistricting this session. That's a bad idea, writes Matt Angle, director of the Lone Star Project. Full Story