The Brief: Jan. 9, 2014
The Public Utility Commission's proposed changes to the electric market gained a powerful detractor in recent days: the Texas Oil and Gas Association, the state's oldest and largest petroleum organization. Full Story
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![Transmission lines near Sweetwater that will connect windy regions of the state to major population centers.]()
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Oil and Gas Industry Opposes Energy Market Overhaul
The Texas Oil and Gas Association, the state’s largest and oldest petroleum organization, has told regulators it opposes an overhaul of the wholesale energy market. Full Story
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Houston Tightens Building Code to Boost Energy Efficiency
The Houston City Council on Wednesday approved changes to its building code requiring that new homes be more energy efficient. Full Story
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TribCast: Payday Lending, Scorecards and Navigators
Ross, Becca, Reeve and Jay discuss a recent dust-up over payday lending, disputes about political scorecards, and discord surrounding proposed rules for federal health care navigators. Full Story
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Federal Studies Underway for Dallas-Houston High-Speed Rail
The Federal Railroad Administration is moving forward with studies on the environmental impact of building a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston and a shorter line between Fort Worth and Dallas. Full Story
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Brackish Water Abounds, but Using It Isn't Simple
There are an estimated 880 trillion gallons of brackish water underneath the state's surface. But using the salty resource can be tricky: Treating it carries a hefty price tag, and the oversight of its withdrawal isn't clear-cut. Full Story
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Texans for Education Reform Mobilizes for 2014
A new PAC will allow Texans for Education Reform, which became a lobbying powerhouse during the 2013 legislative session, to put resources toward candidates for office. Full Story
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Supreme Court Will Consider Online Defamation Case
The Texas Supreme Court will hear arguments Thursday morning in an online defamation case that could have far-reaching effects on individual freedom to post online. Full Story
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The Brief: Jan. 8, 2014
The Tribune's Morgan Smith has a must-read piece on what's next for the education reform group funded by tort reform champions that left a big imprint on policy debates during last year's legislative session. Full Story
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Looking to California as Texas Port Expands
An influx of ships from Asia expected to start coming to the Port of Houston via a newly widened Panama Canal has some Texans looking west for guidance on how to address environmental concerns amid rapid port growth. Full Story
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TxDOT's CFO Named Interim Executive Director
The Texas Transportation Commission on Tuesday selected James Bass, the Texas Department of Transportation's chief financial officer, as TxDOT's interim executive director. Full Story
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With Implications for Oil and Gas, Justices Weigh Underground Trespassing
The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday grappled with the concept of underground trespassing as it heard oral arguments in a groundwater case that the oil and gas industry says could significantly impact production. Full Story
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Report Says Stockman Did Not List All Donations
The Sunlight Foundation found $16,000 in donations that were made to U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman's re-election campaign committee that the committee did not report. Full Story
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Railroad Commission to Hire Seismologist to Study Drilling-Quake Link
The Texas Railroad Commission said it would hire a seismologist to research the link between earthquakes and disposal of oil and gas waste in injection wells. Full Story
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Guest Column: Time to Push Back Against "Do-Nothing" Crowd
Self-appointed "conservative" special-interest groups have intervened in some House races to exert political power. It's time for those of us who believe in truly conservative solutions to push back. Full Story
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Solitary Confinement Study Approved, but Funding Remains Elusive
Lawmakers passed a bill that requires a study of solitary confinement in Texas prisons, but the panel charged with hiring a third party to conduct the research does not have money to fund the study. Full Story
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5th Circuit Court Weighs Abortion Rules
While Texas awaits a decision by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on the state's abortion regulations, the strict new rules that have forced some facilities to stop performing the procedure remain in effect. Full Story
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Search Continues for Performance-Funding Model for Higher Ed
In 2014, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is continuing its quest for a politically palatable model of performance-based funding for public universities. Full Story
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The Brief: Jan. 7, 2014
The challenge to Texas' law placing further restrictions on abortion facilities took another step toward a widely expected hearing by the U.S. Supreme Court with oral arguments before a three-judge panel from the 5th Circuit in New Orleans. Full Story
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Turning to Technology to Fight Depression in the Elderly
As in the rest of the country, Texas lacks enough mental health professionals to serve the state's rapidly growing elderly population. To combat the problem, experts are looking to technology to help seniors cope with disorders like depression. Full Story
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