The Evening Brief: July 12, 2013
Your evening reading: Abortion bill hits Senate floor; confiscation of items from gallery spectators creates a stir; A&M president stepping down. Full Story
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![View from the Senate gallery as the chamber debates abortion legislation on July 12, 2013.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
DPS Officers Fire Rounds, Launch Tear Gas Across Border
In separate instances on Thursday, Texas Department of Public Safety officers came under gunfire from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande and launched tear gas south into the country. Full Story
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![Texas DPS agent Cuevas removes a M2-40 machine gun from newly commissioned patrol vessel. The boat, part of the Tactical Marine Unit, funded by federal Homeland Security grants, will help with the state's efforts in combating Mexican drug cartels patrolling the Rio Grande River]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas A&M President Loftin Stepping Down
Texas A&M University President R. Bowen Loftin will step down from his position in January, he notified university leaders on Friday. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Bows Out
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is leaving the Obama administration and will be nominated to head the University of California, she announced on Friday. Full Story
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![Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano visits Laredo, TX to announce the 2010 fiscal year Operation Stonegarden grants.]()
Credit: Marjorie Cotera -
The Polling Center: The Morning After for Texas Democrats
A look at electoral returns and public opinion data helps explain why Democratic exuberance in the days after the Wendy Davis filibuster has been replaced with more measured analyses. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Mexican City Weighs Neglected Notion: Hope
Three years after a municipal election was held under the specter of fear and death in this border city, voters on Sunday ushered in a new leader in Ciudad Juárez. But a new administration and a new peace can only go so far. Full Story
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![Ignacio Villa, left, and Arturo Ibarra, right, of the mariachi group Los Gavilanes receive shoe shines on Avenida Juárez in Ciudad Juárez, México, Jul. 9, 2013.]()
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Democrats, Seeking Resurgence, May Struggle for Footing in 2014
The Democratic Party is having a hard time drawing candidates for statewide office in the 2014 elections. If no serious contender jumps in next year, the party will have given a pass to Republicans at a time of upheaval up and down the ballot. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Perry's Gubernatorial Era Ending, but Not Just Yet
Gov. Rick Perry's decision not to seek re-election opens some doors in Texas politics and government, including one that has been shut for a long time: What happens next to a lame duck governor? Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: July 12, 2013
The abortion fight that has engulfed the Texas Capitol this summer appears headed toward a dramatic conclusion today. Full Story
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![Abortion rights activists march through downtown Austin on July 1, 2013.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond -
Special Election to Replace Strama Set for Nov. 5
Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday set Nov. 5 as the date for the special election to determine who will serve out the remainder of state Rep. Mark Strama's current term. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Evening Brief: July 11, 2013
Your evening reading: Dewhurst says abortion bill could be passed this week; Abbott says "major announcement" coming Sunday; juvenile justice measure headed to governor's desk Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House OKs Life With Parole for Juvenile Murderers
UPDATED: Seventeen-year-olds convicted of capital murder could soon be subject to a mandatory sentence of life with parole eligiblity after 40 years under a bill lawmakers approved on Thursday. Full Story
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![State Sens. Robert Nichols and Joan Huffman.]()
Credit: graphic by: Todd Wiseman -
House Panel Passes Campus Construction Bill
Legislators are continuing efforts to pass a bill that would help colleges and universities across Texas move forward with construction and improvement projects, even though the issue is not on the call for the special session. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Video: Santorum Discusses Texas Abortion Measure
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum joined Texas GOP legislators on Thursday to tout proposed abortion regulations and criticize media coverage of the debate. Watch his full comments here. Full Story
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Abortion Legislation Could Get Approved This Week, Dewhurst Says
The omnibus abortion bill could get full approval by the end of this week, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Thursday at a news conference that was attended by former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and other proponents of the legislation. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
News App: Who Votes Like You Would?
Political parties, interest groups, trade associations and others regularly compile scorecards for legislative votes, comparing and ranking lawmakers based on their decisions on issues. Now it's your turn. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman / Chris Chang / Amanda Krauss -
Census Interactive: Mapping Texas' Surging Youth Population
Use this census interactive to take a county-by-county tour of how the state's youth population grew between 2010 and 2012 — and how Texas' youngest Hispanics are driving the trend. Full Story
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Natural Gas Bill Could Have Big Impact on Texas
Texas, the country's leading natural gas producer, could benefit from a federal bill that focuses on permits for pipelines. But critics of the measure say that there are environmental issues that should not be ignored. Full Story
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As Abortion Restrictions Advance, Both Sides Eager for Legal Fight
Opponents of the new abortion regulations working their way through the Texas Legislature have said the measures will face immediate legal challenges. But defenders of the legislation are welcoming the opportunity to take their case to court. Full Story
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![Young attendees, wearing the blue of anti-abortion protesters, attend demonstrations at the Texas State Capitol on the first day of the second legislative session, July 1, 2013.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Student Loan Bill Blocked Amid Fight Over Interest Rates
Tension between Senate Democrats on Wednesday led to the demise of federal legislation that would lower interest rates on student loans. A competing plan to tie interest rates to financial markets also failed to muster enough support. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the House chamber of the Texas Capitol]()
Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
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