The Evening Brief: Oct. 19, 2012
Your evening reading: Texas Supreme Court upholds franchise tax; state appeals redistricting ruling; Cruz, Sadler to face off again tonight Full Story
Your evening reading: Texas Supreme Court upholds franchise tax; state appeals redistricting ruling; Cruz, Sadler to face off again tonight Full Story
As expected, the state of Texas is appealing a federal court decision throwing out Legislature's redistricting maps, Attorney General Greg Abbott announced Friday. The appeal, however, won't affect the current elections. Full Story
The chairman of the Republican Party of Texas says he won't be home before Election Day. Full Story
The Supreme Court of Texas has dismissed a challenge by Nestle Inc. and two other businesses targeting the state’s franchise tax. The court said that the tax squares with the Texas and U.S. constitutions. Full Story
The prosecutor who oversaw Michael Morton's wrongful conviction in 1987 is now facing both civil and criminal legal action and could be disbarred if he is found to have violated professional rules of conduct. Full Story
Texas added 21,000 nonfarm jobs in September, according to numbers released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission. The gains brought the state's unemployment rate to 6.8 percent, down from August's 7.1 percent. Full Story
Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Paul Sadler, candidates for U.S. Senate, will spar Friday evening in what is likely to be their last televised debate before Election Day. Full Story
A couple of key "process" decisions — adopting an official prediction of how much the economy and population will grow, and deciding how big a patch to put on the current state budget — could limit state spending for the next two years. Full Story
The higher education background of state Sen. Kel Seliger, the new Senate Higher Education Committee chairman, is pretty thin, particularly when compared with that of his predecessor. But he says he's "learning a lot very rapidly." Full Story
All eyes are on the Fort Worth matchup between state Sen. Wendy Davis, the Democratic incumbent, and her Republican challenger, state Rep. Mark Shelton — and not just because it is expected to be a nail-biter. Full Story
A controversial advertisement has heightened the drama in what was already the state's most heated congressional battle. Full Story
In a new TV ad, Republican Wayne Faircloth says state Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, actually lives in Austin and says he can afford his house there because "he's a trial lawyer who sues businesses." Full Story
Your evening reading: Perry to stump for Romney in Colorado and Nevada; judge allows East Texas cheerleaders to display religious banners pending trial; Republicans hit Canseco over mailer depicting Jesus Full Story
Three Republicans who served in the Legislature with Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, are criticizing his GOP opponent's use of a picture of Jesus in a controversial mail piece. Republican U.S. Rep. Quico Canseco is standing by the ad. Full Story
In a peace offering of sorts to medical and women's groups on Thursday, HHSC Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek announced rules for the new state-run Women's Health Program that permit doctors to discuss abortion with their patients. Full Story
Jack Stick, a former Austin state representative, past municipal judge and current deputy inspector general for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, was arrested Sept. 11 and charged with driving while intoxicated. Full Story
An East Texas judge has allowed the Kountze cheerleaders to continue carrying banners bearing Bible verses on the football field until a trial over the issue set to begin on June 24. Full Story
State Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston, died Tuesday, but his name will still appear on the November ballot. What happens to his seat — and how soon his district will have representation in the Senate — is in the hands of Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story
With a tight presidential race going down to the wire, Gov. Rick Perry will campaign this weekend for formal rival Mitt Romney in Colorado and Nevada, where Perry will appear at a series of rallies. Full Story
Some of the extra tax revenue the state has recently found will be needed to help pay for accounting gimmicks used to help balance the current budget. Ahead of the next legislative session, lawmakers are looking to put an end to such tricks. Full Story