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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith March 16, 2013

Aaronson on the impact of expanding Medicaid on the state budget, Aguilar on immigration-related bills in the 83rd session, Batheja on a GOP senator challenging his party on taxes, Galbraith on concerns about water use for fracking, Grissom on reciprocal discovery, Hamilton on the campus carry debate, Murphy and Batheja visualize the legislator-lobbyist revolving door, Ramsey on the blue dreams of Texas Democrats, Ramsey and Rocha on George P. Bush's big announcement and Ramshaw and Levinthal on Rick Perry's CPAC speech: The best of our best content from March 11-15, 2013. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
The Evening Brief: March 15, 2013

By David Muto March 15, 2013

Your evening reading: Democrats raising money off Cruz's exchange with Feinstein; state lawmakers close to deal on ethics bill; Republican senator challenging party on taxes Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Jeremy Bird: The TT Interview

By Reeve Hamilton March 15, 2013

The senior adviser to the new high-profile Democratic group Battleground Texas on what he thinks it will take to make the state politically competitive for Democrats and why he thinks it's possible. Full Story

Credit: Christopher Dilts
Texas Democrats Dream of the Wild Blue Yonder

By Ross Ramsey March 15, 2013

The organizers hoping to make Texas a safe place for Democrats to run for office will know how they're doing by how their volunteers answer a simple question: Would they let a friend run as a Democrat, or would they advise against it? Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Austin Clinic Tests Effectiveness of Coordinating Care

By Becca Aaronson March 15, 2013

A pilot program at Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin hopes to show that coordinating care for medically needy children improves the quality of care and reduces costs. Full Story

Credit: Tamir Kalifa
GOP Senator Challenging His Party on Debt, Taxes

By Aman Batheja March 15, 2013

State Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, is engaged in a long-term campaign to convince his fellow legislators that the state's bond debt is an urgent problem and that tax increases are part of a conservative solution. Full Story

Credit: Tamir Kalifa
State Water Plan Advances in Legislature

By Terrence Henry, KUT News/StateImpact Texas March 15, 2013

Amid growing pressure on lawmakers to address the state's water needs, a conservation-focused plan to establish a long-term fund for water projects took a significant step forward on Thursday. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Ryan Swindell
Gallego to GOP: Sequester Hurts Border Security, Economy

By Julián Aguilar March 15, 2013

U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego is taking his GOP colleagues to task on sequestration. In a letter, the freshman congressman tells border hawks they can’t be for the continued sequester and for increased border security at the same time. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
The Brief: March 15, 2013

By David Muto March 15, 2013

Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday told conservative activists to blame their recent electoral losses on the messengers, not the message. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Storify: Campus Carry Bills Debated in House

By Reeve Hamilton March 14, 2013

Four bills that would ease restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons on college and university campuses were debated Thursday in the House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Video: Freshman Lawmakers Seek Common "Purple" Ground

By Justin Dehn and Alana Rocha March 14, 2013

The freshmen in the Texas House wear something purple every Thursday as a symbol of their willingness to compromise across the aisle. Now that the bill-filing deadline has passed, it's time to identify which issues are negotiable. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
The Evening Brief: March 14, 2013

By David Muto March 14, 2013

Your evening reading: at CPAC, Perry calls Medicaid expansion "coercion"; El Paso lawmaker arrested on DWI charge; Democrat scolds Cruz at gun hearing Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
The Polling Center: On Voting Rights Act, Texans Follow GOP's Lead

By James Henson March 14, 2013

It’s easy to admit that those other states need some federal oversight, but here in Texas? Get out of town. Full Story

Credit: Tamir Kalifa
El Paso Legislator Arrested on DWI Charge

By Brandi Grissom March 14, 2013

State Rep. Naomi Gonzalez, D-El Paso, was arrested by Austin police on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and booked into Travis County Jail early Thursday morning, according to Travis County public records. Full Story

Credit: Justin Dehn
At CPAC, Perry Zings GOP, Calls Medicaid Expansion "Fiscal Coercion"

By Emily Ramshaw, The Texas Tribune, and Dave Levinthal, Center for Public Integrity March 14, 2013

Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday called the Medicaid expansion piece of federal health reform “fiscal coercion,” and blamed conservatives who have embraced it for folding "in the face of federal bribery and mounting pressure.” Full Story

Credit: Spencer Selvidge
Perry Asks Congressional Delegation to Fight for Medicaid Flexibility

By Emily Ramshaw March 14, 2013

Ahead of his Thursday speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference, Gov. Rick Perry has sent a letter to members of Texas' congressional delegation asking them to fight for flexibility for the state's Medicaid program. Full Story

Credit: Spencer Selvidge
Riddle's Facebook Post Angers Breast-Feeding Moms

By Emily Ramshaw March 14, 2013

A Facebook update state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, posted on Tuesday suggesting that mothers should be "modest" while breast-feeding their babies in public has nearly 1,000 comments — most of them outraged. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
The Polling Center: Water Not Floating to Top With Texas Voters

By Joshua Blank and Jim Henson March 14, 2013

Despite water’s saturation of the political priority list, the public still appears ambivalent about Texas’ water needs and out of step with state legislators on how to pay for it, according to the latest UT/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Ed Schipul
At 43 Hours, Senator Set Filibuster Record in '77

By Justin Dehn, Aman Batheja and Alana Rocha March 14, 2013

Thirty-six years before U.S. Sen. Rand Paul held a nearly 13-hour filibuster, a Texas senator filibustered for 43 hours in the Texas Senate, setting a world record. Full Story

Credit: Senate Media Services
Beyoncé Music Removed From Bush Video

By Emily Ramshaw March 14, 2013

The video released Wednesday announcing George P. Bush's run for Texas land commissioner originally featured music from Beyoncé, a prominent supporter of President Obama's. As of Thursday morning, that music was gone. Full Story

Credit: Gage Skidmore