The Brief: May 20, 2011
House and Senate lawmakers struck a major deal on education funding late Thursday that could help avert a special session. But with time running short, they're still not out of the woods. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Struggle Over Education Bill Breaks Old Alliances, Creates New Ones
State Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, is a widely liked Republican chairman with a supermajority to back him up. So why has his signature education bill this session, a mandate relief package for school districts, stumbled so badly? Full Story
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Rick Perry's Un-Campaign for President
Gov. Rick Perry is in a great position in the race for president. His name is in the conversation. He’s in place if there’s a draft, but not at risk of an embarrassing loss. How can you lose a race you’re not running? Full Story
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![Gov. Rick Perry (c) speaks with reporters outside the Senate Chamber on May 5, 2011.]()
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There's More Than One Way to Land a Catfish
Hand fishing — that is, sticking your hand down the throat of a fish — is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500. But not for long. State lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill to legalize hand fishing, sending it to the governor. Full Story
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Texas A&M Faculty Want Transparency From Regents
The ongoing debate about the future of of Texas higher education has, until this point, been most dynamic at the University of Texas at Austin. With a recent dispatch from the Texas A&M University faculty, that appears to be changing. Full Story
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House Tentatively OKs Medicaid Fiscal Reform Bill
The House tentatively passed a health care bill that intends to increase efficiency and cost savings in Texas' expensive Medicaid and other health programs today — but not before adding a far-ranging variety of amendments. Full Story
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Budget Update: Campus Handguns Wing Budget Package
The hits just keep on coming. One of the fiscal matters bills critical to the budget got thrown back to the Senate for carrying a concealed weapon; it had been amended there to include legalization of concealed handguns on college campuses. Full Story
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Balanced Budget Resolution Passes Senate
More symbolic than anything else, House Concurrent Resolution 18, calling for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring a federal balanced budget, passed out of the state Senate today. Full Story
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Panel Debates Future of Research Universities
A panel of higher education and business executives at the University of Texas at Austin reflected high anxiety about the future of research universities — especially in Texas, which has just three of the nation's top research universities compared to California's nine. Full Story
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Perry Says White House Talk Won't Distract Him
Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday that he refuses to get distracted by the suggestion that he should run for president in 2012. “I’ve got a legislative session that is substantially more important to the people of the state of Texas and to me,” he said. Full Story
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The Midday Brief: May 19, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Perry jumps further into budget fray; Senate approves catfish bill; a special session conspiracy theory Full Story
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Senate OKs Legalizing "Noodling"
Amid the budget drama of the day, senators had a few moments of levity when they brought up the "noodling" bill, which would legalize the practice of hand-fishing for catfish. Full Story
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Williams Explains Move That Gutted HB 12
He may have pulled the plug on “sanctuary cities” legislation yesterday, but Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, said today he still supports it — even if he considers his own homeland security legislation a higher priority. Full Story
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TribLive: "We're Not a Crazy State," Turner Says
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, warned his House Republican colleagues about overreaching in exercising their supermajority power. Full Story
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Texas Smart-Grid Experts Head to the White House
On Friday morning, a small group of Texans, including the chairman of the Public Utility Commission, will brief White House representatives on the smart-meter rollout and related issues in the state. Full Story
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The Brief: May 19, 2011
After a day of dizzying budget back-and-forth, lawmakers have another shot today at avoiding a special session. Full Story
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GOP Lawmakers Target In-State Tuition for Students in Texas Illegally
A bill by state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, seeks to repeal in-state tuition for students who are not living in Texas legally. He says it will make tuition rates fairer, but others argue that the tuition break ultimately benefits the state. Full Story
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The Weekly TribCast: Episode 80
In this week's TribCast, Evan, Ross, Morgan and Ben talk budget drama, stalled education legislation and the renewed Rick-Perry-for-president buzz. Full Story
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Budget Stalls Over Education, Questions About Funding Sources
After a chaotic day of stops and starts and private meetings, Texas lawmakers don't have a budget deal yet. Unless key pieces of legislation are passed soon, lawmakers are almost guaranteed to be back this summer for a special session. Full Story
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Sanctuary Cities Bill Gutted by Senate Committee
In a surprise move that could effectively kill the sanctuary cities bill that Gov. Rick Perry declared an emergency item, a Senate committee today replaced the immigration language with a homeland security bill by state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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