The Midday Brief: Top Texas Headlines for March 23, 2011
Your afternoon reading: voter ID debate under way; House budget passed without debate; Perry fined $1,500 for ethics violation Full Story
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![Rep. Peter Gallego D-Alpine reviews the Texas House Practice book with Rep. Armando Walle D-Houston while discussing HB 14 regarding Voter ID on March 23rd, 2011]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Human Trafficking Bill Passes in Senate
The Senate preliminarily approved a bill today by state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, that would add new definitions and harsher penalties to human trafficking laws. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Infographic: The Politics of the Rainy Day Fund
Use our infographic to understand the intent of the Rainy Day Fund, what it takes to draw from that savings account, and the political arguments for and against using it. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Ben Hasson -
Marc Mauer: The TT Interview
The national criminal justice expert on how other states have handled controversial prison closings and reduced criminal justice costs and how the Right On Crime Movement might give lawmakers the political freedom to be more than tough when it comes to crime. Full Story
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No Timeline to Replace U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
The U.S. Department of State on Tuesday said U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual has agreed to stay in Mexico City to help the two governments organize a transition. Full Story
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Perry Fined $1,500 by Ethics Commission
Gov. Rick Perry was fined $1,500 by the Texas Ethics Commission for failing to report rental income from a house in College Station, and for filing incomplete information regarding debts on the same property, in personal financial statements required by state law. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: Top Texas News for March 23, 2011
Voter ID, after a false start of sorts on Monday, hits the House floor again today. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Short of Funds, State Eyes School Reserves
The state’s 1,030 school districts have — in total — $10.2 billion in reserves and another $2.1 billion in unspent federal stimulus money. Can they use that money to avoid draconian cutbacks? It's not that simple. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Budget Constraints Pit Teaching Against Research
College students will rally at the Capitol today for higher-education funding. But as Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, some students think major changes are also needed on campus, where, they say, professors spend too much time researching and not enough time with undergraduates in the classroom. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Senators Take Up Bullying Bills
At Tuesday's Senate Education Committee hearing on a trio of anti-bullying bills, the parents of children who committed suicide after being picked on by classmates asked lawmakers to fix a system they say failed their families. Full Story
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![Asher Brown took his own life on Sept. 23, 2010 after bullies at school tormented him. He was 13 years old.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Equality Texas -
SSNs of Laredo ISD Students Missing In Possible Data Breach
A disk holding the Social Security numbers of thousands of current and former students in the Laredo Independent School District — a total of 24,903 — has gone missing, according to the Texas Education Agency. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Video: Legislators Consider Repealing Driver Fees
Lawmakers at the Capitol today debated eliminating a surcharge on traffic tickets that has been riddled with problems almost since its inception. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Brewpub Bill Gets Boost With Compromise
A bill that would give brewpubs more flexibility to sell their ales has been given a boost by a compromise with an influential beer lobby. Full Story
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![Tim Stevens pours an Agave Wit at Uncle Billy's Brew & Que.]()
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Who's Watching the Stimulus?
The House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding has expired, and its outspoken leader failed to get re-elected. So, amid all the state's fiscal concerns, who is keeping an eye on the stimulus? Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Texplainer: Who Would Be Allowed to Carry on Campus?
Those with a concealed handgun license, which currently means they must be 21 years old. Though it won't necessarily be that way forever, which raises another question: When it comes to gun safety, does age matter? Full Story
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The Midday Brief: Top Texas Headlines for March 22, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Donna Howard speaks out; Railroad Commission clears gas driller; Berman and Burnam unite against driver program Full Story
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![State Rep. Donna Howard arrives at election contest hearing for the election contest of the House District 48]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Activists Rally for Home Health Care
Health care providers who treat profoundly disabled children at home face major budget cuts this session — cuts they say would devastate their industry and cost the state more in the long run. Full Story
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![Community home care advocates for children rally on the
South steps of the Capitol against budget cuts]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Railroad Commission Clears Gas Driller of Harming Water
In a meeting this morning punctuated by harsh denunciations of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Railroad Commission voted unanimously to clear a natural gas driller, Range Resources, of charges that it contaminated two water wells in Parker County. The EPA, however, said it stands by its charges against the driller. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senate Approves Incentive for Out-of-State Doctors
The Senate passed a bill today that would streamline the process of obtaining a medical license in Texas for out-of-state doctors. Full Story
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The Brief: Top Texas News for March 22, 2011
To Democrats' momentary relief, House debate on Monday over voter ID stalled before it even seemed to get started. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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