With conservatives aching for more choices in 2012, Gov. Rick Perry declined Tuesday to rule out a White House bid. “I’ve said multiple times I’m not going to get distracted from my work at hand, and I’m not going to get distracted today, either,” Perry said. Full Story
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UT President Bill Powers and Regents Chairman Gene Powell slammed a controversial study that found that if some UT-Austin professors were more productive, tuition could be cut by as much as half. Full Story
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This morning, Gov. Rick Perry signed into law House Bill 15, the so-called abortion sonogram bill, which Senate sponsor Dan Patrick, R-Houston, termed "the beginning of the end for abortions." Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: congressional redistricting dead; Perry signs abortion sonogram bill (again); GOP 2012 hopefuls court the Bushes Full Story
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Legislation that would grant the state authority to erect southbound checkpoints near the Texas-Mexico border was successfully revived today after lawmakers attached it as an amendment to a bill concerning record sharing by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Full Story
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The Senate passed the "reptile bill" today, which creates regulations for hunters who want to collect snakes and horny toads along Texas highways. Full Story
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The U.S. Census Bureau released data this week showing how many people moved to and from Texas in the last year. California sent more people our way than any other state — and we lost the most Texans to Oklahoma. Full Story
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After days of stop-and-go budget negotiations, lawmakers may have just inched closer to a special session. Full Story
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It's a good thing Rick Perry says he's not running for president — only 4 percent of Texas Republicans say they'd vote for the governor, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll. Full Story
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It’s been more than a month since state officials acknowledged they'd exposed millions of Texans' Social Security numbers and other information online. Matt Largey of KUT News reports what the state's been doing to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again. Full Story
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Beginning next year, jails like the one in Gregg County where Amy Lynn Cowling died could be required to tell state officials how many staff members leave their jobs every month. Experts say there likely is a correlation between high staff turnover rates and increased deaths. Full Story
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The death of a key education fiscal matters bill on the House floor tonight ensures that any changes to school finance formulas will happen in a conference committee — and adds fuel to speculation of a special session this summer. Full Story
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The state Senate passed two bills Monday evening meant to crack down on payday and car title loan providers. While some call the legislation a good first step, others say the bills do not go far enough. Full Story
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A portion of a multi-faceted homeland security bill that appeared near dead earlier was successfully attached tonight to a House bill relating to the deportation of illegal immigrants who have been incarcerated and released from prison. Full Story
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The so-called puppy mill bill is one step closer to becoming law after the Senate tonight approved a less stringent version of the measure that would regulate cat and dog breeders. Full Story
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State lawmakers have fired back against a Federal Trade Commission letter suggesting Senate Bill 8 — a key piece of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's health reform push — violates antitrust laws. The measure is expected to come up for a vote in the House on Tuesday. Full Story
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Acting on behalf of 14 other states, the state of Texas today filed an opening brief in its case seeking to overturn a finding by the Environmental Protection Agency that greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health and welfare. Full Story
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The lead budget writers from the House and Senate answered questions about the budget they've agreed upon, admitting they don't have all of the details yet and saying they could vote on the final plan this coming weekend. Full Story
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State health officials can no longer use infant blood samples for non-approved purposes without parental consent, under a measure Senate lawmakers approved today. Full Story
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For the third session in a row, legislation covering end-of-life care in Texas appears, well, dead. Full Story
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