The Midday Brief: Top Texas Headlines for March 21, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Democrat's procedural objection sustained, ending voter ID debate for the day; National Review on Tom Leppert Full Story
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The Brief: Top Texas News for March 21, 2011
With voter ID set to hit the House floor today, how hard will Democrats fight? Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Inside Intelligence: The Rainy Day Fund Deal Will...
For the latest installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders, we asked whether the full Legislature will go along with a deal to tap the Rainy Day Fund and about how the budget process will finally work out. Full Story
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Anglo Democratic Lawmakers: From Endangered to Protected Species?
Anglo Democrats — an endangered species when the political mapmakers were working in 2001 — might be a protected species this year. Many of them represent districts full of minority voters they say are protected from disruptive redistricting. Full Story
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Lawmakers' Concerns Linger After Changes at UT System
After running a gantlet of concerned legislators, Gene Powell, the chairman of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, took steps last week to assuage concerns over his direction of the system. Full Story
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The Weather Channel
In our last episode, Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts was about to open his umbrella for a deal that would use $4.3 billion from the Rainy Day Fund to balance the current year's budget, and that was going to happen at the beginning of the week. Full Story
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Garza: Pascual Made the "Right Decision"
The former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, South Texas native Antonio Garza, said he thinks his successor’s resignation this weekend was the right move if he felt he was no longer up to task. Full Story
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![National pride was in abundance at the Mexican independence day festival at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin, Texas. The holiday celebrates Mexico's war of independence from Spain in 1810.]()
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Surging Growth of Neonatal ICUs Brings Increased Budget Scrutiny
State health officials, searching for solutions to Texas’ budget shortfall, are eying neonatal intensive care units, which they fear are being overbuilt and overused by hospitals eager to profit from the high-cost care. Full Story
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![Baby Mila, who was born 3 months early, with mom Adrienne Ball in Seton Medical Center Austin's neonatal intensive care unit. Texas lawmakers are looking for ways to curb prenatal births and the high costs they present for the state's Medicaid program.]()
Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller -
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Grissom on threats to re-entry programs for criminals, Hamilton on the tempest over the direction of UT, E. Smith's interview with Joe Straus, Stiles and Chang's new lobbying app, M. Smith and Weber on where state officeholders send their children to school, Aaronson on allowing new nuclear power plants, Aguilar on how Hispanic Republicans are handling immigration issues, Ramshaw talks abortion with Planned Parennthood's Cecile Richards, Tan and Dehn on tapping the Rainy Day Fund and Galbraith on San Antonio and its water: The best of our best content from March 14 to 18, 2011. Full Story
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Neil Concedes to Howard in House Race
Dan Neil conceded to Democrat Donna Howard of Austin in the House District 48 race Friday afternoon, just days after a House committee turned back his challenge to the November election results. Full Story
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The Midday Brief: Top Texas Headlines for March 18, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Perry, new cover boy, on why he's not running for president; Hispanic Republican Conference backs voter ID Full Story
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The Week in Texas Politics Recap: March 14 to March 18
No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Full Story
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Hispanic Republicans Back Voter ID
The Hispanic Republican Conference has thrown its weight behind the controversial voter ID legislation slated to hit the House floor next week. Full Story
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Texplainer: Do Capitol Offices Select Their Own Hold Music?
Anyone in the habit of calling state legislators has probably had the pleasure and/or pain of the hold music to which staffers must occasionally subject them. Is the music the lawmakers' choice, or is it out of their hands? Full Story
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The Brief: Top Texas News for March 18, 2011
School districts and employees fearing worst-case estimates of 100,000 teacher layoffs throughout the state can breathe a little easier today. Full Story
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Plan to Merge Agencies Worries Safety Officials
A money-saving proposal to combine state agencies that oversee police and firefighter training and local jail operations has public safety officials statewide worried about their future. Full Story
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![Left to right: Officer Mario Martinez, Sergeant R. Richman and officer L. Lyons on duty.]()
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In San Antonio, an Unusual Focus on Land Conservation
Despite tough economic times, San Antonio is continuing an unusual and aggressive program to protect its aquifer, by using public money to purchase land or easements to prevent development in critical areas. Full Story
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![A conservation easement on this approximately 2,000-acre ranch in
Medina County is part of San Antonio's aggressive aquifer-protection
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Legislators and the Great Balancing Act of 2011
Legislators have to choose between mobs — one under the Gadsden Flag with the snake and motto “Don’t Tread on Me”, the other a recent phenomenon under signs like, “If you can read this, thank a teacher.” Full Story
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New EPA Regulations Could Cost Texas Electric Industry
The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new national standard this week that will require coal-fired plants in Texas to reduce mercury emissions. As Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, the tighter regulations could prove costly for Texas' electric companies. Full Story
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Lawmakers Push for Changes to Hospital Hiring Law
Lawmakers today heard heated testimony on a number of bills targeting hospitals' ability to hire physicians. Full Story
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