In our TribLive conversation this morning, state Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, said he opposed a bill that would require school districts to check the immigration status of public school students. Full Story
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What happened yesterday to cause the rolling power blackouts across Texas? A chain reaction of problems involving the state's coal and gas appeared to be the cause — and wind plants were having trouble, too. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: good news for Donna Howard, Huckabee in border spat, and a Perry appointee's political history raises questions Full Story
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With Texas public schools facing cuts of as much as $10 billion in state funding, predictions of the consequences have been dire: teacher layoffs, bigger class sizes, fewer instructional days. One topic conspicuously absent from the conversation: athletics. Full Story
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The police chief in the border city across the Rio Grande from Laredo was killed late Wednesday, less than five weeks after taking office. Full Story
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House Public Education Committee Chairman Rob Eissler talked with Texas Tribune CEO and Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith this morning. Here is our liveblog. Full Story
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Reading this on a device tethered to an electrical outlet? Thank your lucky stars. Also, thank Mexico. Full Story
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At least half a dozen bills have been filed in the Texas House mandating the use of the federal electronic employment verification system known as E-Verify. But is the system so fraught with errors that it actually hinders employers who use it to check the eligibility of new hires? Full Story
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There are almost 1,600 parking choices when you come to see your lawmakers in action under the pink dome — though a fraction of them get reserved for special interest groups. Full Story
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In this week's TribCast, Evan, Ross, Reeve and Ben discuss the budget's structural deficit, the effort to repeal health care reform, the back-and-forth over House District 48 and if 2011 will be the year Texas bans smoking. Full Story
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The Environmental Protection Agency is developing new drinking-water regulations for a toxic rocket-fuel ingredient found in 26 states — including Texas. Full Story
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From patients and parents to nurses and practitioners, the many faces of Texans affected by health care budget cuts gathered at the Capitol today to give an earful to lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee. Full Story
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The Senate Finance Committee heard public testimony today on proposed cuts to health and human services. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: Perry going to CPAC; House committee assignments likely coming next week; Capitol security still making some nervous Full Story
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Power out at your house? You've got good company — 400,000 other Texans, as of noon today. But as of this afternoon, the lights (and heat) should be coming back on. The demand for power exceeded generation capacity around midnight last night, causing more than 50 generators to shut down statewide Full Story
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If there's one thing that politicians are good at, it's talking. And chubbing is a kind of talking that's used to stall legislation in the Texas House. While state representatives do have the power to talk something to death, this session it will be harder to do than in the past. Full Story
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At a recent forum titled "Improving Productivity in Public Education," former U.S. Secretaries of Education Rod Paige and Margaret Spellings under George W. Bush took time to discuss the state's looming budget cuts, the Bush legacy, the Obama administration and what they believe needs to change in public education. Full Story
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In a sign of the tough budgetary times, Texas school districts turned their focus to harsh realities on Tuesday. Full Story
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Lawmakers are crafting legislation to make health care more affordable and effective by rewarding doctors who get the best medical outcomes. But the cuts they're proposing to meet the state's budget shortfall could hinder some of the same physicians they're relying on to implement payment reform. Full Story
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The lieutenant governor believes he knows how to save Texas money and improve patient care by overhauling how doctors and hospitals are paid: with carrots, not sticks. In an interview with the Tribune, he talks about what he sees as the root of the health care crisis, and his proposed solutions. Full Story
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