Tommy Lee Jones for U.S. Senate?
A Houston attorney and radio commentator is floating the idea on a Facebook page and a website. No other Democrat can win, he says. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Conversations about the coming Hispanic majority and the 82nd session from our New Day Rising symposium, M. Smith on the latest tort reform battle, Galbraith on greater scrutiny of the gas industry, Ramsey on whether lawmakers will cut their own pay and benefits, Ramshaw and Aguilar on what's holding up abortion sonogram legislation, Aguilar on the ag commissioner's controversial new website, Philpott on what $9.8 billion in public education cuts looks like, Hamilton on a snippy exchange of higher ed letters and Grissom on the latest court decision in the Hank Skinner case: The best of our best content from March 7 to 11, 2011. Full Story
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"Loser Pays" Bills Filed in the House and Senate
In advance of today's bill filing deadline, lawmakers have introduced two bills that would require losing parties to pay attorneys' fees in a variety of civil lawsuits. Full Story
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Texas Politics Recap: 3/7 to 3/11
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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Video: McCaul Defends Islam Hearing on PBS
Last night, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, appeared on the PBS NewsHour to discuss a controversial hearing over the perceived radicalization of Islamic youth. Full Story
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New Day Rising: Cisneros on the Last 30 Years
At the Tribune's New Day Rising symposium on Feb. 28, Henry Cisneros, the first Hispanic mayor of a major American city, reflected on three decades of demographic change. Full Story
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SBOE: Now With Two-Thirds Approval?
State Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, filed a bill today that would require two-thirds of the State Board of Education to reject recommendations from experts during the approval process for curriculum standards and textbooks. Full Story
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The Midday Brief: Top Texas Headlines for March 11, 2011
Your afternoon reading: another Perry nominee lacks votes for confirmation; Mike Leach wants the Legislature's help; lawmakers file last-minute spate of abortion bills Full Story
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Peña Files Guest-Worker Bill to Address Immigration
State Rep. Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg, has filed legislation he said will explore the possibility of a state-run guest-worker program. Full Story
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Deuell: Lowe Lacks Votes for Senate Confirmation [Updated]
Sen. Bob Deuell, who chairs the Senate Nominations Committee, says Gail Lowe has not been scheduled for a hearing as chairwoman of the State Board of Education because she lacks the votes for a confirmation on the floor. Full Story
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Texplainer: Why Can't I Buy a Car or Liquor on Sundays?
You can’t buy liquor on Sundays and car dealerships can only be open one day over a weekend because of the last remnants of so-called “blue laws” in Texas. But a state Senate bill would change that for alcohol sales. Full Story
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The Brief: Top Texas News for March 11, 2011
A hearing on Thursday, largely meant to look into use of the Rainy Day Fund, played host to drama pitting House lawmakers against Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story
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Does Gas Drilling Put Radiation in Texas Water?
With drilling on the rise, the Texas Railroad Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality answer questions about whether Texans need to worry about radioactivity in their water. Full Story
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Will Lawmakers Cut Their Own Benefits?
As they talk of cutting pension contributions and raising premiums for state employee health care and mandating layoffs and furloughs at state agencies, what are lawmakers doing to their own compensation and benefits? Full Story
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Texas' Next Tort Reform Battle: "Loser Pays"
Advocates say requiring the losing parties in litigation to pay their opponents’ legal fees is the cure for courts choked with the costs of “junk” lawsuits. Full Story
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After Bolstering Red Tide, Tea Party Still Making Waves
Atter making their presence known during election season, the various Tea Party groups in Texas continue to steer the political agenda. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story
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Abundant With Natural Gas, State Eyes More Oversight
Texas' renewed commitment to natural gas comes at a time of sharply increased scrutiny for the gas industry. Full Story
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Lights Out for Seniors, Poor
State Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, is concerned about budget cuts to a program that discounts utility bills for the elderly and those with low incomes. Full Story
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Enviros to Shapiro: Don't Be a Pest
A bill filed by state Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, has an unusual group turning out to education committee meetings: environmentalists. Full Story
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Staples Stands By Website, Calls It Necessary [Updated]
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples has no plans to pull down a state-run website that allows border ranchers and farmers to document their daily struggles with drug cartels and undocumented immigrants. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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