In which we go to the standing-room only State Board of Education meeting and the many rallies for and against proposed history curriculum standards. The board (and the numerous stakeholders in this debate) argued all week long.
Elise Hu
Elise Hu was a political reporter at the Tribune, focusing on multimedia projects, from 2009 to 2011. She previously worked as the state political reporter for Austin's ABC affiliate, KVUE-TV, from 2006 to 2009. She was recognized by the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters three years in a row for her beat reporting on state politics and was named Best TV Reporter Who Can Write by The Austin Chronicle. Before arriving in Austin, she held reporting positions at television stations in Waco; Greenville, S.C.; and Columbia, Mo. She's an evangelist for social media and multimedia journalism — her Political Junkie blog was listed as one of WashingtonPost.com's top Texas political blogs. A native of Plano, she has a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri.
Posted inState Government
Kirk Watson: Bill White’s A Nerd
State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, sizes up the Democratic gubernatorial nominee at the TribLive event on Wednesday. Watch to see why Watson argues being a nerd is a good thing this election year.
Posted in
State Government
Workers’ Comp: What’s Next?
Lawmakers are pledging to take a closer look at the Texas Department of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation in light of allegations by former employees that their higher-ups failed to sanction or remove dozens of doctors accused of overmedicating patients and overbilling insurers. The chairman of the House panel that oversees workers’ compensation says he’s planning a hearing on the matter this summer, and the chair of the Sunset Advisory Commission plans to question the division’s commissioner at a public hearing next week.
Posted inState Government
Rodney Ellis on Bringing Gaming Back
Could casino gaming be coming to Texas? State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, who’s tried and failed to pass gambling legislation in recent sessions, thinks the coming budget crisis gives him and other supporters an opportunity.
Posted inState Government
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 28
In this week’s TribCast, Ross, Elise, Ben and Emily discuss the state’s multi-billion-dollar budget woes, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s turn in the hot seat at TribLive, and the intersection of new media and old-school lawmaking.
Posted inState Government
Dewhurst on the “Gay Jesus” Play
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst defends his decision to publicly denounce a play featuring a gay Jesus character.
Posted in
Immigration
Dewhurst: “We Don’t Need” AZ Immigration Law
In the Tribune’s TribLive event Wednesday, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst takes a position on the controversial Arizona immigration law that requires police to check the immigration status of citizens.
Posted inState Government
Dewhurst on Why He Doesn’t Release His Tax Returns
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst explains why he doesn’t release details of his tax returns. “I don’t see my tax returns,” he says.
Posted inState Government
Dewhurst “Would Have Taken the Money”
In a Tribune TribLive event Wednesday, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst splits with Gov. Rick Perry on the decision to reject $555 million in federal stimulus dollars for unemployment insurance.
Posted in
Health care
The Workers’ Comp Whistleblowers
Former employees of the Division of Workers’ Compensation at the Texas Department of Insurance say their higher-ups have failed to sanction or remove dozens of physicians accused of fraudently overbilling and overtreating patients, costing insurers millions of dollars. The allegations of stalled enforcement action have sparked an inquiry by the State Auditor’s Office, records show.
