If voters approve, some of the taxes collected on car sales would be dedicated to building and fixing highways under the first two pieces of legislation to clear the Senate this session. Teachers might also see a pay boost under the measures.
Terri Langford
Terri Langford is the Tribune's health services reporter based in Austin. Langford is a veteran journalist, having worked at the Florida Times Union, The Associated Press, The Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, WNYC, Honolulu Civil Beat and Texas Standard/KUT. Langford has a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin. She has covered various city and state agencies, criminal justice and health and human services for the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, The Associated Press, WNYC and Texas Standard at KUT.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
New Sheriff Arrives at Troubled Health Agency
The new chief watchdog for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission told lawmakers Monday he plans to right the embattled department by going after fraud and waste outside and inside the $37 billion state social services empire.
Posted inState Government
Perry Lawyers Ask Appeals Court to Dismiss Case
Rick Perry’s lawyers have asked a state appeals court to dismiss the indictment against the former governor, saying he lawfully used his power to veto funds to the Travis County district attorney’s office and his right to do so is protected by free speech.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Perry Attorneys Challenge Amended Indictment
An amended indictment against Rick Perry is “woefully deficient” and should be rejected, the former governor’s attorneys said in a court document filed Monday.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Chief Justice Presses Lawmakers on Legal Aid for Veterans, Poor
UPDATED: Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht on Wednesday called on state lawmakers to continue their support for legal aid to the poor and military veterans and to complete unfinished work on student truancy reform.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Prosecutors Lift Veil on Perry’s Alleged Crimes
Prosecutors on Friday followed a judge’s direction and sharpened their two-count indictment against Rick Perry, providing the clearest look yet at the crimes they believe the former governor committed.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Supreme Court Rejects BP’s $750 Million Insurance Claim
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected BP’s $750 million insurance claim for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 people and spewed millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Posted in
Health care
Was 21CT Contract Built on Lie to Federal Agency?
When the Texas Health and Human Services Commission asked the federal government for $18 million to foot most of the bill for new Medicaid fraud tracking software, it assured Washington counterparts the deal had been competitively bid. That was not true.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Member of “Texas Seven” Executed
Donald Keith Newbury, 52, who was part of the “Texas Seven” gang of prison fugitives, was executed Wednesday night for the 2000 murder of an Irving police officer.
Posted inState Government
Left Behind, HHSC’s $2,800 Seats of Power
As staffers packed up the official belongings of former HHSC general counsel Jack Stick, a question arose: What should be done with his custom black leather chair?