The Evening Brief: Dec. 11, 2012
Your evening reading: Perry backs fetal pain bill; head of state's cancer-fighting agency resigns; Planned Parenthood files another lawsuit against state Full Story
Your evening reading: Perry backs fetal pain bill; head of state's cancer-fighting agency resigns; Planned Parenthood files another lawsuit against state Full Story
As the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas is set to face investigations into a grant that bypassed a mandated review, the executive director of the state agency has resigned his post. Full Story
At the Trib's November 29 symposium on higher education at Texas A&M University, House Higher Education Committee Chairman Dan Branch, R-Dallas, argued that a failure to adequately educate the next generation of Texans puts the state's greatness at risk. Full Story
Two Texas charter schools are each eligible to receive just less than $30 million in federal Race to the Top money. Idea Public Schools and Harmony Science Academy were among 16 winners chosen from 61 finalists from across the nation. Full Story
For this week's nonscientific survey of insiders in politics and government, we asked about the power of the three leaders in the Capitol, and a ranking of who's strongest and weakest among the statewide elected officials in Texas. Full Story
At the Trib's November 29 symposium on higher education at Texas A&M University, Reeve Hamilton talked about pathways to student success with Shirley Reed of South Texas College, House Higher Education Committee Chairman Dan Branch, Denise Trauth of Texas State University and Lawrence Schovanec of Texas Tech University. Full Story
If the new graduation numbers released by the U.S. Department of Education are correct — that 86 percent of Texas students graduated high school in four years in the 2010-2011 school year — we all certainly have something to celebrate. But they're probably not correct. Full Story
Guaranteeing safe, clean and available water supplies should be a top priority when lawmakers assemble for their regular legislative session next month. Full Story
On November 8, the Tribune and the University of Texas at Austin's Texas Politics Project asked four experts on state health, water, transportation and education policy to preview the fights over those issues in the 83rd session. Full Story
Speaker Joe Straus won his leadership post with the support of Democrats — which gives some conservatives fits. If his just-announced challenger, David Simpson, builds a similar bipartisan coalition, can he hold on to conservative support? Full Story
Tea Party activists are releasing their priorities for the upcoming legislative session on Tuesday, and a top leader says they will call for ethics reform, an end to double-dipping by elected officials and better disclosure on personal financial statements. Full Story
As federal policies push medical providers to switch to electronic health systems, a new job market for highly trained health IT professionals is quickly emerging — and the University of Texas at Austin is taking advantage of it. Full Story
State Rep. David Simpson shook up the speaker's race on Monday, but has he shifted it at all? Full Story
Two legislative committees are set to hold hearings on state programs designed to encourage businesses to invest here, about a week after a New York Times series brought increased attention to Texas' approach to such incentives. Full Story