The Evening Brief: Oct. 30, 2012
Your evening reading: Republican calls on Straus to explain redistricting process; Perry to campaign with Pennsylvania Senate candidate; outside group hits Gallego over support from environmentalists Full Story
Your evening reading: Republican calls on Straus to explain redistricting process; Perry to campaign with Pennsylvania Senate candidate; outside group hits Gallego over support from environmentalists Full Story
At a Senate panel hearing Tuesday on prescription drug abuse, doctors called upon the Legislature to provide "better education to physicians" about “how addictive these drugs are.” Full Story
The judge presiding over the court of inquiry of Williamson County State District Judge Ken Anderson denied a request Tuesday to allow Anderson's lawyer to depose Michael Morton's lawyers before a Dec. 10 public hearing. Full Story
For this week's nonscientific survey of political and governmental insiders, we asked about the top statewide races on the ballot next month, and some that might be on the ballot in 2014. Full Story
Private whistleblowers have helped put Texas at the top of the list when it comes to Medicaid fraud settlements with pharmaceutical companies. Texas settled a case with a Swiss-based company on Tuesday for $19.9 million. Full Story
Speaker Joe Straus defended the House's redistricting work and said they'll continue their legal fight after a second Republican — Bill Zedler of Arlington — joined Democratic inquiries about how Straus' staff handled those political maps in 2011. Full Story
The Congressional Leadership Fund's new spot attacks state Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, for his support from environmental groups that, according to the CLF, have a "job-killing agenda." Gallego is challenging U.S. Rep. Francisco "Quico" Canseco , R-San Antonio, in CD-23. Full Story
We've updated our campaign finance database to reflect state contribution and expenditure data reported by candidates and committees 30 days before Election Day. Use our tool to find out how much money was being spent in the final weeks of the 2012 election cycle. Full Story
State leaders may be reluctant to tackle school finance in next year's legislative session because of a major lawsuit. That leaves room for legislators to fight over school vouchers, a controversial issue already stirring fierce debate. Full Story
Most Texans believe that the country is on the wrong track but that the state is headed in the right direction, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll conducted this month. Full Story
Oil and gas drilling continues to buoy the state's economy, but the Railroad Commission, the agency charged with regulating the industry in Texas, is struggling with what one commissioner called technology "stuck somewhere in the mid-'90s." Full Story
At a Tuesday hearing, lawmakers discussed giving more discretion to teachers, law enforcement and judges when it comes to dealing with disciplinary violations at schools. Full Story
Most Texans still aren't optimistic about the future of the country, according to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. But a deep partisan divide underlies the data. Full Story