The families of terminally ill patients would receive more time to find a willing medical provider for their relative and get more help through difficult end-of-life legal processes under a bill filed by state Sen. Robert Deuell. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Transportation is taking proposals for privatizing its information technology system, part of a larger movement by the agency toward outsourcing many of its functions. Full Story
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Health care advocates flocked to the Capitol on Thursday to urge the Senate Finance Committee to consider expanding Medicaid, restoring funding for family planning services and improving the state’s health care delivery system. Full Story
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A lead senator on the Senate Finance Committee had tough questions about allegations of Medicaid fraud and whether dental clincs are hurting Texas children. Full Story
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Your evening reading: Cruz aggressive at Hagel confirmation hearing; Straus announces House committee assignments; poll shows Clinton competitive in Texas Full Story
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With a number of university system regents coming to the end of their terms, the Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education issued a call for the timely appointment of "well-prepared, devoted, and conflict-free" replacements. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, talked about how the school finance litigation affects the debate over public education funding. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, discussed what the state should do about its exploding Medicaid obligations. Full Story
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At a meeting of state business leaders Thursday, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said that current immigration laws create "ugly realities" and that Gov. Rick Perry "will never say the border is secure." Full Story
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The Texas Ethics Commission's board has approved an advisory opinion that stops short of recommending against lawmakers soliciting contributions for nonprofit organizations they are employed by. Full Story
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Some legislators say the practice of diverting funds earmarked for state parks compromises the integrity of the state budget and the quality of parks. Full Story
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Ongoing school finance litigation will likely prevent the Legislature from discussing education funding issues this session, two Republican budget leaders said at a TribLive event Thursday. Full Story
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At Thursday morning's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, talked about the possibility of withdrawals from the Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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Agency commissioners rarely get applause when they ask the Legislature for an additional $263 million. But that’s what happened on Thursday when John Specia asked to for money to redesign the Department of Family and Protective Services. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus announced committee assignments for the Legislature's lower chamber on Thursday, ending speculation over key chairmanships and giving lawmakers the go-ahead to start considering bills. Here's his list. Full Story
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Use our county-by-county interactive to track annual local spending on unreimbursed health care costs, and to see how those figures compare to the federal dollars counties would receive under the Medicaid expansion. Full Story
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Texas budget writers got a briefing on the state’s health care programs Wednesday, and the biggest questions focused on how the state can reduce fraud and what to do about ever-increasing health care costs. Full Story
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Educators and conservative activists will air their complaints about CSCOPE, the state's curriculum delivery system, at a Senate Education Committee hearing on Thursday led by state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston. Full Story
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Texas homeowners associations often require members to keep plush lawns. But some are easing their rules as the drought continues, and two Texas lawmakers have introduced legislation to prevent the groups from restricting xeriscaping. Full Story
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As lawmakers look for a way to fix infrastructure crumbling under the weight of a drilling boom, talk of reducing the tax money that feeds the state's Rainy Day Fund is drawing attention. Full Story
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