The latest Texas Legislature news from The Texas Tribune.
The House and Senate budgets propose a $95.6 million cut in total revenue from the Texas Youth Commission budget in 2012-2013, and lawmakers are eying reductions in parole services, which could lead to fewer staffers and fewer district parole offices. Full Story
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A conservative think tank and Republican state leaders gathered this morning to offer their solutions to the state's "unsustainable" Medicaid cost crunch. Full Story
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On today's broadcast of CNN's American Morning, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, and state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, debated the controversial issue of concealed handguns on college campuses. Full Story
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The Democratic state representative from Houston on his Republican colleagues' quest for a federal Medicaid waiver, the problem with block grants and what realistically the feds could do to help Texas and other states. Full Story
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At last Wednesday's TribLive conversation, first-term House members Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite, and Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie, talked about whether the Legislature should dip into the Rainy Day Fund to reduce the size of the projected budget shortfall. Full Story
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TribLive: Evan Smith interviews state Reps. Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite, and Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie. Full Story
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At last Wednesday's TribLive conversation, first-term House member Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite, explained why she voted against Speaker Joe Straus. Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, talked about losing the North Texas Tea Party's "approved" status after she voted for Straus. And Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie, weighed in on his own vote for Straus. Full Story
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At last Wednesday's TribLive conversation, first-term House members Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite, and Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie, explained why they think deep cuts to public education are possible. Full Story
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Last Wednesday, I sat down with three first-term members of the Texas House — Stefani Carter, R-Dallas; Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite; and Rodney Anderson, R-Grand Prairie — to talk about their first weeks in office. Full Story
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For the latest installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked whether public education is sufficiently funded in Texas — and how deep the coming cuts are likely to be. Full Story
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By more than 2 to 1, Texas voters believe lawmakers should solve the state's shortfall by cutting the budget, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, but they're divided on specific cuts. Full Story
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Cutting $10 billion public education funding could push more than two-dozen school districts from the group that receives state financing into the group that writes checks to the state to even things out between richer and poorer districts. Full Story
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The best of our best content from Feb. 14 to 18, 2011. Full Story
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No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Full Story
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Triblive: Evan Smith interviews Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams. Full Story
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Nothing scares the good men and women of state agencies more than one word: Sunset. But where did the Sunset Commission get its name? Full Story
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What’s in a name? The Texas Railroad Commission — and the elected officials who run it — may soon find out. Full Story
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Brewpubs want to be able to sell their distinctive beers in stores, restaurants and other bars and are fighting for the right to expand. The major beer distributors like things the way they are. Full Story
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Only months ago, Texas lawmakers threatened to drop out of Medicaid. Now, Texas and other financially strapped states are asking Washington for permission to operate the program as they see fit. Full Story
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Texas' explosive growth during the past decade was fueled by a boom in its minority population, which accounted for 89 percent of the total increase in population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Full Story
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