State lawmakers could have 18 billion reasons to worry about next year’s session.
The Brief: May 12, 2010
Posted inState Government
A Crude Awakening
Officials of the companies involved in the oil spill in the Gulf spent time on Capitol Hill this week blaming each other for the environmental devastation it has caused. But what about the economic devastation? Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune posed that question to former U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.
Posted in
Health care
The Workers’ Comp Whistleblowers
Former employees of the Division of Workers’ Compensation at the Texas Department of Insurance say their higher-ups have failed to sanction or remove dozens of physicians accused of fraudently overbilling and overtreating patients, costing insurers millions of dollars. The allegations of stalled enforcement action have sparked an inquiry by the State Auditor’s Office, records show.
Posted inState Government
In Too Deep
Lawmakers fishing for ideas on how to deal with a coming budget shortfall are going to need a bigger rod and reel: The newest projections show itl could be as much as $18 billion.
Posted in
Higher Education
A Voice but No Vote
It took decades to get Texas lawmakers to allow students to sit on each university system’s board of regents — and only on the condition that they can’t vote. But most other states with student regents do grant voting privileges.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribBlog: Senators Get Social
With more and more state employees and elected officials using websites like Facebook and Twitter the onslaught of social media use within governmental bodies brings with it a lot of questions.
Posted in
Economy
TribBlog: $18 Billion Dollar Budget Hole
Texas lawmakers have been fishing for ideas on how to fill a looming budget deficit when they return to Austin in 2011. Based on new projections out today, they’re gonna need a bigger boat.
Posted in
Demographics
TribBlog: Perry Releases Updated Security Plan
Gov. Rick Perry today released his updated homeland security plan, and border congressmen want to know why he’s not sending more federal security money to the border.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
On the Records: Come and Take Our Data
Records in the Texas Tribune’s data library are licensed under Creative Commons, which means you’re free to download them, remix them and republish them — so long as you comply with our simple terms.
