That’s what 1,200 gallons of fresh paint will do for a dome.
Texplainer
Welcome to The Texas Tribune’s “Texplainer” series, where we answer questions from readers like you.
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Texplainer: Do Capitol Offices Select Their Own Hold Music?
Anyone in the habit of calling state legislators has probably had the pleasure and/or pain of the hold music to which staffers must occasionally subject them. Is the music the lawmakers’ choice, or is it out of their hands?
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Texplainer: What’s the Select Committee on State Sovereignty?
The State Sovereignty Committee, which meets today to discuss bills related to federal health care reform, was likely formed for efficiency’s sake, and to create a kind of heat sink for contentious debate.
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Texplainer: Why Can’t I Buy a Car or Liquor on Sundays?
You can’t buy liquor on Sundays and car dealerships can only be open one day over a weekend because of the last remnants of so-called “blue laws” in Texas. But a state Senate bill would change that for alcohol sales.
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Texplainer: Can a Judge Still Serve After Losing an Election?
Ever wonder what a defeated judge is doing up on the bench? Texplainer’s got your answer.
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Texplainer: Are Illegal Immigrants Importing Illness?
In a recent Tribune article, state Rep. Leo Berman alleged that illegal immigrants are bringing infectious diseases into Texas. Is he right?
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Texplainer: Can Wisconsin Happen Here?
Gov. Scott Walker should come to Texas, where much of what he’s seeking already exists. The right to bargain collectively isn’t allowed among state employees, and no public employee in Texas may legally go on strike.
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Texplainer: Where Did the Sunset Commission Get Its Name?
Nothing scares the good men and women of state agencies more than one word: Sunset. But where did the Sunset Commission get its name?
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Texplainer: What Happened to SO 6?
The DMV numbers and assigns each plate to each state office, from the governor on down. So how come I’ve never seen State Official 6 on the road?
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Texplainer: Can the Lege Overrule Perry on Education Money?
Gov. Rick Perry has said he can’t sign an application to receive $10 billion in federal education aid because it requires an assurance he cannot constitutionally make: that the Lege will not use the money to offset state funding of public education.