TribCast

Reeve, Ross, Brandi and Jay discuss legislation vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry, the status of a special session bill dealing with the penalty for 17-year-old murderers and the significance of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s recent visit to a steakhouse.

Ben, Evan, Ross and Emily discuss the new items that Gov. Rick Perry has added to the special session agenda, redistricting and Texas Monthly’s just-released list of the best and worst lawmakers for 2013.

Jay, Reeve, Evan and Ross discuss the plodding pace of the special session, the revelation of a Tea Party leader’s racially tinged remarks and the state’s lagging levels of civic engagement.

Evan, Morgan, Ben and Reeve review the end of the regular session, the abrupt start of the special session and the latest news about possible 2014 candidates for statewide office.

Reeve, Aman, Jay and Ben talk about the final stages of lawmakers’ efforts to put together a budget deal, state Sen. John Carona’s day job and the legislative casualties of tension between the Senate and the House.

Evan, Emily, Ben and Reeve discuss the musical stylings of Houston physician and major Republican donor Steve Hotze, recently released emails from the governor to University of Texas System regents, and the state of the state’s water funding.

Ross, Reeve, Becca and Jay cover a range of topics including bills dying in the legislature, a political fight over religious gestures, the effort to create a new university in South Texas and President Obama’s visit to the state.

Emily, Reeve, Ross and Evan calculate the chances of the following: the Texas Legislature funding the state’s water plan, Sen. Ted Cruz running for president, and/or any ethics bills making it to the governor’s desk.

Reeve, Ross, Kate and Jay discuss the recent fertilizer plant explosion in West, Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg’s recent drunk driving arrest, and a fight in the Legislature over a bill that aims to bolster transparency.