The Texas Legislature is faced with a budget challenge that pits the Republican majority’s desire to cut government spending against a vulnerable target: the frail and the elderly covered by Medicaid and housed in nursing homes.
Austin
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Criminal Justice
Still No Decision on Question of Negligence in Willingham Case
After releasing a draft report on the case of convicted arsonist Cameron Todd Willingham, state forensic board members refused again today to rule on whether investigators in the case were professionally negligent in deciding the fire that killed Willingham’s three daughters was intentionally ignited.
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State Government
Medicaid Shortfall Threatens Nursing Homes, Residents
The Texas Legislature is faced with a budget challenge that has pitted the Republican majority’s desire to cut government spending against a vulnerable faction: nursing homes.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Juvenile Justice Agencies Come Closer to Merger
Hours after the state Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would merge the state’s two juvenile criminal justice agencies, a House committee passed a similar bill.
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Higher Education
Student Leader Warns Against Turning UT Into ASU
One University of Texas student leader who recently visited Arizona State University as part of a university system task force was not encouraged by the excursion — and let the regents know in a new letter.
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State Government
Andrea Young: The TT Interview
The president and chief operating officer of the Sam Houston Race Park on legislation that would allow slot machines at horse and dog tracks in Texas, why she believes that’s a good idea, and why it has a chance this year.
Posted in
Higher Education
Rick O’Donnell: The Emails
With few exceptions, most hiring decisions at the University of Texas System go largely unnoticed. That has not been the case with Rick O’Donnell. Find key details of his hiring in our annotated collection of internal system documents.
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Guides
Texplainer: Why Are There Two Calendars Committees?
With more than 3,000 bills and only 140 days to pass them, somebody’s got to set priorities and make a schedule. Those somebodies are on the calendars committees.
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Criminal Justice
Senate Panel Considers DWI Deferred Adjudication
For the first time in decades, first-time drunken-driving offenders could get deferred adjudication under a bill the Senate Criminal Justice Committee considered Tuesday.
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Public Education
Doggett Amendment on Federal Education Money Repealed
To avoid government shutdown, congressional Democrats agreed to repeal an amendment that would have prohibited Texas from using federal funds to replace, rather than supplement, state funding of schools.
