Protecting education and recognizing that the rapidly growing Hispanic population will gain a major political voice in Texas were themes that emerged Monday at the Tribune’s “New Day Rising” forum.
Austin
Posted in
State Government
TWIA Calls Emergency Meeting on Oversight
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association called an emergency board meeting this afternoon to discuss the Texas Department of Insurance’s decision to put the agency on administrative oversight.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Exoneree Sues to Clear Name, Get Compensation
Anthony Graves, who was freed from jail this year after spending 18 years behind bars for brutal murders he did not commit, sued the state of Texas today to officially clear his name and to force the Texas comptroller to pay him for the time he was wrongfully imprisoned.
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State Government
Forensic Commissioners Answer to Legislators
The Senate Nominations Committee voted 4-2 today to recommend approval of the state forensic board Chairman John Bradley’s appointment. Sens. José Rodríguez and Kirk Watson voted against Bradley’s nomination.
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State Government
Berman: “There Are ‘Birthers’ All Over Texas”
State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, wants all presidential and vice presidential candidates to show their birth certificate to the Texas Secretary of State in order to get on the ballot.
Posted in
Demographics
For Republicans, the Hazards of Red Meat
The growth of the state’s Hispanic population and the rise of immigration as a political issue put Texas Republicans in a tight spot — especially the ones with statewide aspirations.
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State Government
Why Gambling’s Odds Have Improved (Hint: We’re Broke)
Like the Republican Party of Texas and many of his core voters, Gov. Rick Perry no longer supports expanded gambling here. This year, that might not make any difference.
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State Government
TDCJ Bans Thousands of Books in State Prisons
Inmates looking to catch up on their Shakespeare are out of luck. They won’t find Love Poems & Sonnets in any Texas lock-up. The Texas Civil Rights Project released a report today on the list of 11,850 books banned by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
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Criminal Justice
Colin Goddard’s Right to Bear Witness to a Campus Massacre
Colin Goddard survived the 2007 mass shooting on Virginia Tech’s campus that left 32 dead and wounded 16 others. He thinks allowing concealed weapons to be carried on college campuses is a dangerous idea, and he came to Austin to explain why.
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Criminal Justice
650,000 Employees Now in Government Pay App
We’ve pushed the first update of the New Year to our government salary database, which now includes data on more than 650,000 employees from more than 100 entities. This update refreshes the salaries of more than 20 public agencies and adds 13 new entities.
