New court data show that the number of tickets written by public school police officers for student misbehavior has fallen 71 percent since new laws designed to reduce the procedure went into effect late last year.
John Whitmire
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Sex Offender Agency’s Presiding Board Member Quits
Amid heated controversy over the placement of dangerous sex offenders, the presiding member of a board that oversees an agency that manages civilly committed violent sex offenders resigned on Tuesday.
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Health care
The Brief: March 26, 2014
The release of more than 2,000 email documents by the University of Texas System to news outlets is providing a fuller — albeit heavily redacted — picture of the various conflicts between regents and administrators.
Posted in
Politics
Abbott Gets 25 Six-Figure Donations
Attorney General Greg Abbott demonstrated his fundraising prowess over the last half year with 25 six-figure donations, including a total of $900,000 from the late Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons.
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Politics
The Brief: Jan. 8, 2014
The Tribune’s Morgan Smith has a must-read piece on what’s next for the education reform group funded by tort reform champions that left a big imprint on policy debates during last year’s legislative session.
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Health care
The Brief: Dec. 3, 2013
U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Amarillo, could be a lot closer to gaining the chairmanship of one of Congress’ most powerful committees — House Armed Services.
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Bidness As Usual
For John Carona, Conflicts and Interests
The constitutional provision of a part-time Legislature whose members have full-time jobs back home blurs the line between public responsibilities and personal ambition — as the story of a certain powerful state senator illustrates.
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Criminal Justice
Lawmakers Attempt to Change Truancy Laws
Some parents and advocacy organizations say the state’s truancy laws are too harsh. The Senate passed a bill last week to change these laws, compromising with judges and district officials who said the reforms were too broad.
Posted in
State Government
The Brief: March 27, 2013
The bizarre tale of a prison gang’s plot to murder a Texas state senator has quickly come to an end.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Bill Aims to Address Changing Science in Criminal Appeals
State Sen. John Whitmire has filed a bill to make it easier for those convicted based on science that has since been discredited to appeal their sentences. Prosecutors have called such legislation unnecessary.