The Texas Senate today passed a bill that would finally compensate Anthony Graves for the 18 years he spent behind bars convicted of grisly murders he did not commit.
Rodney Ellis
Posted in
Health care
Statewide Smoking Ban Not Stubbed Out Yet
Don’t stub out the statewide smoking ban bill yet. The bill’s House and Senate authors say they’ve got a vehicle for the measure to be passed, and they’re still hopeful Texas will be the first southern state to outlaw the habit in restaurants, bars and most public places.
Posted in
Economy
Senate Votes $4 Billion From Rainy Day Fund for Deficit
The Texas Senate approved a $3.97 billion draw on the state’s Rainy Day Fund to cover a deficit of the same size in the current budget, but not before rejecting efforts to add on a larger amount to help balance the 2012-13 budget.
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Criminal Justice
Ellis Urges Lawmakers to Act on Innocence Bills
Charles Chatman and other former prisoners who have been exonerated of their crimes are joining state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, in urging House lawmakers to act quickly and pass bills intended to reduce wrongful convictions.
Posted in
Economy
Procedural Move Allows GOP to Pass Senate Budget
The $176 billion budget was approved along party lines, with all 19 Republicans voting for it and all 12 Democrats voting against.
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Criminal Justice
Psychologist Reprimanded in Death Penalty Cases
A psychologist who examined 14 inmates now on Texas’ death row — and two others who were subsequently executed — and found them intellectually competent enough to face the death penalty has agreed never to perform such evaluations again.
Posted in
Higher Education
Senate Passes TEXAS Grants Priority Model
A bill that would change the system for distributing TEXAS Grants — the state’s primary need-based aid program — by creating a new priority system passed the Senate today by a vote of 24-7.
Posted in
State Government
Senate Approves Easing Restrictions on DNA Testing
The Senate today passed a bill that would reduce restrictions on post-conviction DNA testing by allowing biological evidence that was previously untested, or tested by older, potentially inaccurate techniques, to be tested and used as evidence in court.
Posted in
Health care
Advocates Rally to Retain State Health Funds
Hundreds of people rallied at the Capitol today to urge lawmakers to maintain state spending on Medicaid and CHIP, the health care programs for children, the disabled and the very poor.
Posted in
State Government
Eyewitness Identification Bill Tentatively Passes House
A bill to improve how police conduct lineups to solve crimes tentatively passed the Texas House today without opposition.
