Vol 32, Issue 34 Print Issue

Court Quiet on Redistricting Case

While the the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas has yet to issue a decision in a longtime case on the constitutionality of district lines in Texas, a decision in the next year could impact the 2016 primary election. 

(left to right)  Assistant Secretary of State for Mexican and Border Affairs Avdiel Huerta, Undersecretary for North American Affairs,Sergio Alcocer Martinez de Castro, Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairns,  José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, and Texas Secretary of State, Carlos Cascos during a July 9, 2015 meeting at the Governor's Mansion
(left to right) Assistant Secretary of State for Mexican and Border Affairs Avdiel Huerta, Undersecretary for North American Affairs,Sergio Alcocer Martinez de Castro, Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairns, José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, and Texas Secretary of State, Carlos Cascos during a July 9, 2015 meeting at the Governor's Mansion

Abbott Strikes Accords With Mexico on Transportation, Energy

Also, George P. Bush wields the sword of zero-based budgeting and Glenn Hegar says he's within $200 million on his revenue estimate.

The Week in the Rearview Mirror

In back-to-back speeches on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., GOP presidential hopefuls U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and real estate developer Donald Trump showcased their different campaigning styles as they rallied supporters against President Barack Obama's Iran nuclear deal.

A spokeswoman for the Mike Huckabee campaign suggested that Ted Cruz crashed Huckabee's rally on Tuesday in Grayson, Ky., for Kim Davis, the county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

Plagued by weekly headlines about his dwindling staff, the stench of political death continues to linger around former Gov. Rick Perry, whose rivals have so far struck a deferential tone in response to questions about his campaign struggles.

After spending more than two weeks without a lawyer, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a defense team in the ongoing financial fraud case against him. Veteran Houston criminal lawyer Dan Cogdell and Terri Moore, a former state and federal prosecutor from Fort Worth, have taken on the task of representing Paxton as he faces three felony charges claiming he violated state securities law.

A bill that passed late in the legislative session gave some residents and officials hope that they can kill a controversial water-pumping project in western Hays County. But there's no guarantee that Houston-based Electro Purification won't ultimately be able to proceed with its plan. A variety of factors are at play, including how much the expanded district ultimately will allow the company to pump, and whether the company — or its opponents — will challenge that amount.

Federal regulators have slapped a roughly $50,000 fine on a West Texas oil company six months after a fiery explosion killed three of its workers at a well. On Tuesday, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Odessa-based Mason Well Service for six violations, including five that are considered “serious” and one that was a “repeat.”

After a federal judge ruled that most women and children being held in Texas immigration detention centers should be released, attorneys say they are making some progress on their clients' cases. But they argue the government is making their work harder because it hasn't established a clear set of rules.

The Texas State University System is experimenting with massive open online courses to allow students to arrive on campus with a full year of credit at minimal cost. The thought is that older students with kids and full-time jobs might benefit the most since they may not have time to take four years out of their lives to attend school.

In a test of Cubans' special immigration status, authorities have observed a spike in Cubans seeking entry to the U.S. through Laredo. From October 2014 to June 2015, more Cubans — 18,520 — have tried to enter the border city than unaccompanied minors — 18,240.

Disagreeing with Dallas-Fort Worth-area water officials, the Texas Water Development Board decided on Wednesday that a years-long conflict over a yet-to-be-built reservoir in the region’s 50-year water plan is serious enough that it should be resolved.

Disclosure: The Texas State University System is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.

Political People and their Moves

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that he has reappointed Donna Nelson to the Public Utility Commission for a term expiring in September 2021. Nelson has served on the commission for seven years — four of those as chairman.

Abbott named Jon Niermann of Austin to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for a term to expire Aug. 31, 2021.

Abbott named Clyde Siebman of Pottsboro as presiding officer of the Grayson County Regional Mobility Authority. His term expires Feb. 1.

Houston Independent School District superintendent Terry Grier announced Thursday afternoon that after six years he's stepping down from his post leading the state's largest school district.

Former state Rep. Lance Gooden announced his plan to seek a rematch against Rep. Stuart Spitzer, R-Kaufman, for House District 4. Gooden held the seat for two terms, but Spitzer won the spot in 2014.

Tony Adkins, an insurance agent from Lovelady, said he will run for the House District 8 seat, a position currently held by Republican Rep. Byron Cook of Corsicana.

State Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, announced Wednesday his run for a third term in House District 11.

Karen Jacobs, a 20-year resident of Heath, confirmed Friday she will be running for the House District 33 seat in 2016 as a Democrat. Republican Rep. Scott Turner has held the seat for two terms but announced in June he will not be seeking re-election.

State Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, announced he would run for a third term in House District 67.

State Rep. Walter T. "Four" Price, R-Amarillo, said Tuesday that he is running for a fourth term to represent House District 87.

Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann on Wednesday announced that her re-election effort has the backing of state Sen. Donna CampbellPat Carlsonformer head of the Texas Eagle Forum; Ann Hettinger, state director of Concerned Women for America; and Adrian Murray, co-founder of the 912 project. Also, 18 State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) members have endorsed Lehrmann.

David Barton, a Texas-based evangelical leader who founded the WallBuilders group, has signed on with the network of super PACs working to put U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in the White House.

State Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, received the endorsement of the Harris County Deputies’ Organization on Thursday in his bid for Houston mayor.

George Kelemen is taking over as president and CEO of the Texas Retailers Association (TRA). He is returning to Texas after more than a dozen years. Most recently, he has served as senior vice president for Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), a job he will have until mid-October.

Disclosure: The Texas Retailers Association is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.