demographics

TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By David Muto June 11, 2011

Aguilar on a newly exposed rift in the GOP, Dehn on what summer overtime for lawmakers costs taxpayers, Galbraith on one bright spot for environmentalists this session, Grissom on reports of abuse shrouding a death row case, Hamilton on the long slog toward higher education reform, Ramsey on where the Big Three stand, Ramshaw on the filibuster-induced rise of a state senator, Root on Perry's jump into the culture wars, M. Smith on a new wrinkle in the school finance battle and Tan on the "pansexual" debate that nearly killed the crucial fiscal matters bill: The best of our best content from June 6 to June 10, 2011. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
DPS: Officers Fired Upon by Gangs in Mexico

By Julián Aguilar June 9, 2011

U.S. law enforcement officers in Hidalgo County received heavy fire today from alleged drug cartel operatives along the Rio Grande, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
Guest Column: Tea Party + GOP Legislators = Zero Budget Heroics

By Jim Henson June 9, 2011

Some critics of the state budget process, including here at the Tribune, argue the Legislature suffers from a lack of leadership in the face of a confused public that doesn't understand. But check the poll numbers: Republicans are giving voters what they seem to want. Full Story

Credit: Julian Aguilar
Obama Names Nominee for Ambassadorship to Mexico

By Julián Aguilar June 8, 2011

The White House announced this evening that President Obama has nominated veteran diplomat Earl Anthony Wayne as the next U.S. ambassador to Mexico, a post that has been vacant since the March resignation of Carlos Pascual. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 83

By Reeve Hamilton June 8, 2011

In this week's TribCast, Evan, Reeve, Ben and Emily harp on health care, speculate about the special session and respond to The Reponse. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
Texas Moves Ahead With Immigration Enforcement Program

By Julián Aguilar June 8, 2011

Republican lawmakers in Texas, unfazed by state governments across the country opting out of a controversial immigration enforcement program, are instead seeking to expand it here. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
Sanctuary Cities Added to Special Session Call

By Julián Aguilar June 7, 2011

Gov. Rick Perry has added controversial immigration and homeland security measures to the agenda for the special legislative session that began last week. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
This Session, One Immigration Bill May Have Bucked the Trend

By Erika Aguilar, KUT News June 7, 2011

A bill recently signed into law gives law enforcement agencies and lawyers more power to fight wage theft, to which illegal immigrants often fall victim. As Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, even in a session dominated by efforts to enact strict immigration legislation, the bill met little resistance. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith June 4, 2011

Aaronson and Grissom on a freshman lawmaker who didn't mind making waves, Aguilar on E-Verify's new lease on life, Galbraith on the state's plodding progress toward solar power, Hamilton on Warren Chisum's exit, Philpott on the remapping of Lloyd Doggett's district, Ramsey on a proposed change to ethics laws for Texas pols, Ramshaw on efforts by the state to take control of Medicaid and Medicare, Root on why a Rick presidential bid shouldn't be underestimated, M. Smith on the unraveling of school finance legislation and Tan and Dehn on the highs and lows of the 82nd legislative session: The best of our best content from May 30 to June 3, 2011. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Williams Files Sanctuary Cities, Secure Communities Bill

By Julián Aguilar June 2, 2011

Three contentious and broad-based immigration and homeland security issues have been rolled into one bill filed today by a Republican state senator. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
The 82nd Lege Session: The Highlights Reel

By Justin Dehn and Thanh Tan June 2, 2011

The Trib's multimedia team highlights some of the most memorable — and surprising — moments from the 82nd Legislative Session. Our lawmakers sure do love to make a statement, complete with finger pointing, yelling and props. (Some video courtesy the Texas House, the Texas Senate and legetv.org.) Full Story
Special Session, Court Decision Could Give E-Verify New Life

By Julián Aguilar June 2, 2011

A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last week upholding an Arizona law that punishes employers who hire illegal immigrants may give Texas lawmakers some newfound momentum to file immigration-related legislation. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
Sanctuary Cities Bill Filed for Special Session

By Julián Aguilar May 31, 2011

A bill that seeks to ban “sanctuary cities” in Texas has been filed for the special session of the Legislature that began today. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Session's End Creates Graveyard of Failed Legislation

By Christopher Smith Gonzalez May 31, 2011

The system is meant to kill legislation: That’s the old line often heard around the Capitol. As the session's end slams the coffin door on a slew of bills, more than a few lawmakers are taking solace in the fact that their dead bills have lots of company. Full Story
Day One, 1st Called Session of the 82nd Legislature

By Brandi Grissom, Ross Ramsey, Emily Ramshaw, Morgan Smith, Julián Aguilar and Thanh Tan May 31, 2011

Your lawmakers, after 140 days in Austin, didn't finish their budget work for 2012-13 during the legislative session that ended Monday, and Gov. Rick Perry called them back for another crack at it, starting this morning. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Summer School Ahead for Texas Legislators

By Ross Ramsey May 30, 2011

Lawmakers were hoping to get out of Austin with their business done, without the prospect of a special session this summer. Fat chance. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
20 Weeks in Which the Budget Held Sway

By Brandi Grissom, Reeve Hamilton, Ross Ramsey, Emily Ramshaw, Morgan Smith, Julián Aguilar and Kate Galbraith May 29, 2011

The 82nd Texas Legislature’s regular session ends as it started, with lawmakers arguing about a shrunken state budget and redistricting. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Ross Ramsey May 28, 2011

Root profiles conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan, Aaronson on the Senate's flare-up over an airport groping ban, Grissom on some twisted logic in the state's same-sex marriage laws, Murphy and Macrander expand and refresh our public employee salary database, yours truly with the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll results on politics, issues, the state's finances, and race, Ramshaw's report on how some of the governor's former aides now represent clients who want more money in the state budget, M. Smith on last-minute efforts to save education legislation that didn't make it through the process, Tan reports on efforts to finish the state budget before the session ends on Monday, and Dehn with the video week in review: The best of our best from May 9 to 13, 2011. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Video: The Week in Texas Politics Recap: May 23 to May 27, 2011

By Justin Dehn May 27, 2011

Want a quick recap of some of the happenings this week in the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly video rundown of the action under the dome. Full Story
TribLive: Three GOP Veterans on the 82nd Session

By Evan Smith May 26, 2011

At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their GOP colleagues fared this session. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich