The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The Waller County Jail failed to complete a two-part mental health screening process as required by law during Sandra Bland's booking process, according to the state jail commission and at least one public policy group. Full Story
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It's diversion season: Top state officials, not surprisingly, would rather talk about red-meat political issues than indictments and legally contested budget vetoes. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Evan talks with Ross, Patrick and Morgan about the politics of the Planned Parenthood videos and this week's Senate Health and Human Service Committee hearing, the latest on Attorney General Ken Paxton and that Collin County grand jury, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's beef with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Full Story
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton confirmed on Wednesday that a video obtained by his office as part of its investigation into Planned Parenthood practices is “consistent” with other undercover videos released by an anti-abortion group. Full Story
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A Texas Senate panel will meet Wednesday to scrutinize Planned Parenthood practices in the aftermath of the release of undercover videos of the abortion provider's executives discussing fetal tissue donation. Full Story
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Following the controversial arrest and death of Sandra Bland in Waller County, a Houston lawmaker will convene a Texas House committee hearing Thursday to look at trooper arrest procedures and state jail standards. Full Story
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The General Land Office’s contracting process is riddled with “significant weaknesses” that threatened the agency’s ability to ensure it is wisely spending its dollars, State Auditor John Keel said in a report made public Tuesday. Full Story
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Across Texas, tens of thousands of students have earned enough college credit for an associate degree without knowing it. A new project led by the University of Texas at Austin hopes to track them down. Full Story
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Legislators on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee are being offered the chance to view a video obtained by the Texas attorney general's office as part of its inquiry into Planned Parenthood's practices regarding fetal tissue donation. Full Story
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The anti-abortion group behind two undercover videos of Planned Parenthood executives discussing fetal tissue donation visited one of the organization’s clinics in Houston, Planned Parenthood officials said. Full Story
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Jeff Judson, the former president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, announced Friday he is launching a challenge to unseat House Speaker Joe Straus. Full Story
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A state appeals court on Friday threw out one of two counts in the indictment against former Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story
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Emails released to the Tribune show Dan Patrick's budget guru raised no obvious objections while approving the release of a memo that the lieutenant governor is now railing against. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Thursday reiterated his disagreement with a letter questioning the governor's budget vetoes, saying his office did not initiate a letter from a legislative agency on that subject. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is backing Gov. Greg Abbott in a growing dispute over the validity of some of Abbott's line-item vetoes to the state budget. Full Story
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The governor and the state's legislative leaders are having what looks like an argument over money, but it's really about who's in charge in state government. Full Story
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Some of Gov. Greg Abbott’s line-item vetoes in the state budget might be invalid, the state’s Legislative Budget Board said in a letter sent Tuesday to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. Full Story
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Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán's brazen escape last week from a maximum-security Mexican prison prompted anger from U.S. officials. Advocates who want to see changes to drug laws argue now is the time to reassess current policies. Full Story
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Emails and correspondence from Sid Miller's first six months as Texas agriculture commissioner show a leader involved in the daily dealings of his department, conscious of his portrayal in the press and eager to burnish his image. Full Story
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Middle ground is arguably the most dangerous turf for a Texas lawmaker to occupy these days, and new research shows that none are doing it. The gap between moderate Republican and Democratic lawmakers is growing. Full Story
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