The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Since the Texas Music Office was established a quarter-century ago, the division housed in the Texas governor's office has been run by Casey Monahan, a former music writer. But Gov.-elect Greg Abbott is letting him go. Full Story
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Its brand-new headquarters is almost done, and its influence on public policy in Texas — and nationally — cannot be denied. At age 25, the Texas Public Policy Foundation is the big kid on the block among Austin think tanks. Full Story
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Republican challenges to sitting Republican speakers of the House could backfire on the renegades — showing them to be far less numerous or politically powerful than they previously appeared. Full Story
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This week, a federal appeals court is set to consider two prominent Texas cases: a legal challenge to the state's strict abortion regulations and an attempt to overturn the state’s longstanding ban on same-sex marriages. Full Story
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Joined by many of Texas’ Republican elite as he was sworn in as the state’s attorney general on Monday, Ken Paxton said the state would have to guard against complacency. Full Story
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Central Texas voters will return to the polls on Tuesday to fill three vacant legislative posts — one in the Senate and two in the House. Full Story
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On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy and Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey share some political predictions for 2015 with host Jason Whitely. Full Story
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For this week's playlist of the news, we’re using our reporters' own predictions for 2015. Kicking things off: “The Best Is Yet To Come,” by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, backed up by the Count Basie Orchestra. Full Story
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Check out our 10-part series examining the impact of Rick Perry, the state's longest-serving governor. Our reporters look closely at what Perry will probably be most remembered for, as well as his impact in various policy areas. Full Story
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Rick Perry will leave behind a criminal justice system in healthier shape than when he stepped in as governor. Terri Langford writes that how instrumental Perry was in improving it remains an open question. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry has championed private-market health care solutions and criticized public programs like Medicaid for being inefficient. Alexa Ura and Edgar Walters write about that and other notable health care issues that have come up during Perry's tenure. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry has been outspoken in his frustration with the immigration system, Julián Aguilar writes. Perry says the system puts state lawmakers on the spot in deciding how to help Texans brought to the country illegally as children through no fault of their own. Full Story
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More than 100 firms have benefited from the Texas Enterprise Fund, the economic incentive program championed by Gov. Rick Perry to lure more jobs to Texas. Aman Batheja writes that Perry's office has nicknamed the fund “the deal closer,” but critics have a different name for it: slush fund. Full Story
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There's no doubt that Gov. Rick Perry has left his mark on the state’s approach to funding roads. Aman Batheja writes that under Perry's leadership, Texas has been the country’s most aggressive supporter of tolling and private-sector investment in transportation. Full Story
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When Gov. Rick Perry first took office, Texas’ wind energy sector hardly existed. But the state has since become the nation’s leader in wind energy generation, Jim Malewitz writes, and Perry — more commonly associated with oil and gas — helped steer that boom. Full Story
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According to recent data, average levels of ozone — more commonly known as smog — decreased by nearly 25 percent in Texas between 2000 and 2013. But does the credit for cleaning up Texas air belong to Gov. Rick Perry? Neena Satija writes that opinions vary. Full Story
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Higher education has often been at the forefront for Rick Perry during his time as governor. Reeve Hamilton writes that Perry has had clear influence on the state’s colleges and universities and has emerged as a strong critic of rising tuition. Full Story
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Protecting Texas' oversight of school classrooms against federal regulation has been the most prominent feature of Gov. Rick Perry’s approach to education. Full Story
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Thirty years is a lot to attribute to mere luck. Like Rick Perry or not, his considerable political skills have sustained him throughout his career in state politics. Full Story
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Boiling down Gov. Rick Perry’s legacy into a few bullet points isn’t easy. But reporters Reeve Hamilton and Jay Root look at some things people will surely remember years after Perry has left office. Their feature kicks off our 10-part series, The Perry Legacy. Full Story