state government

TribuneFest: A Conversation With Anita Perry

By Evan Smith Oct. 4, 2013

Full video of my one-on-one with Anita Perry, the first lady of Texas, at the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
Ritter Retiring From Texas House

By Becca Aaronson Oct. 4, 2013

After nearly 15 years in the Texas House, state Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, announced his retirement on Friday. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Davis Makes It Official, Enters Governor's Race

By Jay Root Oct. 3, 2013

State Sen. Wendy Davis, standing on the stage where she got her high school diploma more than 30 years ago, finally announced what has been anticipated, telegraphed and talked about for weeks: She is running for Texas governor. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
TribuneFest: A Conversation With Joe Straus

By Evan Smith Oct. 3, 2013

Full video of Jay Root's one-on-one with Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, at the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
TribLive: Huffman and Ritter on Proposition 6

By Evan Smith Oct. 2, 2013

On Oct. 1, I talked about the coming constitutional referendum on funding the state water plan with Laura Huffman, state director of The Nature Conservancy of Texas, and state Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Full Story
Perry Visits San Angelo to Push Water Plan Funding

By Alana Rocha Oct. 2, 2013

UPDATED: San Angelo's O.C. Fisher Reservoir, which after years of persistent drought is completely dry, served as the backdrop for Gov. Rick Perry's remarks Wednesday in support of a constitutional amendment to use $2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund toward water-planning initiatives. Full Story

Credit: Justin Dehn
TribuneFest: What Does the Tea Party Want?

By Evan Smith Oct. 1, 2013

Full video of my conversation about the Tea Party with former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey; state Reps. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, and Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford; and grassroots leaders JoAnn Fleming, Julie McCarty and Debra Medina. Full Story
TribuneFest: A Conversation With David Dewhurst

By Evan Smith Oct. 1, 2013

Full video of Ross Ramsey's one-on-one with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst at the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
Week Reveals That a Gap Remains When It Comes to Climate Change

By Neena Satija, The Texas Tribune and Reveal Oct. 1, 2013

Days after scientists unveiled a report predicting serious consequences tied to global warming, state officials debated whether the phenomenon is human-induced and whether they can do anything about it. Full Story

Credit: Earl Nottingham/Texas Parks & Wildlife
State Gets Waiver From No Child Left Behind

By Morgan Smith Sept. 30, 2013

Under a federal waiver that was announced Monday, only the lowest-performing 15 percent of Texas public schools will be subject to a series of federally prescribed interventions. Full Story

Credit: Shannan Muskopf
Staples Emphasizes Leadership in Campaign Video

By Morgan Smith Sept. 30, 2013

A new web video from Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a candidate for lieutenant governor, features scenes from his campaign's bus tour and urges voters to "stand with Staples," saying that "leadership begins with action." Full Story
TribuneFest: Davis on Running for Governor

By Evan Smith Sept. 29, 2013

At the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival, state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, gave the clearest indication yet of why and how she'd run for governor. Full Story
Liveblog: Keynote Speakers at The Texas Tribune Festival

By Ayan Mittra Sept. 29, 2013

We liveblogged The 2013 Texas Tribune Festival's Keynote track, which included conversations with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and state Sen. Wendy Davis, a talk on the Tea Party's goals and a session on efforts to turn Texas blue. Read the highlights here. Full Story

Credit: Ben Hasson
Anita Perry: By Law, Abortion "Could Be a Woman's Right"

By Emily Ramshaw Sept. 28, 2013

Texas first lady Anita Perry said Saturday that while there’s no daylight between her and her husband on abortion, it's not her job to judge women who undergo the procedure under state law. Full Story

Credit: Callie Richmond
Liveblog: Energy at The Texas Tribune Festival

By Ayan Mittra Sept. 28, 2013

We liveblogged The 2013 Texas Tribune Festival's Energy track, which featured panel discussions on regulation, the shale boom, energy efficiency and the fight over electricity. Read the highlights here. Full Story

Credit: Ben Hasson
Liveblog: Transportation at The Tribune Festival

By Ayan Mittra Sept. 28, 2013

We're liveblogging this weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival's Transportation track, which features panel discussions on planning, high-speed rail, road funding and rural transportation. Full Story

Credit: Ben Hasson
Liveblog: Public Ed at The Texas Tribune Festival

By Ayan Mittra Sept. 28, 2013

We have liveblogged each of the sessions from The 2013 Texas Tribune Festival's Public Education track, which featured panel discussions on early childhood education, charter schools, innovations in teaching and public education reform. Full Story

Credit: Ben Hasson
Liveblog: Health Care at The Texas Tribune Festival

By Ayan Mittra Sept. 28, 2013

We have liveblogged each session of The 2013 Texas Tribune Festival's Health Care track, which featured panel discussions on the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, new developments coming out of Texas, and abortion and women's health. Full Story

Credit: Ben Hasson
Liveblog: Environment at The Texas Tribune Festival

By Ayan Mittra Sept. 28, 2013

We're liveblogging this weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival's Environment track, which features panel discussions on the West fertilizer plant explosion, water, the future of parks and the fight over climate change. Full Story

Credit: Ben Hasson
Liveblog: Immigration at The Texas Tribune Festival

By Ayan Mittra Sept. 28, 2013

We have liveblogged each of the sessions from The 2013 Texas Tribune Festival's Immigration track. The sessions included panels on immigration reform, Latinos and the Republican Party, securing the border, and the Voting Rights Act. Full Story

Credit: Ben Hasson