The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The first House Higher Education Committee hearing on a bill to create a new University of Texas System school in the Rio Grande Valley was marked by broad support for the measure from legislators and academic officials Wednesday. Full Story
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Despite Gov. Rick Perry's unwavering position, interfaith groups and Democratic state legislators rallied on the Capitol steps on Wednesday in support of expanding Medicaid to impoverished adults, as directed by federal health reform. Full Story
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Morgan, Ross, Julian and Evan discuss the public education debates now playing out at the Capitol, the prospect of comprehensive immigration reform and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's emotional defense of UT-Austin President Bill Powers. Full Story
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The Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency, created in 2011 amid controversy surrounding the leadership of university system regents, will be renewed this session. Full Story
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UPDATED: Austin Democrat Jade Chang Sheppard said Wednesday that she will run for the Texas House seat that will open after Rep. Mark Strama's current — and last — term in office next year. Full Story
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The case of death row inmate Andre Thomas offers a lens through which to examine the effects of a long underfunded mental health system and raises important questions about how Texas punishes the mentally ill. Full Story
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The Texas House is about to hold its first debate, and on a spending bill, to boot. It will pass, because it must. But watch how they work. Full Story
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A dramatic show of support in the Legislature for the president of the University of Texas at Austin has cast the spotlight on discord unfolding within the state's largest university system. Full Story
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Your evening reading: Legislature honors Powers amid UT System controversy; Patrick files bill to expand charter schools; Google brings driverless car to Texas Transportation Forum Full Story
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As he jousts with the University of Texas Board of Regents, University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers was honored Monday in both chambers of the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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In 2011, Texas House Democrats were dejected, demoralized and badly outnumbered. Their numbers have improved. Now the question is whether they can move as a bloc. Full Story
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Democrats in the Texas House last week launched an effort to restore public education cuts, setting up a potential battle over an emergency supplemental appropriations bill. Full Story
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In this edition of the Texas Weekly Newsreel: The House is off and running with the first of several supplemental appropriations bills. The state might opt out of Medicaid expansion, but counties might take part. And Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson talks about why he's running for office in 2014. Full Story
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Freshman state Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, has been held up by some Republicans as a symbol of the party’s growing popularity with Hispanics. He says he is only motivated by the issues facing his constituents. Full Story
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The speaker of the House dampens expectations for vouchers, tax breaks and transportation without ruling any of those things out. And the lieutenant governor unpeels another layer of problems he says arose from a campaign manager's embezzling. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson discussed the GOP's challenge in attracting Latino voters and his support for a guest worker program. Full Story
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On Valentine's Day, state Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, joined numerous lawmakers who have already filed bills that would extend rights to same-sex couples. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson — a passionate defender of the Second Amendment — explained his opposition to universal background checks, an assault weapons ban and other gun control measures. Full Story
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Texas' founders wanted a part-time Legislature with no room for full-time politicians. But paltry state pay means today's lawmakers must hold full-time jobs elsewhere — narrowing the ranks of likely officeholders to those who can afford to do it. Full Story
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Texas' public pension systems — including the one state lawmakers pay into — have an airtight exemption from the landmark 1973 sunshine law that was designed to let taxpayers known how public money is being spent. But some lawmakers want to change that. Full Story
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