The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, is leading an effort to create the Texas Young Legislators Caucus, a bipartisan group that plans to focus on issues that affect Texans under 40 and hopes to engage young people in the legislative process. Full Story
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State Rep. David Simpson of Longview, a Republican who rode to office with heavy Tea Party support two years ago, is considering a run for Texas House speaker against incumbent Republican Joe Straus of San Antonio. Full Story
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Amid growing concern about the review process used to award taxpayer-funded cancer research grants, lawmakers and two left-leaning political organizations have called for investigations of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Full Story
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A new report recommends reforming the state-run jail system by mandating probation for certain types of nonviolent felony offenders and only using the jails for those who violate their probation. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry's control of the executive branch after 12 years in office is well established. But he's made hundreds of judicial appointments, too. Full Story
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This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: It's freshman orientation at the Texas Capitol, and Gov. Rick Perry has appointed a new Texas Supreme Court justice and a new secretary of state. Full Story
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Freshman legislators are getting their first look at Washington and Austin, and the differences are as clear as red and blue. Full Story
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The Texas Ethics Commission backed off Thursday from a proposal to take some investigative authority away from the Travis County district attorney’s office, but the agency approved two recommendations aimed at enhancing criminal investigations of state elected officials. Full Story
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Cost-cutting and fiscal transparency will likely dominate the upcoming legislative session, but lawmakers don't have high hopes for reforming the System Benefit Fund, a pot of $850 million not being used for its intended purposes. Full Story
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A Texas law that aims to prevent puppy and kitten breeders from abusing animals faces a court challenge, but advocates have come forward to defend the law. Full Story
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John Steen, a lawyer from San Antonio, will be Texas' next secretary of state. He is replacing Hope Andrade, who resigned Friday. The appointment takes effect Tuesday. Full Story
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After the Legislature cut billions of dollars from the state budget in 2011, some hoped to see at least some of the funding restored in 2013. But with the next legislative session quickly approaching, others are pushing to limit that spending. Full Story
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This month, the state's Sunset Advisory Commission released a series of recommendations on how the Railroad Commission — which governs the oil and gas industry, not railroads — could better serve the state. Among the recommendations: a name change. Full Story
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Texas Democrats don't hold any statewide offices, and they are terribly outnumbered in the state Legislature. But they were the only gainers in this year's elections. Full Story
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The 2012 elections just ended, and whether you're ready for it or not, the candidates for 2014 have already started their political engines. Full Story
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Who's leaving, who's coming in, and how the numbers compare to turnover after the last 40 years of Texas elections. Full Story
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Prison employee union leaders are pressuring the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Legislature to provide better pay, arguing that understaffing is particularly dangerous during the holidays. Full Story
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Lawmakers have proposed allowing victims of human trafficking to sue advertisers for damages in civil courts. Advocates say they expect to battle advertisers over free speech. Full Story
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With the election behind them, the first round of bills filed and the start of the legislative session around the corner, Texas lawmakers will have plenty to talk about around the turkey table this Thanksgiving, including the House speaker's race. Full Story
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They haven't been sworn in yet, but three candidates newly elected to the Texas House have been asked to testify on the eve of their first legislative session in a lawsuit filed against their political consultant. Full Story
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