The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
During the 1990s, many Texans believed prison construction would help boost the economies in rural areas. Today, ongoing staffing shortages in rural units are causing legislators and other officials to reconsider that assumption. Full Story
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The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency unfairly disapproved of a Texas permitting program for air emissions. The opinion says the EPA must further consider the program. Full Story
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This week on the Newsreel, check out our guide to upcoming Texas political races. And, with the runoffs out of the way, lawmakers start talking about the session ahead — and the state budget. Full Story
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A coalition of influential Texas organizations is pushing back against the proposed privatization of a state psychiatric hospital by GEO Care, a subsidiary of a prison operations group that has a troubled history in Texas. Full Story
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Lawmakers say they want transparency and that the public should be able to see their finances. But state requirements allow officeholders to report their financial interests vaguely enough to hide conflicts. Full Story
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With Tuesday night's execution of Marvin Wilson, Gov. Rick Perry has now overseen 245 executions. Use this updated interactive to learn more about the prisoners who have been executed since Perry became governor. Full Story
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Every year, almost 1,000 Texas children die from unnatural causes, including accidents, homicides and suicides. A volunteer group studying such deaths has called on state lawmakers to make changes, but legislation has stalled. Full Story
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Only 44 percent of Texas schools met No Child Left Behind requirements for 2012. That's a drop from 66 percent last year, meaning many of them will be subject to federal sanctions. Full Story
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Janitors in Houston are in their fifth week of protests amid unsettled negotiations with employers over a wage increase. Their employers say the janitors' proposal is unrealistic given current economic conditions. Full Story
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A program started in Hawaii that closely oversees criminal offenders' probation periods is starting a test run in Texas. The experiment, which is getting federal funds, will help determine how the program translates to the mainland. Full Story
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House Administration Committee Chairman Charlie Geren has sent a letter to his House colleagues saying he would not accommodate a request by the Tribune to release his federal income tax returns. Full Story
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San Antonio Republicans who wanted a new state senator got what they asked for — but they didn't really mean to move the seat's home base from San Antonio north to New Braunfels. Full Story
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After years of controversy and legal wrangling, a bit of good news for the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association came today in a report from the State Auditor's Office: The insurer's claims process is improving. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst are set to be back for another legislative session in January, in spite of their plans and ambitions. Full Story
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Patricia Vojack, the former chief of staff to incoming Health and Human Services Commissioner Kyle Janek, will serve as the inaugural compliance officer for the embattled Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus has appointed two top aides, one from his current staff and another from outside. Full Story
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Disability rights advocates encouraged state legislators to expand community-based care and in-home nursing at a Tuesday Senate hearing. They also raised questions about a new computer-based program to track care services. Full Story
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In the case of a 64-year-old former Texas inmate with high blood pressure and other health conditions, a federal appeals court ruled that extreme temperatures can violate prisoners' constitutional rights. Full Story
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A runoff for the state district court in Marshall, just east of Longview near the Louisiana border, has two Republicans slinging lawsuits and ethics complaints over provisions of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. Full Story
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The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is undergoing a review of all youths in its system to better assess security threats, but advocates worry it will become a tool to recommend more youths for imprisonment in adult facilities. Full Story
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