The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Use this interactive to explore the geographic distribution of committee members in the Texas House, by committee, to see who's got what clout on what subject. Choose a committee and the map highlights the district of each member and, in a different color, the home districts of the chairs, vice chairs and co-chairs. Full Story
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Corporations and unions can play in politics, but complete disclosures are not required. A corporate political campaign in Texas two years ago was unusual, featuring an unknown corporation that was open about what it was doing. Full Story
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An eighth-of-a-cent sales tax increase is being proposed in San Antonio to fund full-day pre-kindergarten for primarily low-income children in the city. Full Story
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Full video of Republican and Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate squaring off in separate debates hosted by Dallas public television station KERA (and co-presented by the Tribune). Full Story
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is still feeling the effects of last year's wildfires, drought and budget cuts, but officials say the situation is improving with increased park attendance and donations. Full Story
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Advisers to the state's $3 billion Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas on Tuesday held the first of several meetings aimed at reforming an entity reeling from the controversial resignation of its chief scientific officer. Full Story
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As summer temperatures rise, so do worries about conditions in state prisons. The Texas Civil Rights Project on Tuesday filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Texas prison officials on behalf of the family of an inmate who died last summer. Full Story
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Texas is now about to face six lawsuits targeting the way it funds public schools. The Texas Charter School Association announced Tuesday it would join in legal action against the state over school financing. Full Story
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State officials are unsure how Monday's U.S. Supreme Court decision on mandatory life sentences for juveniles will affect the 27 people in Texas who were incarcerated for life without the possibility of parole before the age of 18. Full Story
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Under the microscope following its chief scientific officer’s controversial resignation, the state’s $3 billion cancer institute will host a meeting Tuesday in Austin to assess its business and science practices. Full Story
Prosecutors are cracking down on barratry, often derided as "ambulance chasing." A handful of notable arrests — including charges against a state representative — have been made this year. Full Story
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Aguilar on the aftermath of changes in U.S. immigration policy, Batheja on how the Republican candidates for Senate are handling that sensitive issue, KUT's Philpott on new driver's license laws and immigration, M. Smith on racial tensions and an ousted police chief in Jasper, Galbraith on the state's efforts to limit electric service blackouts, Hamilton on the hot Campbell-Wentworth Senate runoff in Central Texas, Murphy maps the May primary voting, Root on the restoration of the arson-damaged Texas Governor's Mansion and Dehn's latest Weekend Insider on obese Texans: The best of our best content from June 18 to 22, 2012. Full Story
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As legislators tinker with what some say is the cornerstone of America's food safety net, some Texans are concerned about what cuts could mean for low-income families, if they come to fruition. Full Story
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Restoration of the Texas Governor’s Mansion takes a significant step Wednesday, with the return of historic furnishings to the building. Gov. Rick Perry and the first lady are expected to return to the mansion late next month. Full Story
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When legislators die or resign, their seat is filled through a special election. The new representative serves out the end of the old representative's term. Full Story
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A defamation lawsuit filed by WallBuilders founder David Barton has become an early test of new tort reform legislation intended to protect free speech. Full Story
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It's easy to forget that redistricting and the Voting Rights Act are about voters. But sometimes, the voters jump up and remind you. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus, coming out of a big and expensive win in a rare contested primary at home, began the runoff reboot by tweaking Michael Quinn Sullivan and his Empower Texans group, deriding them as ineffective, ugly and resentful of his success. Full Story
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First, the state’s Medicaid director announced he was retiring. Now, Health and Human Services chief Tom Suehs says he hasn’t decided whether he will quit in August. Will HHSC rival public education for next session's biggest leadership void? Full Story
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A lawsuit by state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, alleges that his general election opponent, Michael Berlanga, does not meet residency requirements for Senate District 19. Full Story
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