The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has released a much-reduced list of organizations that will receive state dollars to provide birth control, STD testing and cervical and breast cancer screenings for the state's poorest women. Full Story
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Dallas-area lawmakers came before the board of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs on Tuesday, warning members against granting tax credits to low-income housing developers who haven’t met all of the state’s requirements. Full Story
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With Texas' redistricting maps still the subject of court battles, the date of the primary elections remains uncertain. And that is causing a fundraising hurdle for a number of candidates. Full Story
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Thirty-five years ago today, the state of Utah restarted the death penalty in the United States when Gary Gilmore was executed. Texas followed suit in 1982 and since then has executed 477 men and women, more than any other state. Full Story
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For our latest nonscientific survey of government and political insiders, we asked about the sliding primary dates, who it helps and hurts, and whether there is still a need for federal review of the state's political maps. Full Story
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Starting Feb. 1, drillers will have to report many of the chemicals they use in hydraulic fracturing. But a less-publicized part of the regulation is what some water experts are most interested in: the mandatory disclosure of the amount of water needed to “frack” each well. Full Story
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The conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation today wrapped up its annual legislative primer, which has become a must-attend for state Republican leaders. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports on how the group is already working to influence next year's legislative session. Full Story
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Texas abortion providers were hoping they'd have a few more weeks to start abiding by a state law requiring them to play the heartbeat of the fetus and describe its image on a sonogram before performing the procedure. They're not going to get it. Full Story
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The Supreme Court examines a simple question without an easy answer: Delay the Texas elections, or use maps that haven't been vetted? Full Story
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Once they have maps, election administrators say they need 60 to 80 days to put an election together, and the April 3 primaries won't be possible, they say, if they don't have maps by the end of the month. That's just a couple of weeks. Full Story
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Texas politics are on hold. Full Story
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For this week's edition of Inside Intelligence, we asked about election delays, redistricting maps, who is hurt and helped by delays, and whether Texas still ought to be covered by the Voting Rights Act. Full Story
At this morning's TribLive conversation, conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan defended the infamous scorecard he publishes grading the fiscal conservatism of state lawmakers. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan explained what he doesn't like about Speaker Joe Straus' leadership of the Texas House. Full Story
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Full video of our 1/12 TribLive conversation with the conservative activist, who heads the watchdog groups Empower Texans and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. Full Story
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This year, for the first time, students' scores on standardized tests will count 15 percent toward their final grades. It sounds straightforward, but how some districts are applying the so-called 15 percent rule threatens to spark the next political battle over a test that has seen plenty of them. Full Story
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Evan, Ross, Emily and Reeve analyze the New Hampshire primary results, consider what lies ahead for Rick Perry, and get updates on abortion sonograms and redistricting. Full Story
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If the federal courts don't come up with political maps in the next three weeks, Texas probably won't be able to hold primary elections on April 3. Full Story
Perry, who came in fifth place in the Iowa caucuses, says he didn't come to South Carolina to "come in second." But the governor declined to say what whether he would give up and go home if he doesn’t win the Palmetto State. Full Story
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At a committee hearing Tuesday about the impact of drought on power generation, state senators voiced concerns that a lack of adequate water could harm Texas' long-term growth. Full Story
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