state government

TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 17, 2011

Root's scoop on Rick Perry's working retirement, Aaronson maps poverty in Texas, Aguilar on a voting rights warning shot from the U.S. Attorney General, Galbraith on the disclosure of chemicals used in fracking operations, Grissom on the drop in executions, Hamilton and M. Smith on UT-Austin President Bill Powers' rough year, Murphy and Tan and Dehn on the shortage of psychiatrists and Ramshaw on the federal refusal to exclude operators like Planned Parenthood from family planning programs: The best of our best content from December 12 to 16, 2011. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
Updated: Political Parties Agree to April 3 Primaries

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 16, 2011

Texas Democrats and Republicans agreed to hold unified primary elections on April 3, avoiding the costs and confusion brought on by litigation over new political maps for congressional and legislative districts. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
In Redistricting Fight, a Comfort Zone for Abbott

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 16, 2011

The attorney general is in the happy position of defending redistricting maps that benefit his allies and punish his foes — all in the name of official state business. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Anti-Cockfighting Law Could Aid Enforcement

By Susannah Jacob Dec. 16, 2011

Animal welfare activists are hoping for a renewed crackdown on illegal cockfighting now that laws passed last legislative session are in effect. Forcing the birds to fight was already illegal; now, it's also against the law to breed the birds or attend a fight. Full Story

Credit: Kathy Milani
Timing is Everything

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 15, 2011

When is a filing deadline not a filing deadline? When you don't have maps. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Splitsville

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 15, 2011

If you can't hold congressional and legislative primaries on March 6 — because you don't have maps in time — what happens next? Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
Inside Intelligence: Primary Concerns

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 15, 2011

The state doesn't have maps for its congressional and legislative districts, throwing the date what was going to be a March 6 primary into question. It seemed like a good time to ask the insiders about this. Full Story
Executions, Death Sentences Drop in Texas, Nation

By Brandi Grissom Dec. 15, 2011

Leading a national downward trend in the use of the death penalty, Texas has executed just 13 prisoners so far in 2011, the lowest number in more than a decade. And juries meted out only eight new death sentences. Full Story
Video: Texas' Critical Shortage of Psychiatrists

By Justin Dehn and Thanh Tan Dec. 15, 2011

The Tribune's Thanh Tan speaks with a Texan living with anxiety and depression, the executive director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at UT-Austin, and the head psychiatrist for Austin Travis County Integral Care to find out the reasons behind the state's shortage of mental health providers. Full Story
Campaign Roundup: The Week's Political News

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 15, 2011

When will the elections be held? Sometime next year. The dates for the congressional and legislative elections won't be certain until maps have been approved. But candidates are filing, and endorsements haven't stopped. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Attorney General Holder: We Must Uphold Voting Rights Act

By Julián Aguilar Dec. 13, 2011

The warning from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was polite but firm: The U.S. Department of Justice will not stand idly by if it feels Texas intends to halt or reverse gains for minority voting rights. Full Story

Credit: Spencer Selvidge
More Time, But No Maps or Election Dates for Texas Candidates

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 13, 2011

The Texas primary elections are still set — precariously — for March 6 but a panel of three federal judges extended the filing deadlines for candidates to Monday. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Fracking Disclosure to Start in February

By Kate Galbraith Dec. 13, 2011

Rules requiring the disclosure of chemicals used in the controversial hydraulic fracturing process will take effect in Texas in February, the Texas Railroad Commission decided on Tuesday. Full Story
On the Records: What Are Federal Lawmakers Saying?

By Becca Aaronson Dec. 13, 2011

The Sunlight Foundation released an update to the interactive Capitol Words on Monday. The application allows users to search and compare words spoken by federal legislators using data from the Congressional Record. Full Story
On the Records: Texas Exonerations

By Ryan Murphy Dec. 12, 2011

Texas ranks third in the number of exonerations in the United States since 1989, according to data compiled by Mother Jones. Take a look at how Texas compares to other states across the nation with this map. Full Story
Combs: State Revenues Higher Than Expected

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 12, 2011

The state's finances are in better shape than previously believed, the state comptroller said Monday, with a new projection showing $1.6 billion more than lawmakers expected, even after the state covers part of the its Medicaid shortfall and restores some cuts to state agencies and universities. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Feds Approve One Health Waiver, Reject Another

By Emily Ramshaw Dec. 12, 2011

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has turned down Texas’ request to run a family planning program that excludes some providers — namely Planned Parenthood. But it approved Texas' request for a waiver to expand Medicaid managed care. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Measuring the Impact of Historic Education Cuts

By Morgan Smith Dec. 12, 2011

One question has dominated education conversations in Texas since even before the 2011 legislative session and budget slashing began: How will public schools be affected? The answers are many and varied. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
Redistricting Orders Create Political Chaos

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 12, 2011

Forget everything. The candidate announcements, the relocations, the decisions not to run again, the who vs. who and the campaign finance. With a Friday night order, the U.S. Supreme Court turned Texas election season into chaos. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Hochberg's Exit Leaves a Hole in the House

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 12, 2011

After 20 years, Scott Hochberg is bailing out of the Texas Legislature. He’ll get back his nights and weekends. But he also won't be at the Capitol to help sort out education policy and financing. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich