The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
DAY 14 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Despite making deep cuts across the state's budget, lawmakers increased funding for anti-abortion crisis pregnancy resource centers. Full Story
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A Texas Tribune analysis found that the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association mishandled claims after Hurricane Ike and paid millions of dollars to defend its fraudulent behavior and claimants’ lawyers profited from huge settlements and legal fees. Full Story
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A few protesters gathered in historic Charleston to jokingly welcome Gov. Rick Perry into the race for president — of the Confederacy. Full Story
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DAY 13 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: a law aimed at making college textbooks more affordable goes into effect. Full Story
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Our all-hands-on-deck series on new laws — 31 Days, 31 Ways — continues, Root covers a challenge to the governor's school finance fix and the tax that makes it work, Philpott forecasts a presidential media tsunami will hit Texas, Murphy with a look at midyear campaign reports from candidates and PACs in Texas, yours truly on the quiet spot at the top of the 2014 ballot, Hamilton on government-required vaccinations against meningitis, Grissom reports on the heat wave in un-air-conditioned Texas jails, Aguilar on the private security business along the state's border with Mexico and M. Smith's interview with Nicole Hurd on how to get more high school students into college: The best of our best content from Aug. 8 to 12, 2011. Full Story
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DAY 12 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: applicants for driver's licenses and IDs must furnish proof of legal status. Full Story
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This week, Martin Robles became Texas' ninth execution of the year. Convicted in a Corpus Christi gang shooting, his death was not among the most controversial to happen on the watch of Gov. Rick Perry. During his decade in the Texas governor's office, Perry has overseen more than 230 executions, more than any governor in modern history. Full Story
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It's not a sales pitch heard too often in the Rio Grande Valley, but farmers and ranchers here have a new, tax-deductible option for improving their businesses — and the company offering it promises to take a bullet for its client. Full Story
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Speaking at a National Conference of State Legislatures summit in San Antonio this morning, Gov. Rick Perry touted Texas job growth and blasted runaway government spending — themes he's sure to stress in his expected presidential campaign. Full Story
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The 15 largest donors to Texas politicians and PACs gave a total of $4.7 million in the first six months of 2011, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of Texas Ethics Commission filings. The biggest beneficiary of their largesse: the Texans for Lawsuit Reform Political Action Committee. Full Story
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DAY 10 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Losing $31 million in state aid leads UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas to lay off more than 100 employees and eliminate 250 vacant positions. Full Story
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Rick Perry's infamous flirtation with secession at an April 2009 rally is sure to get renewed scrutiny in a presidential campaign — but it turns out it wasn't the first time the governor contemplated Texas leaving the United States of America. Full Story
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DAY 9 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Lawmakers expanded protective orders to include pets and victims of teen dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Full Story
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As the heat index statewide soars above 100 degrees day after day, Texas inmate advocates say complaints about sweltering conditions are increasing along with concerns about prisoners’ health. Full Story
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The business tax overhaul that Gov. Rick Perry and fellow GOP leaders championed in 2006 as a fix for the school finance system is now under attack in the Texas Supreme Court — as an unconstitutional state income tax. Full Story
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DAY 8 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Armed with fewer resources, educators prepare students for rigorous new STAAR test. Full Story
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DAY 7 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: The East Texas Medical Center will downgrade its trauma center in Athens from Level III to Level IV. Full Story
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While Gov. Rick Perry and his supporters prayed in Houston, several hundred protesters rallied against him at the state Capitol on Saturday afternoon. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and others said the governor was cynically using his "Prayerpalooza" to launch his presidential campaign. Full Story
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DAY 6 of our 31-day series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Mental health funding was spared draconian cuts, but some who rely on the state for intellectual disability aid will lose services. Full Story
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Aguilar on the denial of asylum petitions by border judges, Galbraith on the history of wind, Grissom talks to the head of the Jail Standards Commission, Hamilton on plans for the state's new online university, Murphy and Ramsey on political warchests at midyear, Philpott on Texas' trucker shortage, Ramsey talks data privacy and abortion with Susan Combs, Ramshaw on the Rick Perry's experimental adult stem cell procedure, Root on the response to The Response, M. Smith on the country's could-be next first lady and Tan on a few of the ways Texas will change on Sept. 1: The best of our best content from Aug. 1 to 5, 2011. Full Story
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