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The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.

  • LiveBlog: Perry's State of the State

    By Emily Ramshaw

    Gov. Rick Perry delivered his sixth State of the State speech today, addressing a joint session of the Texas House and Senate, and selling the state's fiscal troubles as an opportunity to make government more efficient. Full Story 

    Gov. Rick Perry delivering his State of the State address on Feb. 8, 2011
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

  • Perry to Push Colleges to Offer $10,000 Degree

    By Ross Ramsey

    Gov. Rick Perry will challenge the state's colleges and universities to offer a $10,000 bachelor's degree, including books, in his State of the State speech later this morning, according to sources familiar with some of the proposals. Full Story 

    Word cloud aggregate of Rick Perry's State of the State speeches from 2001 to 2009.
    Credit: Graphic by Ryan Murphy

  • Senators Grill Education Agency Over Cuts

    By Morgan Smith

    At the Texas Education Agency's first appearance before the Senate since the release of a budget that reduces school funding by $9.3 billion, senators called for a "full picture" of the state's spending on public education. Full Story 

    Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott speaks at the TASA midwinter conference in Austin, Texas February 1st, 2011
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

  • Veteran Who Shot Baby Seeks Clemency

    By Brandi Grissom

    He was an Army veteran and a Houston security guard who had never been arrested until February 2002, when a fight with his wife sent Timothy Adams into a suicidal spiral. During a stand-off with police, Adams fatally shot his 19-month-old son twice in the chest — landing him a spot on death row. Full Story 

    Timothy Wayne Adams, convicted of murdering his 19-month-old son, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Feb. 22, 2011.
    Credit: Courtesy www.timothywayneadams.com

  • A Conversation with Rob Eissler

    By Todd Wiseman

    For our latest TribLive conversation, I sat down with the chairman of the House Public Education Committee to talk about the coming cuts to public ed: how big they're likely to be, the prospect of tens of thousands of teacher and non-instructional-staff layoffs, whether new revenue sources are on the table and more. Full Story 

    Rep. Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands) answers an education question at TribLive on February 3, 2011
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Rob Eissler on Public Ed Layoffs

    By Evan Smith

    The chairman of the House Public Education Committee on how many public school teachers, administrators and non-instructional staff members are at risk of being laid off as a result of the budget shortfall. Full Story 

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  • A Conversation with Rob Eissler

    By Evan Smith

    For our latest TribLive conversation, I sat down with the chairman of the House Public Education Committee to talk about the coming cuts to public ed: how big they're likely to be, the prospect of tens of thousands of teacher and non-instructional-staff layoffs and whether new revenue sources are on the table. Full Story 

    State Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, speaks with Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith at TribLive on Feb. 3, 2011.
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Hammond: No Time to Be Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish

    By Bill Hammond

    We must continue to fight to ensure that we implement cost-saving reforms that reflect Texas' commitment to prosperity and to economic growth. But our current budget shortfall isn't a time to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Full Story 

    Bill Hammond is the CEO of the Texas Association of Business.

  • Castro: Start by Casting Aside Wishful Thinking

    By Eva DeLuna Castro

    We need a balanced approach that uses our reserves and adds revenue. And we have to start by casting aside wishful thinking; we are writing the 2012-13 budget, with higher costs and increased enrollment in education and health care services — not some past budget. Full Story 

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  • Heflin: Most Sensible Solution Is Reduced Spending

    By Talmadge Heflin

    More money is not the answer to our current woes. Just as anyone managing a household budget knows, when a family’s expenses grow beyond its income, the solution is to cut back — particularly if its spending habits resemble the state's. Full Story 

    Former state Rep. Talmadge Heflin is the director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Fiscal Policy.

  • Inside Intelligence: A Pro-Choice GOP Candidate Will...

    By Ross Ramsey

    For the latest installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked whether a Republican who supports abortion rights can survive a statewide primary, whether the sonogram bill on the governor's list of emergency items addresses a real or a political problem, whether it will pass and what other issues of interest to social conservatives might win approval from this Legislature this year. Full Story 

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  • In West Texas, a Town's Fate Tied to Its School

    By Morgan Smith

    With just 56 students, Marathon ISD is one of the state's smallest. But its fate is critical to the West Texas town's survival. And if what is happening here works, it could serve as a model for other towns looking to shield their way of life from the death knell of school closures. Full Story 

    Marathon Elementary School.
    Credit: Marci Roberts