The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The El Paso school board this week dumped a controversial policy requiring teachers to give automatic grades of 50 to students who didn't earn them. But teachers are still allowed to do so at their discretion. Full Story
Even if Cynthia Dunbar doesn't seek reelection to the State Board of Education, another conservative Republican stands ready to take up the cause. Full Story
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In 2008, the file at DPS headquarters in Austin still said Scotty Caven III caused the August 2004 car crash that killed him and two others. Officials there had declined to reopen and investigate the case. But his father, UT System regent Scott Caven Jr., wouldn’t take no for an answer. Full Story
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Benjamin Ligums was born with a rare degenerative brain disease that left him immobile, non-verbal and legally blind. His family has found a second home at Baylor's Transition Medicine Clinic, which specializes in treating profoundly disabled young adults. Full Story
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Rick Perry attacked the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision yesterday to declare carbon dioxide a public danger, arguing that the ruling lacks scientific evidence. The EPA's move could propel the cost of carbon reduction onto the list of issues in play in the governor’s race. Full Story
After his son and two others died in a horrific car wreck in 2004, former UT Regent Scott Caven Jr. set out to prove that his namesake, Scotty, wasn't to blame. He eventually persuaded the Texas Department of Public Safety to change its accident report — a rare feat: In the last five years, DPS has changed the final reports in fewer than 1 percent of fatal crash investigations. Full Story
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The Texas Ethics Commission wants candidates and elected officials to come clean about their spending, and it's adopted new rules that require them to do just that. Full Story
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When kids with disabilities transfer from children’s Medicaid to the adult program, they lose services, health care and medical expertise. A few committed doctors and social workers are stepping in to ease the transition. Full Story
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The pro-charter National Center for Education Reform cites state's lack of financial support for facilities, a cap on the number of charters and a restrictive regulatory environment. Full Story
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The Texas Departments of Family and Protective Services and State Health Services are launching a "Room to Breathe" campaign to educate parents about the dangers of co-sleeping, a controversial subject that they appear to be approaching with caution. Full Story
What are state and local governments in Texas doing to make raw data available to the public? Not much. Full Story
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It was a political week, with a full-court press from our staff on Bill White's switch to the governor's race and all of the fallout; the moves during the first week of filing for political races; Philpott's look at Republicans challenging Republicans; Hu's latest in the popular Stump Interrupted series; Ramshaw on emergency rooms, family doctors, and child protection; Stiles and Grissom mapping payday lending locations juxtaposed with family income data; Rapoport on the state budget and education; Thevenot on KBH's plans for schools; and Hamilton on the power (or not) of political endorsements. The best of the best from November 28 to December 4, 2009. Full Story
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Lobbyists from across the Republican party come out to support one of their own for State Board of Education, forsaking former chair Don McLeroy. Full Story
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Forget what I said on this week's TribCast, parroting the chatter around the Capitol: The state senator from Houston is not considering a primary challenge to his fellow Republican, Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs. Full Story
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Though Texas employees are increasingly retiring just to get rehired — a clever way to bring in a salary AND a pension at once — USA Today reports that many states are curbing the practice. Full Story
"If the prison administrators cannot get the job done, we need to find some who can." Full Story
Hank Gilbert got out of the race for the Democratic nomination for governor, saying there are "two credible candidates" in the race. And he said he'll be a candidate for agriculture commissioner — the office he tried unsuccessfully to win in 2006. And then came the real surprise: Gilbert said he is endorsing Farouk Shami for the Democratic nomination. Full Story
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State health officials are considering lifting a requirement that Texas emergency rooms have a physician on-site at all times — as long as one can get there within 30 minutes. Full Story
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Bill White's expected to announce for governor today. We'll get you caught up to speed on what led to this day, help flesh out what it all means, and take a quick look ahead. Full Story
How many people could you feed with $2.7 million? Full Story
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