Gov. Rick Perry is warning state legislators that it could be a long, hot summer in Austin if they don’t pass his top priorities: funding water and transportation projects and cutting business taxes.
Transportation
Reporting on roads, transit, infrastructure, and policy shaping travel and mobility across the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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Economy
Cash for Road Repair in Shale Areas Proves Elusive
Efforts by state lawmakers to find money to repair South and West Texas roads torn up amid a drilling boom appear to be stalling, according to some officials working on the matter. Officials warn about the hazards of not maintaining these roads.
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Inside Intelligence
Inside Intelligence: About That Road Money…
For this week’s nonscientific survey of insiders in government and politics, we asked about transportation and, more specifically, how to pay for expansion and maintenance of the state’s transportation infrastructure.
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Transportation
Institute’s Report Says Texting While Driving Unsafe by Any Means
In the midst of a battle among lawmakers over a bill to ban texting while driving, a new report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute suggests that voice-to-text technology is no safer than typing out a text message.
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Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson tracks the latest on Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on lawmakers’ openness to driving permits for non-citizens, Batheja on surprising support for higher state spending, Root and Galbraith on the state’s search for answers after the West explosion, M. Smith covers the debate over high school standards, Grissom finds a shadow payroll at the Capitol, Hamilton on the man with a plan at UT, Rocha spots a special deal for lawmakers accused of crimes, KUT’s Philpott on obstacles to road funding and Ramshaw on the privileges of legislative membership: The best of our best for the week of April 15-19, 2013.
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Politics
Agenda Texas: Bond Rating Battle
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Texas lawmakers are poised to spend billions out of the state’s Rainy Day Fund, but some say tapping the fund will lower the state’s bond rating. So what’s the truth?
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State Government
House Passes Bill That Makes Texting While Driving a Crime
UPDATED: A bill that would make texting while driving a crime passed the House on Wednesday after a lengthy debate. The measure now heads to the Senate.
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Transportation
Agenda Texas: The Politics of Transportation Funding
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Lawmakers want to spend billions to repair the state’s crumbling roads, but that’s putting some Republican leaders in a bind.
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State Government
At Capitol, Tea Party Slams State Transportation Plans
Three days after the governor raised the possibility of new revenue streams — including the issuing of 100-year bonds — to fund transportation, members of Texas Tea Parties warned legislators against caving on conservative principles.
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Transportation
Hidalgo County Prepares for Rise in Produce Trucks
A highway under construction in Mexico is widely expected to lead to a surge in produce trucks from Mexico’s western growing regions entering the U.S. through Hidalgo County.