Each year in the United States, idling trucks and cars burn several billion gallons of fuel, emitting various pollutants without driving a single mile. The Texas Legislature passed legislation in 2005 limiting big trucks to five minutes of idling time, but local governments aren’t obligated to enforce the law, and the debate over exemptions continues to roil.
Transportation
Reporting on roads, transit, infrastructure, and policy shaping travel and mobility across the state, from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
I hit the campaign trail with Rick Perry, E. Smith starts off the fall TribLive series by interviewing Attorney General Greg Abbott, Stiles on the most congested roads in Texas, Ramshaw’s interview with former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, Grissom on the perils of talking too much if you’re the head of the state’s jail standards board, M. Smith on Congressman Chet Edwards’ fight for political survival in a Republican year, Philpott on counties worried the state’s budget woes will trickle down, Hamilton on whether Texas should be in the movie-vetting business, Aguilar on a Mexican journalist seeking asylum from his country’s drug violence, Galbraith on green energy and Texas college football, and excerpts from former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby’s new book, How Things Really Work: Lessons from a Life in Politics: The best of our best from August 30 to September 3, 2010.
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Public Education
TribBlog: The Bus Fuss
After a 2006 bus accident in Beaumont that killed two students and injured several more, parents and legislators successfully demanded the state finance seat belts in school buses. Today, four years later, the Legislative Budget Board finally gave approval for a grant program — but the rules the board set likely will exclude the Beaumont area from getting the money, even though the grassroots movement started there.
Posted in
Transportation
The 100 Most Congested Roads
A new Texas Department of Transportation study names Texas’ 100 most congested roadways, which are heavily concentrated in Houston and the Dallas Metroplex; Bexar is the only one of the big five counties without a top-10 trouble spot. Policymakers hope the study will focus the public and lawmakers on the state’s problem areas.
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State Government
TribBlog: Driver Debt Debate
On Tuesday, a House committee heard arguments over the future of the controversial Driver Responsibility Program — which pits outrage over heavy traffic fines on the poor against the state’s need to finance trauma care in hospitals, which benefit from the fines.
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Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Stiles’ and Torres’ three-parter on the changing Texas political map, Ramsey on questions about Brian Birdwell’s voting history and residency, Aguilar on the Obama administration’s immigration crackdown, Reed on hospitals that won’t induce early labor, Stiles on what Troy Fraser left off his financial disclosure form, the latest installment of Hu’s Face-Off video debate series, Grissom on the problem-plagued Driver Responsibility Program, Galbraith on the controversy over fracking and M. Smith’s interview with former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O’Neill: The best of our best from July 26 to 30, 2010.
Posted in
State Government
A Fine Mess
Efforts to salvage the problem-plagued Driver Responsibility Program ultimately may not shield it from the wrath of its many detractors, including at least one lawmaker who believes we “shouldn’t hesitate in getting rid of it.”
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State Government
TribBlog: Suspending Driver Suspensions
The Texas Public Safety Commission on Thursday approved changes to the Driver Responsibility Program that would include an amnesty program for drivers with outstanding surcharges, reduced fines for poor drivers and new incentives to encourage more people to pay up.
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Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Ramsey’s interview with Rick Perry’s chief consultant, Stiles on the massive amount of cash that cities are collecting from red-light cameras, Grissom on the coming debate over the Democrats’ two-step primary/caucus process, Thevenot on the State Board of Education’s latest controversial plan, Aguilar on immigrants deported for minor infractions, Ramshaw on the social conscience (or lack thereof) of medical schools, M. Smith on a nascent voter registration effort in Harris County, Hamilton’s interview with the newest state senator, Philpott on Bill White’s feistier week, Galbraith on how tighter EPA rules will affect Texas and Hu on questions about the governor’s transparency: The best of our best from June 21 to 25, 2010.
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Transportation
TribBlog: Pick Your Plate
Twenty-eight new Texas specialty license plates are up for a public vote by My Plates, the company that markets them.