The Brief: June 13, 2011
He's got no plans to visit Iowa or New Hampshire, but don't expect the spotlight to leave Gov. Rick Perry as he barnstorms the U.S. this week. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Inside Intelligence: The Best and Worst Legislators Were...
We asked our insiders this week about Texas Monthly's forthcoming list of the Ten Best and Ten Worst Legislators — perhaps the most talked-about and eagerly anticipated media pronouncement in the state in any odd-numbered year. Full Story
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With Less State Money, Will Schools Raise Local Taxes?
Across the state, school districts are considering raises local taxes to pay for the state shortfall in funding. But will the same public that sent lawmakers to Austin in November with an overwhelming no-new-taxes imperative accept paying more locally to preserve programs and jobs? Full Story
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Dallas, Fort Worth Voters Greet Mayoral Races With Yawns
It would be nice if the two largest cities in Texas’ largest metropolitan area were fired up about the June 18 runoffs that will determine their next mayors. But about the only thing voters in Dallas and Fort Worth have been engaged in is a collective yawn. Full Story
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![Dallas Mayoral candidate David Kunkle speaks during a televised debate flanked by opponents Mike Rawlings and Ron Natinsky at Southern Methodist University on April 19 2011.]()
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Anti-Washington, in More Ways Than One
Serving in the U.S. Congress is a pretty big deal. Full Story
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Controversial UT Regent: Let's Push Reset Button
Of the new University of Texas System regents, none has received more scrutiny than Alex Cranberg. After months of controversy, he said the time has come to “push a reset button” on the relationship between the regents and the leadership at UT. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aguilar on a newly exposed rift in the GOP, Dehn on what summer overtime for lawmakers costs taxpayers, Galbraith on one bright spot for environmentalists this session, Grissom on reports of abuse shrouding a death row case, Hamilton on the long slog toward higher education reform, Ramsey on where the Big Three stand, Ramshaw on the filibuster-induced rise of a state senator, Root on Perry's jump into the culture wars, M. Smith on a new wrinkle in the school finance battle and Tan on the "pansexual" debate that nearly killed the crucial fiscal matters bill: The best of our best content from June 6 to June 10, 2011. Full Story
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Another State Agency Data Breach Reported
The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services said today that the personal data of about 4,900 current and former state employees may have been exposed in a security breach. Full Story
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TribLive: Post-Forum Q&A With GOP Senate Candidates
After Wednesday night's forum with Ted Cruz, Elizabeth Ames Jones, Tom Leppert and Roger Williams, Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith continued the conversation with questions from the public about the Tea Party, the 10th Amendment and one contender in the race who wasn't present. Full Story
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House OKs Bill to Seek Federal Medicaid Waiver
The Texas House passed a bill today to take control of Texas health care reform, tentatively passing a bill that will allow the state to petition the Obama administration for a block grant to operate the Medicaid program. Full Story
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![Rep. Lois Kolkhorst R-Brenham on House floor May 24th, 2011]()
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The Midday Brief: June 10, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Democrats' Rainy Day victory survives; the "pansexual" amendment that nearly killed a key fiscal bill; Texas Republicans weighing a straw poll Full Story
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Second Life: Where Do Education Bills Stand in the Special Session?
Updated: A revised version of Rep. Rob Eissler's class size bill, which expands the Texas Education Agency's authority to grant waivers, quickly clears the House. Full Story
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Updated: Fiscal Conservatives Frustrated With House Votes
Rep. Donna Howard's proposal to direct surplus Rainy Day Fund money to Texas schools for enrollment growth survived to fight another day during debate on the House floor this morning, but not before a Republican attempt to derail it. Full Story
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Video: "Pansexual" Amendment Debate
While you were sleeping last night, lawmakers in the Texas House were engaged in a passionate debate over "pansexual" politics that nearly killed the entire fiscal matters bill, which is pretty much the main reason they're having a special session. Trust us — this is must-see video. Full Story
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Video: What Lege Sessions Cost Taxpayers and Lawmakers
We break down the cost to taxpayers of the regular and special sessions. It's not chump change, but one political science expert argues the relatively low pay for lawmakers keeps many Texans from being able to run for higher office. Full Story
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The Brief: June 10, 2011
The implosion of Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign on Thursday unleashed some of the loudest — and hardest-to-ignore — Perry-for-president rumor-mongering yet. Full Story
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This Session, Water Policy Rode on One Word
With the Big Dry upon us, the fight over the water percolating under the surface in Texas' underground aquifers was bound to get contentious before the end of the legislative session. And it did, at least for a while, because of one modifier. Full Story
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While Perry Rejects Federal Reform, State Agency Quietly Presses On
Despite Gov. Rick Perry's vehement opposition to federal health reform, the state has accepted a $1 million federal grant to plan for a key element of it: a Travelocity-like state insurance marketplace. Full Story
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Texas Inmate at the Nexus of Execution and Abuse
A small church in an impoverished south side San Antonio neighborhood became a place of fear and shame for children who allege they were victims in the 1980s of sexual abuse by a prominent priest. One of those alleged victims is death row inmate Humberto Leal. Full Story
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![The parent of a child who was allegedly sexually abused by Father Federico Fernandez.]()
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After 16 Hours of Debate, House Tentatively Passes Key Fiscal Matters Bill
Lengthy debate on a key budget bill featured many retreads of contentious topics from the regular session — but it was Rep. Wayne Christian's revival of his famous "pansexual" amendment around midnight that almost killed the whole thing. Full Story
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![State Rep. Wayne Christian, R-Center, listens to testimony during a House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee hearing on April 5, 2011.]()
Credit: Bob
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