On Thursday, the Texas A&M University System is set to appoint a deputy chancellor and an interim chancellor. The man for both jobs may be Jay Kimbrough, a former chief of staff to Gov. Rick Perry, sources tell the Tribune. Full Story
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State legislators say they've reached a compromise on reform of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, potentially averting a second special session this summer. Full Story
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The Senate passed its version of the TSA "anti-groping" bill tonight. Meanwhile, the House version is still alive — and significantly changed. The House tentatively approved it on a voice vote this afternoon. Full Story
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During the Senate's afternoon recess, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst offered his thoughts on the special session's unanswered questions on sanctuary cities legislation, the TWIA compromise and the chances of coming back in July. Full Story
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House and Senate lawmakers have approved the conference committee report for SB 7, an omnibus health reform bill loaded with amendments, some of them controversial. Full Story
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A Senate committee approved a new version of the TSA "anti-groping" bill today, which substitutes the language "probable cause" for "reasonable suspicion." Full Story
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A glitch in the federal health reform bill that would make many middle-class Americans eligible for Medicaid could cost Texas nearly $90 million a year by 2017, according to a state analysis. Full Story
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The Texas Alliance For Life had a photographer in the House gallery this morning shooting empty seats on the floor —checking for lawmakers who ducked the vote on SB 7, a health bill that has anti-abortion amendments. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading: Sanctuary cities bill isn't dead; UT System and former adviser Rick O'Donnell reach settlement; House passes health reform bill; George Will says Rick Perry is a "potentially potent candidate"; debating how much credit Perry deserves for jobs creation; TSA removes 95-year-old woman's diaper Full Story
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State Rep. Burt Solomons says at least one version of the contentious sanctuary cities bill will advance out of committee today, despite the morning cancellation of a House State Affairs meeting. Full Story
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The Rick O'Donnell saga at the University of Texas System appears to have reached an end. Last week, under threat of a lawsuit, the system agreed to a settlement with the former adviser. Full Story
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Will they or won't they? That's the question lawmakers, who seem to have met for a matter of minutes in the waning days of the special legislative session, face today on a series of controversial measures Gov. Rick Perry added to the call. Full Story
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Once again, Gov. Rick Perry's name made the rounds on the Sunday news programs. But this week, his star was largely overshadowed by fellow GOP contenders who've declared their candidacy. Full Story
For the latest installment of our unscientific survey of political and policy insiders, we asked about the special session, whether lawmakers will finish what they're working on, and whether another special session will follow this one. Full Story
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You’d think the Aggie consultant would be working for the Aggie candidate. Full Story
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With multiple third-party organizations cropping up, along with a new Legislature-created oversight committee, expect a protracted debate about how best to tackle the state's higher ed problems. Full Story
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Natalie Butler and Christopher Covo, are both student leaders from public universities in Texas. But they find themselves on different sides of the state's ongoing higher education reform debate. Full Story
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An Everybody-in-the-Pool effort on what's left to do in the special session, Ramshaw on a doozy of a congressional race shaping up, Aguilar on the debate over sanctuary cities and other immigration proposals, M. Smith on the state's used-up Rainy Day Fund, Grissom on efforts to kick the special interests out of an insurance fight, Dehn and Tan on whether the special session helps or hurts the governor's national ambitions, Galbraith and KUT Radio team up for a series on the long-term outlook for Central Texas water, Aaronson on government attempts to balance openness and privacy with data releases, yours truly on Amazon's run at a sales tax break, and Hamilton on an ethnic gap in higher education: The best of our best from June 20 to 24, 2011. Full Story
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Want a quick recap of some of the happenings this week in the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly video rundown of the action under the dome. Full Story
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Two Republican boosters have circulated a memo urging business owners to contact lawmakers to encourage them to vote against the “sanctuary cities” bills pending in committee. Full Story
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