Abortion providers say the new sonogram law has been a bureaucratic nightmare. But supporters of the measure argue requiring the procedure at least 24 hours ahead of an abortion is due diligence, not a roadblock. Full Story
Hot on the heels of his fellow GOP Senate candidates Craig James and David Dewhurst releasing their tax returns, Ted Cruz has provided the Tribune with the last five years of his tax filings. Full Story
For members of Houston's aerospace industry, GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's vow to put a permanent base on the moon by 2020 is a plan unlikely to take off. Full Story
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Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Gage Skidmore / James Capaldi
Tan and Dehn talk to some of Gov. Rick Perry's allies about his return to Texas, Aaronson maps (interactively!) the insured and the uninsured among us, E. Smith's TribLive interview with state Rep. David Simpson on Perry's race and TSA pat-downs, M. Smith on a Texas school so broke it's shutting down sports, Whitney on a split in the legal community over divorce forms, KUT's Philpott on abuse in state hospitals, Ramshaw reports on the governor's decision not to repay taxpayers for protection during his presidential campaign and Aguilar on the state's attempts to put its voter ID law in force: The best of our best content from January 23-27, 2012. Full Story
Following the lead of fellow Republican U.S. Senate candidate Craig James, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has released his tax returns from 2009 and 2010. James on Thursday urged his fellow candidates to release their returns from the last five years. Full Story
University of Texas President Bill Powers says he supports President Obama's recent push toward performance-based funding, but he says the devil will be in the details. Full Story
Federal redistricting judges in San Antonio told lawyers Friday they won't be able to hold primary elections in April if they don't make substantial progress on maps by early next week. But some want the court to slow down, even if it delays the elections again. Full Story
Your afternoon reading: associates say Paul signed off on racist newsletters; signs of redistricting settlement; federal government rejects Texas' request to delay health care reform rule Full Story
In Texas, the largest cattle state, branding cows with a symbol like the "Rocking R" is practically a cultural necessity. But state and federal regulators are keener on another form of identification — ear tags — that's easier to standardize. Full Story
The federal government has rejected Texas' request to delay implementation of a health reform rule that could force some insurers to give premium refunds to customers. Full Story
Up and down the Texas ballot, candidates are waiting to see whether the redrawn political maps give them any chance of winning. Careers, plans and schemes are in the balance. Full Story
A new poll shows Gov. Rick Perry's approval numbers in Texas are tanking, but his loyalists are quick to make the case for why he remains a powerful force. Full Story
Nobody said running for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas was cheap. A (partial) release of Ted Cruz's finances, and other political news from around the state. Full Story
Three federal judges in San Antonio are going back, literally, to the drawing board for new political maps for Texas, and to decide when to have primary elections. The same things, in other words, they were trying to work out in November. Full Story
Rick Perry is still the Republican governor of a strongly Republican state. He controls the executive branch, maintains strong ties with business, has relatively weak opponents, and has run circles around the media. Full Story
When the Legislature decamped from Austin in July, there was a sense of order in Texas politics. And yet, as Rick Perry returns a mere seven months later, conditions on the ground in Texas border on the chaotic. Full Story
Craig James, the former sports commentator who is running to replace Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, has released his tax returns from the last five years. Expect his opponents to follow suit. Full Story
The insiders think Ron Paul's biggest obstacle is Ron Paul, are pessimistic about Texas Democrats, and predict Democratic primaries focused on education and Republican primaries focused on spending and taxes. Full Story
The U.S. Department of Justice is keeping Texans guessing as to whether they will have to furnish photo IDs before casting their ballots. But a fresh lawsuit has spurred a new round of mudslinging directed at the law's Republican backers. Full Story