The Evening Brief: Nov. 14, 2012
Your evening reading: Jeb Bush asks donors to back son for land commissioner; Cornyn elevated to minority whip; Sessions elected chairman of Rules Committee Full Story
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![John Higgins, chief of staff to state Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt, can be seen on the far left of this photo with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. Higgins pleaded guilty following a Travis County District Attorney Public Integrity Unit investigation into improprieties involving travel reimbursements.]()
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AG Says DNA Tests Further Implicate Hank Skinner in 1993 Murders
In an advisory filed in state district court on Wednesday, the Texas attorney general's office says DNA test results further confirm Hank Skinner's guilt. The death row inmate's lawyer says it's too early to draw conclusions. Full Story
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LCRA Approves Compromise Plan to Release Water for Rice Farmers
The board of the Lower Colorado River Authority voted Wednesday to release water to rice farmers next spring if Central Texas' Highland Lakes, already diminished by drought, do not drop below 38.5 percent full. Full Story
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Cornyn Elected U.S. Senate Minority Whip
The senior senator of Texas will serve as second-in-command of the 113th Congress' upper chamber. Full Story
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Hughes' Work as Trial Lawyer Could Impact His Bid to Be House Speaker
Some critics of House Speaker Joe Straus say he’s too moderate to run the Texas House. But Bryan Hughes, the man some hope will unseat Straus, has worked as a trial lawyer, a profession not associated with conservative causes. Full Story
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Emergency Drought Plan May Cut Rice Farmers Off Again
In another sign the Texas drought is far from over, the Lower Colorado River Authority is contemplating whether to enact an emergency plan that could cut off water supplies to rice farmers for the second year. Full Story
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The Brief: Nov. 14, 2012
Despite big losses for Republicans last week, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn today will likely take on his most powerful role in the party yet. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.]()
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Report: UT Law's Forgivable Loans to Faculty "Not Appropriate"
The process Larry Sager, the UT law school's former dean, used to secure a $500,000 loan for himself was not transparent and created "an impression of self-dealing that cannot be condoned," according to a report released Tuesday. Full Story
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Cruz Says He Will Support Cornyn for Minority Whip
U.S. Sen-elect Ted Cruz never said during the campaign whether he would support his Texas counterpart, Sen. John Cornyn, for Senate minority whip. On Tuesday, he finally answered the question. Full Story
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![U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (l) and John Cornyn]()
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The Evening Brief: Nov. 13, 2012
Your evening reading: Perry, Dewhurst push drug testing for welfare applicants; White House says it will respond to Texas secession petition; Texas demographics and polling Full Story
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Perry, Dewhurst Back Drug Testing for Welfare Applicants
Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on Tuesday expressed support for a bill that would require welfare applicants to take drug tests. Critics of the bill say it needlessly targets the poor. Full Story
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Inside Intelligence: A Last Bit of Punditry....
For this week's nonscientific survey of insiders from government and politics, we made temporary assignments in punditry, asking insiders to explain the elections, whether the governor is done and how legislative leaders' clout was affected. Full Story
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The Brief: Nov. 13, 2012
The 2013 legislative session doesn't start until January, but eager lawmakers on Monday offered a glimpse of what to expect next year. Full Story
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More Than 250 Bills Fly Out of the Legislative Gate
In a preview of the impending 83rd legislative session, lawmakers filed more than 250 bills on Monday. The proposals would affect just about everything from public school testing to health insurance and how we buy milk. Full Story
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![Monday was the first day lawmakers could pre-file legislation for the upcoming 83rd Texas Legislative Session.]()
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Interactive: Bill Tracker for the 83rd Session
Bill filing for the 83rd legislative session kicked off on Monday, and lawmakers filed more than 250 bills on the first day alone. The Tribune has retooled last session's bill tracker and put it to work, pulling in all the legislation that's been filed so far for 2013. Full Story
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Questions Raised Over Oil Disposal Sites
As oil and gas drilling booms throughout the state, a new court case has raised concerns about the oversight of so-called landfarms, the privately owned, state-regulated sites used to dispose of the waste produced during the drilling process. Full Story
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Interactive: Whom Do Lawmakers Support in House Speaker Faceoff?
With the general election in the rearview mirror, all eyes are on the next political contest on the Texas horizon — the House speaker’s race. The Tribune called all 150 members of the Texas House to find out who has their vote. Full Story
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UT System May Construct $100 Million Austin Office
The University of Texas System Board of Regents will meet this week and consider, among many things, whether to approve the construction of a system office building in downtown Austin that is projected to cost $102,417,000. Full Story
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Ahead of Session, "Sanctuary Cities" Debate Renews
Gov. Rick Perry reiterated his support for the ban on “sanctuary cities” on Monday, the same day opponents of such measures said that a Supreme Court decision on a controversial Arizona law did not automatically pave the way for Texas to enact its own immigration policies. Full Story
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Kenneth Shine Announces Retirement From UT System
After nine years with the University of Texas System, Kenneth Shine, the executive vice chancellor for health affairs, announced on Monday that he intends to retire in early 2013. Full Story
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