The Evening Brief: Jan. 14, 2013
Your evening reading: White House responds to Texas secession petition; rule changes deal blow to House Democrats; George H.W. Bush released from Houston hospital Full Story
Your evening reading: White House responds to Texas secession petition; rule changes deal blow to House Democrats; George H.W. Bush released from Houston hospital Full Story
The House's Democratic minority was dealt a blow Monday when the chamber passed an amendment to its rules to limit legislators' ability to derail bills based on clerical errors. Full Story
The White House, responding to calls for secession from Texas and seven other states, has called for healthy debate, but to not let "that debate tear us apart." Full Story
Vanquished in his fight to unseat House Speaker Joe Straus, state Rep. David Simpson isn't backing down. Full Story
In light of the improved economic forecast announced recently by the state comptroller, education advocates are asking for more money to go to Texas' public education system — the state's preschools included. Full Story
Twenty journalists have spent nine months researching the personal financial interests of members of the 83rd Legislature. Eyebrows — and hackles — may be raised, but this kind of transparency is good for Texas. Full Story
In September, the federal government will decide whether to classify a West Texas grouse called the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species. Such a move could have serious repercussions for the wind and drilling industries. Full Story
The Lawmaker Explorer is a first-of-its-kind interactive tool that gives Texans a window into the personal interests of their state legislators. It is the linchpin of the Tribune's Bidness as Usual project, a session-long look at ethics and transparency in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
With a lacking conflict disclosure system, virtually toothless ethics laws and a Legislature historically unwilling to make itself more transparent, Texans know little about who or what influences the people elected to represent them. Full Story
The kickoff of the 83rd legislative session packed few surprises. The Texas Senate voted on rules, Joe Straus won without breaking a sweat, Comptroller Susan Combs announced the state budget forecast and Gov. Rick Perry laid out his priorities for the 140-day session. Full Story
Batheja on growing calls for infrastructure spending, Dehn and Rocha report on voters’ legislative wishes, Murphy counts noses in the new Legislature, KUT’s Philpott sniffs out a push for tax relief, M. Smith tracks House Speaker Joe Straus after his re-election, Kalifa’s lovely time-lapse look at the Legislature’s first day, Aaronson on the Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on hopes for immigration reform, Grissom on the tribulations of Kerry Max Cook, Hamilton looks into a college curriculum battle, and E. Smith’s TribLive interview with Michael Williams: The best of our best for the week of Jan. 7, 2013. Full Story
On Friday afternoon, the Republican state representative from Longview talked about why he ran for speaker, the real reason he quit the race and what happens next. Full Story
Your evening reading: Dewhurst wants state to fund firearms training for teachers; judge denies Planned Parenthood's appeal to rejoin health program; Patterson says he could beat Dewhurst in 2014 Full Story
In the wake of the Connecticut school shooting, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called Friday for the state to consider funding specialized firearms training for school employees. Full Story
Momentum is growing for Texas lawmakers to commit large amounts of money to address the state's long-term infrastructure needs, particularly water and transportation. Full Story
Democratic state Rep. Eric Johnson is bringing debate over voter ID back to the Texas statehouse. He wants to repeal the law passed in 2011 requiring voters to show photo identification. Full Story
Full video of my Jan. 10 TribLive conversation with Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams. Full Story
The two-year-old revenue forecast used to justify massive cuts in the current state budget was wrong — and not by a little bit. But the conservative Legislature elected in 2010 wasn't complaining. Full Story
Kerry Max Cook, who spent two decades on death row for a 1977 murder, says the prosecutor in Smith County is fighting dirty in his mission to stymie the ex-inmate's efforts to prove his innocence. Full Story
After successfully fending off another challenge to his speakership, Joe Straus faces a tough task in the session. He will have to tackle issues that have been thorny for Republicans in the past, without further alienating the far right. Full Story