Sen. John Carona remains a political maverick in the Texas Legislature, willing to stand alone in policy fights and raise money for Democrats, despite conservative grassroots pressure to conform to stricter ideology. Full Story
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From protecting endangered lizards to changing industry standards on fracking, energy and environmental groups have many competing interests in Texas. Use this interactive to track campaign contributions by some of the most influential such groups and donors. Full Story
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The Ogallala Aquifer suffered its second-worst drop since at least 2000 in a 16-county swath of the Texas Panhandle, new measurements show. With the drought showing little sign of abating, farmers face another tough year. Full Story
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More budget drama — including a delayed vote — has pushed the Legislature dangerously close to the brink of a special session. Full Story
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UPDATED: The Texas House allowed the clock to run out Tuesday night on Senate Bill 11, an initiative that would have created a drug testing regimen for some welfare benefits. Full Story
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Elementary and middle school students will take fewer standardized exams under legislation approved by the state Senate on Tuesday — if Texas can get a waiver from the federal government. Full Story
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The Senate raised the bar Tuesday evening in its standoff with the lower chamber by tying the provisions in a major franchise tax relief bill to key legislation being held up in the House. Full Story
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UPDATED: The House on Tuesday tentatively approved a bill that would require a now-defunct legislative oversight committee to hire a third party to review solitary confinement conditions in Texas prisons and juvenile lockups. Full Story
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The Texas House gave early approval on Tuesday to a requirement that the Department of Public Safety perform DNA testing on all biological evidence prior to the start of cases that involve the death penalty. Full Story
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Your evening reading: major deadline looms for budget deal; Dewhurst urges action on abortion legislation; Houston Tea Party group sues IRS over targeting Full Story
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The Senate approved an extension of the University of Texas at Austin's cap on automatic admissions under the state's top 10 percent rule on Tuesday, and members rejected efforts to do away with the rule entirely. Full Story
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UPDATED: Premont Independent School District will avoid closure by joining with Texas A&M University-Kingsville, state and local officials announced on Tuesday. Full Story
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The Senate Nominations Committee unanimously voted Tuesday to approve Gov. Rick Perry's three nominees to the University of Texas System Board of Regents. The nominees must still be confirmed by the full Senate. Full Story
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Police would have new authority to take firearms away from Texans who are in a mental crisis under a bill the House approved on Tuesday that is now headed to Gov. Rick Perry's desk. Full Story
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The public doesn't closely follow legislative debates over the budget, but sometimes those budget debates line up pretty accurately with public opinion. Full Story
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UPDATED: State Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, again attempted to add a measure decoupling legislators' pensions from judges' pay. But the amendment to Senate Bill 1459 was defeated Tuesday. Full Story
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For this week's nonscientic survey of insiders in politics and government, we asked for predictions about which proposals will survive the legislative session, which ones won't and about how top state officeholders will fare in the elections that follow. Full Story
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Ahead of a Wednesday bill-passing deadline, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has sent an email to supporters urging them to ask their senators to vote out several anti-abortion measures. Full Story
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Many of the residents of Sun City Shadow Hills near Palm Springs say they're being overcharged and hit with unfair penalties by their HOA. They have the company run by state Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, in their crosshairs. Full Story
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Two Texans, Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, are on the GOP's radar as potential 2016 presidential candidates. Use this interactive to see how they compare on issues like health care, abortion and immigration. Full Story
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