The Evening Brief: June 13, 2013

New in The Texas Tribune

•    Perry: No Time to Expand Session Agenda: "Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday there is no time left in the ongoing special session to expand the agenda. 'I think everything has been added to the call that can be added to the call,' the governor told reporters after a bill-signing ceremony at the Capitol. 'I guess we could add a lot of things to the call, but the fact is the house is out until Monday. I think from a practical standpoint those last issues that we put on the call are the last practical things that can be done.'"

•    "Merry Christmas" Officially Okay in Texas Public Schools: "This holiday season, teachers and students will officially have permission to wish each other 'Merry Christmas' — or the traditional greeting of their choice — in Texas public schools. Flanked by high school cheerleaders who recently fought a legal battle to carry banners with Bible verses on them at athletic events, Gov. Rick Perry ceremonially signed legislation Thursday clarifying that school districts can acknowledge traditional winter celebrations."

•    Supreme Court Backs Oklahoma Over North Texas Water District: "The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday issued a unanimous ruling for Oklahoma over a North Texas water district in a case over delivery of water from the Red River."

•    Inmate Families Sue Over Heat-Related Prison Deaths: "As summer temperatures begin to soar, the Texas Civil Rights Project and Austin lawyer Jeff Edwards filed wrongful death lawsuits Thursday against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the University of Texas Medical Branch, alleging that they failed to protect four prisoners who died from heat stroke."

•    TribLive: Inside Texas Monthly's Best & Worst List: Full video of Thursday's TribLive conversation about Texas Monthly's list of the Best and Worst Legislators, with Paul Burka, Erica Grieder, Sonia Smith and Brian D. Sweany.

Culled

•    Rep. Joaquin Castro questions Sen. John Cornyn’s motives on immigration reform (Houston Chronicle): "There’s that toxic word again. When it comes to Sen. John Cornyn’s amendment to the immigration bill, Rep. Joaquin Castro said today he doubts it will help the reform cause and considers it to be a 'poison pill.' When asked about the San Antonio Republican senator’s amendment in an interview on MSNBC, the San Antonio Democratic congressman said, 'It’s more of his attempt to secure his reelection in Texas in 2014.'"

•    Obama lunches with Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavs owner (The Dallas Morning News): "The NSA probably knew ahead of time, but reporters who happened to be at the White House this afternoon got a surprise when they spotted Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Turns out that Cuban had a private lunch with President Barack Obama."

•    In petition, activists allege Whole Foods has 'English-only' policy (Austin American-Statesman): "Activists protesting what they called Whole Foods Market’s 'English-only' rules for employees presented a petition to the company Thursday requesting that the grocer change its policy."