The Evening Brief: July 24, 2013

New in The Texas Tribune

•    AG, Planned Parenthood Affiliate Reach $1.4M Settlement: "The Texas attorney general’s office announced Wednesday that it has obtained a $1.4 million settlement with Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast for overbilling the state’s Medicaid program."

•    El Paso Lawmaker Can't Join Hispanic Caucus; Some Seek Rule Change: "Despite representing a district whose constituents are overwhelmingly Hispanic, U.S. Rep. Robert 'Beto' O’Rourke, D-El Paso, is ineligible for membership in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Some say that should change."

•    TJJD Weighs Closing Mental Health Unit, Halfway Houses: "City leaders in Corsicana are worried about the potential economic and jobs losses that could come from closing a state juvenile detention center."

•    On the Records: Updates to the Salary Database: We've updated our most popular data feature, the Government Employee Salaries database. With this update, we begin a new and better process that will help keep you abreast of the latest salary changes.

Culled

•    Rick Perry to keynote Americans for Prosperity conference in Florida (The Dallas Morning News): "Over the Labor Day weekend, the traditional kick-off for political campaigns, Gov. Rick Perry will be in Orlando to address the national conference of Americans for Prosperity. Americans for Prosperity is a low-tax, small-government, limited-regulation organization that is touting Texas’ economic growth under the Perry Administration."

•    Poll: Latino voters in battleground districts unhappy with GOP on immigration (Houston Chronicle): "Latinos in 24 districts held by Republicans — including that of Rep. Randy Weber — are dissatisfied with the GOP’s approach to immigration reform, but remain willing to vote Republican if the party supports a pathway to citizenship, according to poll released today by immigrant rights advocacy groups Latino Votes and America’s Voice."

•    Hillary Clinton trounces Rick Perry in presidential match-up; Perry, Ted Cruz lag behind in GOP primary (Houston Chronicle): "Texas Gov. Rick Perry fares worse against Hillary Clinton than any other potential Republican presidential candidate, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll."