The Evening Brief: Sept. 30, 2013

Culled

•    Senate Rejects House’s Terms on Budget With Shutdown Near (The New York Times): "House Republican leaders pushed forward a new plan to tie further government spending to a one-year delay in a requirement that individuals buy health insurance, after the Senate took less than 25 minutes to convene and dispose of a weekend budget proposal by the House Republicans. The rapid back-and-forth came with the federal government essentially running out of money at midnight if no agreement is reached. The Republicans were planning a vote later Monday on the new plan, which also includes a denial of government subsidies to lawmakers and their staff members buying health insurance."

•    Texas House members prepare as shutdown looms (The Dallas Morning News): "Representatives from Texas have begun making plans for the government shutdown that could be hours away. As it nears, House members will have to decide whether they will keep their offices open. Texans’ ability to reach out to Washington and the paychecks of congressional staffers are at stake."

•    'Dreamers' stage action in Laredo (Los Angeles Times): "Months after a group of undocumented youths raised in the United States known as the "Dream 9" crossed the border into Arizona from Mexico demanding legal entrance, another larger group is planning to stage a similar protest at the border crossing in Laredo, Texas, on Monday."

New in The Texas Tribune

•    State Gets Waiver From No Child Left Behind: "Under a federal waiver that was announced Monday, only the lowest-performing 15 percent of Texas public schools will be subject to a series of federally prescribed interventions. Before the waiver, nearly all of the state's school districts next year would have been subject to the measures because of a failure to meet the requirement that 100 percent of their students pass reading and math exams by 2014."

•    Some Fear Impact of State Rules on Health Navigators: "The day before the launch of the federal health insurance marketplace, Democratic lawmakers alleged that Gov. Rick Perry ordered new rules on 'navigators' trained to help Texans find coverage to impede Obamacare."

•    Cornyn Imagines a Blue Texas in New Ad: "In a new ad touting his re-election campaign and his KeepItRed website, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, imagines a Texas gone blue. Spoiler alert: He doesn't think it would be a utopian state."

•    Staples Emphasizes Leadership in Campaign Video: "A new web video from Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a candidate for lieutenant governor, features scenes from his campaign's bus tour and urges voters to 'stand with Staples,' saying that 'leadership begins with action.'"

•    Report: Electric Service Complaints Decreasing, but Remain High: "Texans are growing more satisfied with their electricity providers, but they still complain far more than they did before the state deregulated its power market, according to a new report."