The Midday Brief: Top Texas Headlines for April 7, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Lawmaker finds extra money for schools; redistricting gets under way; Nolan Ryan lends support to Todd Staples Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PiggyBankBudget.jpg)
-
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Radical, FBI Informant, Conservative Hero: the Lives of Brandon Darby
Brandon Darby has transformed himself from liberal social justice organizer and radical to much-maligned FBI informant to now right-of-center conservative hero — of a sort. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/BrandonDarby2.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Unexpectedly, a Lawmaker Finds Extra Money For Schools
A Texas lawmaker said the magic words Thursday morning to a panel of exhausted and nearly hopeless state budget writers: he has found a “new revenue source without raising taxes.” Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexasMoneyTree.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Two New Texas Latino Seats in Congress?
The public version of drawing new congressional maps for Texas started this morning with committee hearings and the unveiling of a proposal from a coalition that insists at least two of the four new districts should have Latino majorities. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/IMG_2835_1.JPG)
![Nina Perales of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and members of the Texas Latino Redistricting Task Force present a proposal for two new Latino-majority congressional seats during a 2011 press conference.]()
-
TribLive: Seliger and Solomons on the Politics of Redistricting
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, and state Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton, acknowledged that there's no way to take politics out of the mapmaking process. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/TxTribLive-SeligerSolomons041111-142.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Solar Backers Place Hopes in House Bill
Advocates of solar power made their case last night for passage of a bill that would add a dollar each month to residential electric bills to fund solar projects. Opponents worry about costs. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Wayne_National_Forest-men_install-panel.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Wayne National Forest -
The Brief: Top Texas News for April 7, 2011
Competing rallies on Wednesday provided a stark backdrop to the House vs. Senate tug-of-war playing out in the Capitol. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib_TaxpayersRally_MS_6.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Muliadi Soenaryo -
To Some House Republicans, Family Planning = Abortion
Is "family planning" a euphemism for abortion? For many House Republicans, yes. It's not that they don't understand the difference — it's that they don't trust family planning clinics not to steer women toward abortions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/family_planning.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Adam Lederer -
Demand for Court-Appointed Advocates on the Rise
Attorney General Greg Abbott and former first lady Laura Bush are leading an effort to recruit more court-appointed special advocates for foster kids. With 42,000 children in the system, Gretch Sanders of KUT News reports on the growing need for so-called CASA volunteers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/CASA.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 74
In this week's episode, Evan, Ross, Reeve and Ben discuss the House budget and what it means for the Senate, pansexuals and Western civilization. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TT-TribCast-002.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Fight Over Alamo Continues in the Capitol
The dust-up over who should be the steward of the Alamo continued into today's House Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee, where three bills addressing the historic site were heard. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Dueling Rallies: Cut Spending or Save Programs?
Texans on all sides of the budget equation rallied at the Capitol Wednesday for vastly different priorities. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib_TaxpayersRally_MS_5.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Muliadi Soenaryo -
House Passes Controversial School Testing Bill [Updated]
A bill from state Rep. Rob Eissler modifying how end-of-course exams factor into graduation led House Republicans into a debate over how best to handle student testing during what one called "extraordinary times" in public education. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Committee Passes Bill That Would Protect Veterans Fund
A Senate committee on Wednesday unanimously passed a bill that would prevent the Texas Veterans Commission — which faces a proposed 20 percent budget cut — from dipping into a fund it is barred from using for administrative purposes. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Veteran.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Kate Gardiner -
Senate Passes TEXAS Grants Priority Model
A bill that would change the system for distributing TEXAS Grants — the state's primary need-based aid program — by creating a new priority system passed the Senate today by a vote of 24-7. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/CollegeStudents.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Circumcision Questions, Other Inquiries Mulled for Some Passport Applicants
Were you circumcised at birth and was it a part of a religious ceremony? If so, who was there and why? It may sound far-fetched, but some applicants for U.S. passports may soon have to answer such questions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/US-Passport.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Thousands Rally for Smaller Budget Cuts
Thousands of protesters chanted "They say, 'Cut back.' We say, 'Fight back'" as they marched to the Capitol this afternoon to rally against proposed budget cuts. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Midday Brief: Top Texas Headlines for April 6, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Tea Party presses senators on budget; hospital tax quietly floated; Senate approves DNA testing bill Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexasOnTopofMoney_1.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Senate Approves Easing Restrictions on DNA Testing
The Senate today passed a bill that would reduce restrictions on post-conviction DNA testing by allowing biological evidence that was previously untested, or tested by older, potentially inaccurate techniques, to be tested and used as evidence in court. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/20100120-IMG_2761-2.jpg)
![Hank Skinner was sentenced to death for the 1993 triple slaying of his girlfriend and her two sons.]()
Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller -
Senate OKs Bill to Promote Texas Data Transparency
Data enthusiasts may be cringing at proposed federal cuts to data transparency websites, but the Texas Senate passed a bill today that would promote state transparency by requiring agencies to post high-value data sets online. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/kirkwatsontriblive.jpg)
![Kirk Watson]()
Credit: Jacqueline Mermea
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7bbb86a9759285a98c6f46223d1aae9e/BD%20INC%20Atkins%2001%202011)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d96f60c64cb98464383b6254bdc58ceb/BD%20INC%20Bonnen%20Eissler%2001%202011)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c04504d6dc51a11a9aa2de3962a9d41d/BD%20INC%20Save%20our%20State%2003%202011)