The latest Garnet Coleman news from The Texas Tribune.
In the wake of the hanging death of Sandra Bland and other recent suicides, the state agency that oversees jails is issuing a new inmate intake form so jailers will ask more specific, direct questions when booking people. Full Story
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The committee will review and make recommendations on substance abuse, care for veterans, identifying illnesses early and improving delivery of mental health care. Full Story
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The complex and protracted path Scott Panetti's death row case has traveled illustrates how few safeguards Texas has to protect mentally ill killers from being executed. Full Story
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In the coming days, the deaths of Sandra Bland and Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth will continue to jolt statewide conversations about how the Texas criminal justice system deals with — or fails to deal with — mental health issues. Full Story
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State lawmakers grilled Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw on Thursday, voicing concerns about arrest procedures used by state police and pressing the agency head to explain the July 10 arrest of Sandra Bland, who was found hanged three days later in the Waller County Jail. Full Story
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The Waller County Jail failed to complete a two-part mental health screening process as required by law during Sandra Bland's booking process, according to the state jail commission and at least one public policy group. Full Story
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Following an emotional floor debate, the Senate passed a resolution Wednesday reaffirming the state's opposition to same-sex marriage, an action taken as it became clear a bill to prevent such marriages in Texas was dead. Full Story
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Inmates in some Texas county jails may no longer have to speak to loved ones on a video screen, after the Senate voted Monday to pass a House measure guaranteeing a minimum of two 20-minute, in-person visitations per week. Full Story
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Republican lawmakers backing open carry and guns on campus are heading in the wrong direction for many black and Hispanic Texans who would prefer stricter gun laws, polling shows. It's another disconnect with minorities the GOP might regret. Full Story
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A bill allowing the carrying of handguns on college and university campuses wasn't heard on the Senate floor on Tuesday because of a paperwork error. But it is expected to be heard today and will likely pass. Full Story
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An Austin lesbian couple obtained a marriage license Thursday morning, but the status of what would be the state's first gay marriage was in flux by the afternoon after the Texas Supreme Court issued a stay. Full Story
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Full video of our 2/12 lunchtime discussion in Houston on the major policy debates of the 84th Legislature — and what they mean for the state’s largest city and surrounding communities. Full Story
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Texas's tendency to privatize state services has led to contracting scandals erupting regularly. But a history of cost overruns or bad performance hardly bars a company from winning future jobs. Full Story
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We're liveblogging the sessions from the 2014 Texas Tribune Festival's Health Care track. The sessions include panels on mental health, the Affordable Care Act, medical education and women's health. Full Story
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At our 8/18 TribLive conversation in Richardson, I talked with state Reps. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, and John Zerwas, R-Simonton, about health care and the 84th Legislature. Full Story
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One consequence of announcing the felony indictments against Rick Perry late Friday was to give the governor the following day to begin his full-throated counterattack. That meant the front pages of the state's Sunday papers were dominated by pictures of a defiant Perry. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is on his way out in a few months, but on Thursday he moved to fill some key Senate leadership slots to help the chamber prepare for the coming legislative session in January. Full Story
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We have liveblogged each session of The 2013 Texas Tribune Festival's Health Care track, which featured panel discussions on the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, new developments coming out of Texas, and abortion and women's health. Full Story
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At the Trib's Aug. 19 symposium on mental health at the University of Texas at San Antonio, I talked about budget and policy accomplishments in the 83rd session with state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston; David Lakey, commissioner of the Department of State Health Services; and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio. Full Story
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At the Trib's April 25 symposium on higher education at the University of Texas at Austin, state Reps. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, and John Zerwas, R-Simonton, talked about Medicaid, mental health and more. Full Story
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