Legislators in 2015 are poised to take up a proposal that would have the state close nursing homes that rack up high-level federal violations on three separate days over a two-year period. Full Story
Leander and other fast-growing school districts have relied heavily on a controversial financing tool called capital appreciation bonds to borrow money to expand even as they bump up against state limits on school district debt. Full Story
The state is considering a proposal to integrate its Division for Blind Services with other rehabilitation services. While lawmakers are largely supportive of a consolidation, advocates for the blind are voicing concerns. Full Story
The discovery of a mass grave in Brooks County containing unidentified immigrants already has a couple of state lawmakers calling for an investigation of what happened. Full Story
Touting a new program as the first in Texas to be directed at reducing preventable diseases, Texas A&M University officials on Tuesday announced their Healthy Texas Initiative, which will first launch with a focus on South Texas. Full Story
The release of more than 2,000 email documents by the University of Texas System to news outlets is providing a fuller — albeit heavily redacted — picture of the various conflicts between regents and administrators. Full Story
We're liveblogging this weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival's Transportation track, which features panel discussions on planning, high-speed rail, road funding and rural transportation. Full Story
UPDATED: The University of Texas System's Board of Regents on Wednesday approved a nearly $50 million land deal for the new school's Brownsville campus. Full Story
At our Hot Seat conversation at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg on 1/24, state Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and state Reps. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen, and Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg, discussed cuts to public education, redistricting and other by-products of the 82nd Legislative Session. Full Story
Aaronson analyzes TWIA claims and lawyer fees, Aguilar talks border security and voter ID with Chuy Hinojosa, Grissom on the latest inmate exonerated via DNA evidence, Hamilton interviews John Sharp on higher ed and the SEC, Murphy interactively maps the changes wrought by redistricting, Philpott on who's running Texas while Rick Perry is out campaigning for president, Ramsey on Perry's history of off-the-cuff remarks, Ramshaw on Perry's childhood years in Paint Creek, Root on Perry's extraordinary first week on the trail and Tan on even more ways Texas will change on Sept. 1: The best of our best content from Aug. 15-19, 2011. Full Story
State Sen. Wendy Davis' controversial decision to torpedo the 82nd Legislative session with a filibuster has catapulted the Fort Worth Democrat into the spotlight, which she has seized to try to mobilize the state’s downtrodden and outnumbered Democrats. Full Story
Several members of the Legislature bucked their parties Saturday night in voting for or against the state budget. In their own words, here's why. Full Story
Sanctuary cities legislation was revived today and will be sent to the Texas Senate for consideration. A Senate committee reversed course, approving the legislation. Full Story
He may have pulled the plug on “sanctuary cities” legislation yesterday, but Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, said today he still supports it — even if he considers his own homeland security legislation a higher priority. Full Story
The mission and jurisdiction of the ever-controversial Texas Forensic Science Commission would get some clarification under a bil the Senate approved today. Full Story
A $176.5 billion budget for the 2012-13 biennium — 5.9 percent smaller than the current budget but almost $12 billion larger than the version passed earlier by the House — won approval from the Senate Finance Committee Thursday. Full Story
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
The quickest way to curb the state's reeling Medicaid costs? Eliminating fraud and recovering funds, state officials say. “I just don’t think people out there have any idea how much money is being scammed,” said Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Grapevine. Full Story
Unlike the debate over voter ID, in which Senate Democrats stood united in their opposition, a combination of politics, religion and personal histories have made the sonogram bill more divisive in their caucus. Full Story
More than 100 Texas doctors made a deal with the state: For four years, they would practice in underserved communities and treat the neediest patients — in return for having their med school debt forgiven. But now state officials may be backing down from their side of the bargain. Full Story