The Evening Brief: June 29, 2012

Culled:

• Dewhurst opposes Medicaid expansion (Austin American-Statesman): "Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst today became the first major political figure in Texas to say the state shouldn’t expand its Medicaid program as part of the federal health insurance overhaul that was deemed constitutional a day ago by the U.S. Supreme Court. In a statement, Dewhurst said: 'Adding additional strain to the state budget by adding 1.5-2 million more people to an already broken Medicaid system will be a train wreck for Texas when the federal government’s Medicaid match inevitably ends.'"

• District 33 runoff between Garcia, Veasey gets personal at Dallas debate (The Dallas Morning News): "The battle to represent the newly created Congressional District 33 turned personal Friday, as Democrats Domingo Garcia and Marc Veasey lobbed one barb after another at each other over job creation and political qualifications. The fireworks started early into the debate hosted by the Dallas Regional Chamber, when Garcia, a former Dallas state representative, blasted Veasey for having 'never created a job in his life' and 'having a hard time keeping a job.' Veasey, a Fort Worth state representative, fired right back, by noting that Garcia had been reprimanded by the Texas State Bar and by accusing his opponent of 'taking many shortcuts' in his business and law career."

• Kay Bailey Hutchison’s bus safety measure wins final approval (Houston Chronicle): "After years of effort, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison today won final Senate passage of a measure to improve bus safety. Hutchison, the top Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, teamed up with Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown of Ohio, on the Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of 2012, which requires that the Department of Transportation upgrade federal safety standards for motorcoaches. The measure also will increase safety features like seat belts, crush-resistant roofs designed to withstand rollovers, tire pressure monitoring systems to prevent accidents, anti-ejection window glazing and new standards for the prevention of fires."

New in The Texas Tribune:

• San Antonio Considers Tax for Pre-K Initiative: "After the Legislature cut more than $200 million in grants that supported full-day public pre-kindergarten in the state, San Antonio is contemplating an eighth-of-a-cent sales tax increase to fund full-day pre-K programs for primarily low-income children in the city."
  

• Guest Column: Health Reform Ruling is Good for Texas: "Thursday's court ruling, is, to paraphrase the vice president, a really big deal for the country and for Texas."

• Guest Column: Health Reform Ruling is Bad for Texas: "The Supreme Court's ruling to uphold federal health reform represents a net defeat for Texas families struggling to afford health care in a market fatally distorted by government intervention and fiat."

• Court Stays the Course on Politics and Business: "Corporations and unions can play in politics, but complete disclosures are not required. A corporate political campaign in Texas two years ago was unusual, featuring an unknown corporation that was open about what it was doing."