The latest state agencies news from The Texas Tribune.
After years of controversy and legal wrangling, a bit of good news for the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association came today in a report from the State Auditor's Office: The insurer's claims process is improving. Full Story
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Patricia Vojack, the former chief of staff to incoming Health and Human Services Commissioner Kyle Janek, will serve as the inaugural compliance officer for the embattled Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Full Story
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Disability rights advocates encouraged state legislators to expand community-based care and in-home nursing at a Tuesday Senate hearing. They also raised questions about a new computer-based program to track care services. Full Story
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In the case of a 64-year-old former Texas inmate with high blood pressure and other health conditions, a federal appeals court ruled that extreme temperatures can violate prisoners' constitutional rights. Full Story
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A runoff for the state district court in Marshall, just east of Longview near the Louisiana border, has two Republicans slinging lawsuits and ethics complaints over provisions of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. Full Story
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The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is undergoing a review of all youths in its system to better assess security threats, but advocates worry it will become a tool to recommend more youths for imprisonment in adult facilities. Full Story
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The four Republican Railroad Commission candidates sound remarkably similar on the big-ticket topics. But that doesn't mean they will vote the same way on everything once they get into office. Full Story
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From the evolution of state and federally subsidized contraception to the battle over Planned Parenthood to the cost of unplanned pregnancies, this six-part series is the most comprehensive look yet at the politics of reproductive health in Texas. Full Story
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Use our interactive map to chart the locations of health care providers participating in Texas' Women's Health Program. Flip through various map styles to compare women's health statistics statewide, or get a video tutorial here. Full Story
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The Department of Family and Protective Services is moving forward on redesigning its foster care system, which will outsource services to private contractors. At a hearing Monday, some raised concerns about accountability. Full Story
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The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Department of Agriculture, alleging that the agencies are liable for pay discrimination against three women. Full Story
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The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association was the main topic of discussion at a Senate committee hearing Tuesday as lawmakers raised concerns about proposed rate increases. Full Story
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Michael Morton’s 2011 exoneration brought to a crescendo calls for change in the way that prosecutors are regulated in Texas. Morton, prosecutors and criminal justice reform advocates talk about why prosecutorial errors happen and how they can be prevented. Full Story
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Texas was home to two of the last three horse slaughterhouses in the U.S. On Tuesday, state senators will hear testimony on the economic impact of the closure of Texas’ slaughterhouses. Full Story
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In Texas, where the curriculum-setting State Board of Education has engaged in high-profile skirmishes over science education, there will be no rush to implement new nationally developed common standards. Full Story
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While advocates worry particularly about heat conditions in a prison unit with recent water shortages, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering arguments in a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice alleging that the sweltering living quarters constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Full Story
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At least 86 Texans' convictions were overturned between 1989 and 2011, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. The Texas Tribune analyzed court rulings, media reports and pardon statements to determine the cases in which courts ruled that prosecutorial error contributed to a wrongful conviction. Use our interactive to learn more about each case. Full Story
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Advisers to the state's $3 billion Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas on Tuesday held the first of several meetings aimed at reforming an entity reeling from the controversial resignation of its chief scientific officer. Full Story
As summer temperatures rise, so do worries about conditions in state prisons. The Texas Civil Rights Project on Tuesday filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Texas prison officials on behalf of the family of an inmate who died last summer. Full Story
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Texas is now about to face six lawsuits targeting the way it funds public schools. The Texas Charter School Association announced Tuesday it would join in legal action against the state over school financing. Full Story
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