Texas Tribune Weekly Rundown
The Texas Tribune's rundown of capitol politics for the week of March 7-11, 2011. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/rainy_day_wide.jpg)
-
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Deuell: Lowe Lacks Votes for Senate Confirmation [Updated]
Sen. Bob Deuell, who chairs the Senate Nominations Committee, says Gail Lowe has not been scheduled for a hearing as chairwoman of the State Board of Education because she lacks the votes for a confirmation on the floor. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/gaillowe.jpg)
![Gail Lowe]()
Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller -
Does Gas Drilling Put Radiation in Texas Water?
With drilling on the rise, the Texas Railroad Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality answer questions about whether Texans need to worry about radioactivity in their water. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Greener-Fracking.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Creative Commons/Daniel Foster -
Will Lawmakers Cut Their Own Benefits?
As they talk of cutting pension contributions and raising premiums for state employee health care and mandating layoffs and furloughs at state agencies, what are lawmakers doing to their own compensation and benefits? Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib_Capitol_MS_3.jpg)
![Texas Capitol]()
Credit: Muliadi Soenaryo -
After Bolstering Red Tide, Tea Party Still Making Waves
Atter making their presence known during election season, the various Tea Party groups in Texas continue to steer the political agenda. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TeaPartyCupwithBills.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
New Day Rising: The Changing Public Policy Landscape
At the Tribune's New Day Rising symposium on Feb. 28, four public policy experts talked about criminal justice, education, health care and other issues and the impact of the coming Hispanic majority. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/CM_Capture_3.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Bill Would Make Restroom Peeping a Felony
State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, filed a bill today that would make it a state jail felony to "lewdly violate" a person's privacy in a place like a public restroom. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/20100626_Garnet_Coleman_S.S._058.jpg)
![State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, at the 2010 Texas Democratic convention in Corpus Christi, Tex. on June 26.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge -
Senator Asks Ag Commissioner to Pull Website
State Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, today asked Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples to take down the border website his office launched last week, protectyourtexasborder.com, saying it has become a “forum for promoting violence.” Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/20100626_Jose_Rodriguez_S.S._040.jpg)
![State Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, on June 26, 2010, at the Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge -
Execution Set for April, but State Out of Key Drug
The next execution is scheduled to take place April 5 — less than a month from now — but the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has not yet decided which drug it will use to replace sodium thiopental, one of three used in the state's execution protocol. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/syringes0001.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
On State Website, Calls for Vigilante Justice
Texans advocating extreme solutions to secure the border — including land mines and booby traps on Texas farmland along the Rio Grande — have a new forum to share their views: a website operated by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/ProtectYourTexasBorderd.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
What $9.8 Billion in Public School Cuts Looks Like
School districts won't know exactly what nearly $10 billion in state cuts means to them until lawmakers pass a new school finance bill. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune takes a look at the first bill of the session that gives districts an idea of what to expect. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
What $9.8 Billion in Public School Cuts Looks Like
School districts won't know exactly what nearly $10 billion in state cuts means to them until lawmakers pass a new school finance bill. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune takes a look at the first bill of the session that gives districts an idea of what to expect. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Supporters Plead for Historical Commission Funds
Texas history supporters came out in force today to tell the Senate Finance Committee why the Texas Historical Commission should be saved from a 77 percent budget cut. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/iStock_000001334173Small.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
The Week in Texas Politics Recap: Feb. 28 to March 4
No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/capitol_dome_and_flags.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
State Releases Updated Superintendent Pay
The Texas Education Agency released new superintendent salary data this week, so we've updated our news app and added some new features. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TSI_SalApp_new.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Interactive: Mapping How Rural Development Dollars Are Spent
Urban luxuries — say, running water — aren’t guaranteed everywhere in Texas. The state Department of Rural Affairs helps rural Texans get basic amenities, but the agency is on Gov. Rick Perry's budget chopping block. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/RuralGrants_a.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman / Becca Aaronson -
Bullying Is a Problem, But Not All Agree It's the State's Problem
Thirteen-year-old Asher Brown’s death has given momentum to the more than 15 anti-bullying bills filed in the Legislature this session. The legislation is supported by teacher organizations and advocacy groups but has drawn opposition. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib_Capitol_MS_1.jpg)
![Texas Capitol on Feb 22nd.]()
Credit: Muliadi Soenaryo -
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 69
On this week's episode, Evan, Reeve, Ben and Brandi discuss Gov. Rick Perry's Twitter feed, the state's changing demographics and issues of innocence. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TT-TribCast-002.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Controversy at TWIA Prompts Outside Oversight
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association has been placed under administrative oversight for questions surrounding its ethical conduct. Gretch Sanders of KUT News reports on what the future may hold for the insurer of last resort for homeowners along the Texas coast. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/twia.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Texas DPS: "Avoid Mexico and Stay Alive"
The Texas Department of Public Safety is recommending — again — that Texans avoid traveling to Mexico for vacation. It's the second warning in less than five weeks. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-DPSdrive-0014.png)
![The Rio Grande is the ending place of many high-speed pursuits. People escape consequences by driving their vehicles into the water and swimming to Mexico.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0e6315f63c53b428a142c0d985b6002a/BD%20INC%20Hochberg%2002%202011)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/db58b6087477b2af248d140d2a21f145/BD%20INC%20Hochberg%2001%202011)