The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
One of the Legislature's less consequential duties came before a House committee Tuesday: designating state capitals and symbols, from the Steak Capital of Texas (Hico) to the official State Pollinator of Texas (the western honeybee). Full Story
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Thousands of high school seniors who haven't passed the required state exams are close to getting a chance at a diploma anyway under a measure advancing in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's grassroots advisers are blasting Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to enhance pre-kindergarten programs, a move sure to increase tension between the top two Republican leaders. Full Story
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The Texas House on Tuesday tentatively passed House Bill 21, the “right to try” bill that would allow terminally ill patients to try experimental drugs that have passed at least the first of three FDA trial phases. Full Story
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As the Texas Legislature debates moving ethics investigations out of Travis County, an exchange between prosecutors and state police illustrates some of the problems ahead. Full Story
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A heavily watered-down ethics reform bill will soon be taken up by the full Senate. Lawmakers on Monday rejected an amendment that would have required legislators to publicly disclose their tax returns each year. Full Story
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State politicians, high court judges and top bureaucrats would get public corruption cases against them moved to their home counties under a controversial bill that cleared the Texas House on Monday. Full Story
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Last-ditch efforts to let big cities opt out went nowhere, and the Texas House on Monday moved all Texans a step closer to the public carrying of handguns by license holders. Full Story
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Responding to a request by the Texas Department of Public Safety to renew an investigation into the department’s border security contracts, the head of the state’s anti-corruption unit said Monday that it was not equipped to continue the investigation. Full Story
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Following news that billions of federal dollars for hospitals could be in jeopardy if the state does not expand its public health insurance program to cover more low-income Texans, Gov. Greg Abbott reiterated his opposition to Medicaid expansion. Full Story
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On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics with host Shelly Slater, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy and Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey, talk turns to presidential hopefuls and fundraising in Texas. Full Story
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The Legislature is one step closer to allowing concealed handgun license holders in Texas to carry openly in public. The House gave tentative approval to House Bill 910 Friday evening after hours of debate and opposition from Democrats. Full Story
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Two psychiatrists at Terrell State Hospital resigned this week after they were accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from a pharmaceutical company to use their state positions to promote the company’s products. Full Story
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After a debate that stretched for more than five hours, the Texas House passed a bill allowing the open carry of handguns in public places 96 to 35. Full Story
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Three years after a police officer shot and killed their 5-year-old border collie, Mark and Cindy Boling watched Friday as the Texas House voted for a police canine training program they have been calling for since the day the dog died. Full Story
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After a bit of a Democratic gamesmanship shot down a major gun debate before it started, a measure that would allow gun owners with a concealed handgun license to carry their weapons openly in public is back on the House schedule Friday. Full Story
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Voting against legislation isn't the only way to kill it. Some of the most powerful tools available to Texas legislators are found in the dry pages of their parliamentary rulebooks. Full Story
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In the Roundup: State lawmakers kept busy this week advancing a slew of items in both chambers – including a measure on the trade of shark fins. And they considered several controversial bills in committees. Full Story
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Three years ago, a company called Geo Care Inc. gave HHSC chief Kyle Janek a blueprint for privatizing state hospitals. The only contract awarded — privatizing Terrell State Hospital — ended up going to that same company. Full Story
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At our 4/16 conversation, state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, and state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond — the chairmen, respectively, of the Senate and House Higher Education committees — talked about the need for new building projects on public university campuses. Full Story
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