The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
Crystal Davis' nightmare didn't end when her husband died in a traffic accident on the way to work. Her husband's workers' compensation insurance carrier has sued her and her children to deny them the benefits she thought would protect them. Full Story
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State and local water planning agencies in Texas were handed a narrow victory by federal judges on Monday, vindicating decisions to supply more water to cities and industries at potential expense of wildlife. Full Story
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Following Gov. Rick Perry's travels to Sacramento earlier this month to promote Texas’ business climate, a California state senator has returned the favor. Full Story
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When Santiago Arias fell off of an industrial warehouse roof, an expert hired by his attorney called his job site one of the most hazardous he’d seen in 40 years as a safety engineer. But advocates for injured workers say Arias' case is far from unique. Full Story
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When Texans get hurt or killed on the job, they have some of the weakest protections and stingiest benefits in the country. Texas is the only U.S. state that doesn’t require any private employer to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Full Story
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We have updated our timeline on the conflict between the University of Texas System, the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Legislature to include the latest developments, including a new investigation into UT-Austin's admissions process. Full Story
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A recent announcement that the University of Texas System will commission an external investigation into the admissions process at the University of Texas at Austin is only the latest chapter in an ongoing, tension-filled saga. Full Story
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Lawmakers considered a proposal to shutter six of Texas’ 13 state-supported living centers over two days of public hearings, renewing a long-simmering debate over the future of the state’s institutions for the disabled. Full Story
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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
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Texas is considering doing away with the licensing of X-ray technicians and 11 other types of health professionals. Some say that would put patients at risk. A Sunset Commission hearing Wednesday is set to address the issue. Full Story
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The Federal Railroad Administration published a document on its website Wednesday officially kicking off a highly anticipated environmental review of a proposed high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. Full Story
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On Monday, 15 years after a U.S. Supreme Court decision that paved the way for some people with disabilities to move out of institutions, advocates for Texans with disabilities called on state lawmakers to speed up that process. Full Story
Warning of the dangers faced by undocumented and unaccompanied children crossing the border into the U.S., Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Monday called on the Obama administration to more strictly enforce immigration laws. Full Story
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Texas ranks third-worst in the nation on quality of long-term care for elderly and disabled people, according to a new AARP report released Thursday. Full Story
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A key Republican lawmaker and a Democratic candidate for railroad commissioner are among those expressing concerns about the Railroad Commission of Texas' practice of preventing staffers from talking to members of the media. Full Story
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UPDATED: The Texas Water Development Board’s release of draft rules Tuesday afternoon offered Texans a clearer sense of how the board will prioritize and fund competing water supply projects. Full Story
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The state of Texas does not levy a property tax, but state lawmakers would like to lower property tax bills anyway — a quest that could take them into school finance or into relief for some taxpayers at the expense of others. Full Story
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After a state Senate committee hearing Thursday in which veterans and others talked about excessive wait times at VA clinics, lawmakers said a plan expanding the Texas Veterans Commission's "strike force" was moving forward. Full Story
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The Texas Racing Commission voted Tuesday to take steps toward allowing state racetracks to tap into a controversial technology known as historical racing. Full Story
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Following the revelation that the University of North Texas has received up to $84 million in excess state funds over roughly the last decade, Gov. Rick Perry has instructed the state's public universities to review their accounting. Full Story
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