The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
UPDATED: Austin Democrat Jade Chang Sheppard said Wednesday that she will run for the Texas House seat that will open after Rep. Mark Strama's current — and last — term in office next year. Full Story
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The case of death row inmate Andre Thomas offers a lens through which to examine the effects of a long underfunded mental health system and raises important questions about how Texas punishes the mentally ill. Full Story
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The Texas House is about to hold its first debate, and on a spending bill, to boot. It will pass, because it must. But watch how they work. Full Story
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A dramatic show of support in the Legislature for the president of the University of Texas at Austin has cast the spotlight on discord unfolding within the state's largest university system. Full Story
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Your evening reading: Legislature honors Powers amid UT System controversy; Patrick files bill to expand charter schools; Google brings driverless car to Texas Transportation Forum Full Story
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As he jousts with the University of Texas Board of Regents, University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers was honored Monday in both chambers of the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Democrats in the Texas House last week launched an effort to restore public education cuts, setting up a potential battle over an emergency supplemental appropriations bill. Full Story
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In 2011, Texas House Democrats were dejected, demoralized and badly outnumbered. Their numbers have improved. Now the question is whether they can move as a bloc. Full Story
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In this edition of the Texas Weekly Newsreel: The House is off and running with the first of several supplemental appropriations bills. The state might opt out of Medicaid expansion, but counties might take part. And Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson talks about why he's running for office in 2014. Full Story
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Freshman state Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, has been held up by some Republicans as a symbol of the party’s growing popularity with Hispanics. He says he is only motivated by the issues facing his constituents. Full Story
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The speaker of the House dampens expectations for vouchers, tax breaks and transportation without ruling any of those things out. And the lieutenant governor unpeels another layer of problems he says arose from a campaign manager's embezzling. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson discussed the GOP's challenge in attracting Latino voters and his support for a guest worker program. Full Story
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On Valentine's Day, state Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, joined numerous lawmakers who have already filed bills that would extend rights to same-sex couples. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson — a passionate defender of the Second Amendment — explained his opposition to universal background checks, an assault weapons ban and other gun control measures. Full Story
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Texas' founders wanted a part-time Legislature with no room for full-time politicians. But paltry state pay means today's lawmakers must hold full-time jobs elsewhere — narrowing the ranks of likely officeholders to those who can afford to do it. Full Story
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In recent years, state lawmakers have focused on increasing the rigor of high school courses, hoping to prepare students for college. But some business leaders say that has come at the expense of career and technical education, and they're hoping for legislative change. Full Story
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Texas' public pension systems — including the one state lawmakers pay into — have an airtight exemption from the landmark 1973 sunshine law that was designed to let taxpayers known how public money is being spent. But some lawmakers want to change that. Full Story
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The Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday approved a bill to reform the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and the “scope-of-practice” bill that would increase the prescriptive power of advanced practice nurses. Full Story
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Rick Perry wants to lure businesses from California to Texas. Jerry Brown wants to keep them in California. It's an entertaining partisan and cultural battle, but with substance at its core. Full Story
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Soon after their replacements were sworn in last month, eight former House members registered as lobbyists with the Texas Ethics Commission. Full Story
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