The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
UPDATED: As debates over gun control intensify across the nation, state senators on Tuesday tentatively approved a measure allowing Gov. Rick Perry to offer economic incentives to gun manufacturers that want to move to Texas. Full Story
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This week in the Newsreel: The Legislature makes progress on key education and water bills; Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, is busted for barratry; and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst bares his partisan teeth. Full Story
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State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, the Republican chairwoman of the House Public Health Committee, gives a whiteboard math lesson in this video posted by Gov. Rick Perry's office. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp talked about the per-student decline in state funding of higher education and whether excellence is achievable on a lean budget. Full Story
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As state Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, detailed his objections to House Bill 5 on Tuesday, what he did not mention is that whether students enroll in challenging courses and the number of state exams they must take could affect his livelihood. Full Story
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Dallas attorney Tom Luce has resigned from the board of the embattled Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to head the education-focused O'Donnell Foundation. Full Story
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Key legislation aimed at easing the state's water woes took a major step forward on Wednesday. Full Story
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Both the House and Senate are proposing spending about $194 billion over the next two years. But there are key differences between the two plans. Full Story
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The bizarre tale of a prison gang's plot to murder a Texas state senator has quickly come to an end. Full Story
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Your evening reading: graduation requirements dominate education debate in House; state leaders reaffirm opposition to gay marriage; state representative booked into jail on barratry charges Full Story
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State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, walked into the Montgomery County Jail on Tuesday morning to be booked on two counts of barratry. In a statement released Monday night, he maintained his innocence. Full Story
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Legislators, coastal residents and insurance leaders agree it will take a dynamic approach to reform the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. The Senate Business and Commerce Committee discussed four TWIA bills Tuesday. Full Story
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At last Friday's Hot Seat conversation at Abilene Christian University, state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, and state Rep. Susan King, R-Abilene, talked about public education, health care, water, the state budget and other issues in play in the 83rd session. Full Story
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In an attempt to increase civic participation among the state's growing Hispanic population, state Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, has filed a bill to make legislative information from the state House available on the internet in Spanish. Full Story
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This session’s effort to make state government more transparent and ethical — spearheaded by some of the Legislature’s most conservative members and its most liberal ones — has attracted the strangest of bedfellows. Full Story
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On today's Agenda Texas from KUT News: Bills are flying out of committee and onto the House and Senate floor. This week the House will take up legislation that would fund the state's water plan with $2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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Nearly a month after the Harris County DA dropped barratry charges against Rep. Ron Reynolds, the Montgomery County DA has issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with an alleged quarter-million-dollar kickback scheme. Full Story
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A bill advancing through the state Legislature could drastically decrease the number of legal abortion facilities in the state. Full Story
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This week in the Newsreel: The flap between University of Texas regents and UT-Austin President Bill Powers rages on, Attorney General Greg Abbott calls for pre-trial DNA testing for capital cases and legislators are talking of arming teachers in public schools. Full Story
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Some Texas lawmakers are renewing an effort to make Texas’ stance on Washington policies official through resolutions reaffirming the state’s sovereignty. Full Story
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