The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
We're liveblogging this weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival's Energy & Environment track, which includes panels on the future of water in Texas, the state's electricity woes and the upcoming legislative session. Full Story
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With the launch of its new Moon Shots Program on Friday, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center hopes to go where no cancer research center has gone before: It wants to cure eight types of cancer. Full Story
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At our Hot Seat conversation at the University of Texas at Tyler, state Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, and state Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, discussed the 82nd Legislative Session and looked ahead to the 83rd. Full Story
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The cost to treat Texas inmates with hepatitis C is expected to soar by as much as 380 percent next year. Legislators, already facing a strained budget, will have to find millions more dollars to pay for this care. Full Story
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If a federal court decides that the state intentionally discriminated when drawing its new political maps, is it more difficult for Texas lawyers to argue against Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act? And is it fuel for the constant struggle over the leadership of the Texas House? Full Story
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Texas has a severe shortage of mental health professionals, according to the federal government. This interactive map provides information on state-funded mental health care statewide. Full Story
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The former prosecutor, state lawmaker, Texas Tech chancellor and AT&T executive talks about his latest initiative to make casino gambling legal in Texas. Full Story
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El Paso Democrat Martha Dominguez's apparent absence from the campaign trail has prompted her SBOE opponent to call her a "ghost" — and has sparked criticism from members of her own party. But that may not stop her from winning the race. Full Story
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The Texas secretary of state's office doesn't allow online voter registration, because it requires a signature. But there are other simple ways to register to vote. Full Story
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A Democrat from Austin is finding common ground with Republicans and rural Texans. State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez and the rest of the Farm to Table Caucus are hoping to reduce barriers to local, healthy food. Full Story
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One of the most powerful lawmakers in Austin is hoping to turn his relationships with fellow legislators at the Capitol into a new “niche” market for his real estate services. Full Story
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Natasha's Law, which requires training for public school coaches and athletic trainers on how to react when players sustain concussions, has drawn praise from doctors and legislators, who say athletes' health will benefit. Full Story
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Insurance experts, legislators and coastal residents on Wednesday discussed how to reform the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association at the first hearing of the Joint Committee on Seacoast Territory Insurance. Full Story
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With the threat of wildfires still looming, firefighters across the state are facing critical funding shortages, state legislators were told at a Senate committee hearing Tuesday. Full Story
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Full video of my TribLive conversation with state Reps. and Texas Senate hopefuls Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth, Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, and Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood. Full Story
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UPDATED: Insurance Commissioner Eleanor Kitzman replied to a letter from a Texas legislator urging her to reopen an investigation of State Farm over its handling of homeowners' claims after Hurricane Ike, saying the department will continue to monitor the company. Full Story
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For this week's nonscientific survey of insiders in state government and politics, we asked about the November race for U.S. Senate, whether Democrats will recover faster if Romney or Obama wins, about the GOP's weak spots and about whether the voters are as conservative as the people they've elected. Full Story
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One of the House's most conservative members said Friday he is "pretty dismayed" about redistricting conversations revealed in a stern letter to House Speaker Joe Straus from a top Democratic legislator. Full Story
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The top 10 homeowners insurers in Texas paid out more than $270 million in claims related to last year's Bastrop wildfires, according to a new report. But that is still much less than some other catastrophes, like Dallas' April hailstorms, which led to $2 billion in insurance losses. Full Story
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New Texas Education Agency Commissioner Michael Williams will get a salary bump of about $29,000 over his predecessor, the governor's office confirmed Friday. Full Story
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