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The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.

  • Power Over Privacy

    By Elise Hu

    In the closing days of his last term in the Texas House, former state Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, used his legislative authority to obtain confidential records from the Texas Medical Board, The Texas Tribune has learned. His reason? To defend doctors who he believes were wrongly the subjects of misconduct investigations by the board, which licenses the state's physicians. Full Story 

    Former state Rep. Bill Zedler, R-Arlington, on the Texas House floor in 2007
    Credit: AP/Harry Cabluck

  • Protection or Exploitation?

    By Emily Ramshaw

    In the last year, Texas probate courts approved more than $6 million in payments from private estates to court-appointed attorneys, guardians and physicians, in many cases depleting funds left to care for incapacitated people. Critics say the practice amounts to destroying the village in order to save it. Probate judges say they're simply making sure people who can't defend themselves have proper representation. Full Story 

    Scherry Levi with her mentally disabled nephew Deartis Preston in Preston's home in Bay City.
    Credit: Rory Pabon

  • The Weekly TribCast: Episode 46

    By Elise Hu

    In our first TribCast recorded in front of a live studio audience, Evan, Ross, Elise and Ben discuss the results of the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, Gov. Rick Perry's new TV ad and the state's looming budget deficit — is it even bigger than we thought? Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: American Grandstand

    By Brian Thevenot

    Members of the State Board of Education’s hard-right wing appear poised to inject themselves into the national fray over Islamic influence in America with a resolution warning textbook publishers that a “pro-Islamic/anti-Christian bias has tainted some past Texas Social Studies textbooks.” Full Story 

    Don McLeroy, a member of the Texas State Board of Education, at the Texas Tribune offices in October.
    Credit: Elise Hu

  • Get Out the Knives

    By Ross Ramsey

    Given a choice between spending cuts and revenue increases to balance the state budget, Texans lean solidly toward cuts, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll. Seven in 10 oppose any new taxes to address what could be a $21 billion shortfall. Full Story 

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  • The Fight For Ceci

    By Emily Ramshaw

    Frank and Chila Covington could hardly be mistaken for cruel. For four decades, they showered their daughter, Ceci, who has Down syndrome, with love, affection and opportunity. But when they argued with a group home provider who insisted that Ceci needed psychotropic medication, their world turned upside down. In the time it took for the provider to accuse the Covingtons of “cruelty,” a Tarrant County judge called a secret hearing and removed their guardianship, telling them they could no longer communicate with their own child. And he had every legal right to do so. Full Story 

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    Credit: Emily Ramshaw

  • Mind the Gap

    By Ben Philpott, KUT News

    Texas lawmakers will have their hands full filling a budget hole in 2011 of $18 billion or more, but the projected shortfall is great political fodder for candidates of both parties in 2010. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story 

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  • "A Workplace of Intimidation"

    By Elise Hu

    Was it a broken process or a breakdown in leadership that kept bad doctors from getting removed from the state workers' compensation system? Lawmakers sought to answer that question on Monday but left a House hearing with no clear understanding of why hundreds of potential enforcement actions stalled or disappeared entirely over the last half-decade. Full Story 

  • A Hardline in the Sand

    By Ross Ramsey

    Nearly half of all Texans would repeal the constitutional promise of citizenship for anyone born on U.S. soil, and nearly two-thirds would favor Arizona-style laws allowing the police to ask about the immigration status of anyone they stop for any reason, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll. Full Story 

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  • Explaining Closed Cases

    By Elise Hu

    In this clip from Monday's testimony, Commissioner Rod Bordelon of the state Division of Workers' Compensation explains why he dismissed several cases against doctors that a physician review panel had already sent to enforcement. Under questioning, he admits he looked into the process and subsequently shut it down after a call from state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler. Full Story 

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  • On the Records: Lottery Maps, Part II

    By Matt Stiles

    Using data compiled by the Austin American-Statesman, we've produced county-by-county maps visualizing Texas Lottery sales by game type. A higher percentage of lottery revenue in Hill County counties, for example, came from Lotto sales in 2009. Many counties in West Texas, however, appear to prefer instant scratch-off tickets. Full Story 

    This map shows total Texas Lottery sales by county in fiscal year 2009. The map reflects the large population concentrations in and around Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and Houston, as well as El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley. (Data courtesy the Austin American-Statesman)
    Credit: Graphic by Matt Stiles

  • TribBlog: Mostyn Wins a Round

    By Elise Hu

    Democratic donor Steve Mostyn wins his latest round in a battle with state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood. A judge has blocked the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association from giving Taylor information about Mostyn's payouts in a massive windstorm settlement this year. Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: Lax Labs

    By Emily Ramshaw

    The state's public health laboratories are in financial disarray, according to a report released by the state auditor's office this morning. Full Story 

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    Credit: Reuters File Photo

  • The Chisum Trail

    By Ross Ramsey

    The route to toppling House Speaker Joe Straus is littered with big obstacles and high hurdles. But it's not completely impassable, which is why state Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, is considering a challenge. "I'm sticking my toe in the water and seeing if there's any temperature there," he told the Tribune on Friday. "Seems to be some temperature." Full Story 

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  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Galbraith's three-parter on the battle over wind power transmission lines, Grissom on a convicted killer who got probation, Aguilar on how the U.S. census counts inmates in the Texas prison system, Stiles launches a new interactive tool tracking the candidates for governor, Hamilton on the Texas A&M University System's latest accountability measure for faculty, Hu's interview with Democratic megadonor Steve "Back to Basics" Mostyn, Philpott on how the Texas economy compares to that of other states and Ramsey on the start of the 2010 election sprint: The best of our best from Sept. 6 to 10, 2010. Full Story 

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