Sanction Season
The state is cracking down on officials who run afoul of election, lobbying and officeholder rules. Just ask Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole. Full Story
The latest state government news from The Texas Tribune.
The state is cracking down on officials who run afoul of election, lobbying and officeholder rules. Just ask Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole. Full Story
We've set up our first Twitter list, aggregating the feeds of 58 tweeting Texas elected officials Full Story
In keeping with our goal of making government data more accessible, we've created a simple application for searching fines issued by the Texas Ethics Commission. Full Story
Gov. Perry made a timely announcement today: He's proposing initiatives to improve mental health programs for veterans. Full Story
House Speaker Joe Straus' picks for the legislative committee that says whether the state should kill or keep state agencies: Reps. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, and Byron Cook, R-Corsicana. San Antonio attorney Lamont Jefferson, who's with the Haynes and Boone law firm, will serve as the House's public member. Full Story
Federal officials say Texas' testing standards in reading are below the “basic” proficiency standards — and that low bar means those passing the TAKS may not be as proficient as advertised. Full Story
What concerns me as a Republican is that the race for governor may be focusing too much on the personalities of the candidates and the highly charged nature of the race rather than the long-term vision and consequences. I worry that either candidate could win the race but lose the future — too much focus on the politics of the next year, rather than the policies of the next decade. Full Story
Texas’ chain of inland checkpoints has created a border within a border, separating abused and sometimes undocumented children in counties adjacent to Mexico from services north of the invisible line. Full Story
Today in El Paso, County Attorney Jose Rodriguez announced he is running for the state Senate seat that Democrat Eliot Shapleigh is giving up. Full Story
El Paso County Attorney Jose Rodriguez is expected to announce tomorrow at an El Paso press conference that he will run for the Texas Senate seat that state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh is vacating. Full Story
If you're waiting for closure on questions of Cameron Todd Willingham's guilt or innocence, get comfortable. The Texas Forensic Science Commission's new chair tells the Tribune that he doesn't yet have the rules or resources to investigate whether faulty science led to the Corsicana man's conviction and execution. Full Story
Rather than deliver curriculum by book or even CD — one product per student — “We’re going to buy content and get a statewide license and deliver it to anyone who wants it” over the web, says Robert Scott. Much of that content will come from “smaller content providers who have been shut out of the market.” Full Story
The UT/Tribune poll results convey some very intense disapproval of political leadership. Full Story
The U.S. Education Department is considering making restraint reporting mandatory for school districts nationwide, starting this school year. Full Story
Under new legislation, school districts for the first time can spend a portion of state “book” money on computer hardware and digital content. Some fear the explosion of choice will produce an erosion of quality content. Full Story
Rep. Chuck Hopson, D-Jacksonville, is switching parties, saying that ""President Obama and the Democrats in Congress just don't reflect the values of this district." That's a severe blow to Democrats hoping to win a majority in the Texas House. Full Story
A clearer picture of Thursday afternoon’s events is beginning to shape. Full Story
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is playing a high stakes game of will-she-won't-she. So should she or shouldn't she? Full Story
State psychiatrists are making crazy money. Of the 100 highest paid state employees, 45 are psychiatrists, most of them employed by the state’s 10 mental hospitals. Full Story
As news of the Fort Hood shootings unfolds, we'll be adding links, maps, audio, photographs, and other information from around the web to this post. Full Story