Ayan Mittra

Root says goodbye to the “Kumbaya Session,” Hamilton with the latest on UT regents and records requests, Luthra on another loss for smoking ban proponents, Ramsey on a dearth of statewide Democratic candidates in 2014, Batheja on budget writers taking issue with a critique, Aguilar on a request for a study on the fiscal impact of undocumented immigrants, Grissom and M. Smith examine a truancy court complaint, E. Smith talks with Texas Monthly editors about their list of the best and worst legislators, Aaronson on experimental health projects and a lack of local revenue and Galbraith on the challenges facing Texas rivers. The best of our best for the week of June 10-14, 2013.

Grissom and Rocha on a boost in mental health care funding, Root looks at a blurred line between public duties and personal ambition, M. Smith on a CSCOPE change, Aaronson and Hooks compare Perry and Cruz in an interactive, Galbraith on challenges for the state’s power grid, Ramsey on a committee’s pricey end-of-session dinner, Ramshaw on Abbott making some campaign moves, E. Smith talks with Branch and Martinez Fischer, Batheja on Texas’ tax system, and Hamilton on the issue of term limits uniting unlikely allies. The best of our best content from May 20-24, 2013.

M. Smith on a key player in education policy, Ramshaw on an “Obamacare” critic putting his frustrations to music, Aguilar finds that misclassification bills are losing steam, Murphy adds the latest financial statements to our Ethics Explorer, Grissom on Perry’s signing of the Michael Morton Act, Aaronson on the fight over end-of-life legislation, Galbraith and Batheja discuss Texas’ infrastructure challenges, Root on a bipartisan effort in D.C., and Ramsey leads an ethics discussion and looks at the proposed budget’s impact on legislators’ pensions. The best of our best content from May 13-17, 2013.

Aguilar looks at the potential impact of a border security bill, Hooks on Tesla Motors’ pitch to lawmakers, Grissom on the progress of the “Michael Morton Act,” Hamilton has the latest with the UT System, Murphy updates our voting-age population map, Batheja on a Rainy Day Fund debate in the Senate, E. Smith talks with three senators, M. Smith examines the fate of algebra II in Texas high school standards, Galbraith looks at the drilling industry and lawmakers, and Ramsey writes about a bid to curtail the legal battles over redistricting. The best of our best for the week of April 8-12, 2013.

Ramsey discusses efforts to address budget diversions, Ramshaw on a Tea Party leader’s previous title, Galbraith on recycling oilfield water, Grissom with complete coverage of the Norwood trial, Murphy maps district voting age populations, Ramshaw and Batheja on a gold rush, M. Smith finds that gains on state tests don’t guarantee success nationally, Hamilton on a tense UT System board meeting, Aguilar profiles a successful Democratic strategist, and Schneider on the potential impact of sequestration on special education programs: The best of our best content from March 18-22, 2013.

Batheja looks at the impact of the Trans-Texas Corridor proposal, Aaronson on Democrats’ hopes for a Medicaid expansion deal, Galbraith and White on a $17 million payment approved for Oncor’s CEO, Ramsey describes the challenge facing the House speaker, Chammah looks at a bill requiring police to record interrogations, Batheja and Murphy detail accounts holding dedicated state revenue, Hamilton reports on plans for a new Rio Grande Valley university, Aguilar examines 20 years of NAFTA, and E. Smith talks to the Texas Senate’s new Higher Education Committee chairman: The best of our best from Dec. 3 to 7, 2012.