We’ve expanded the officials in our Ethics Explorer to include the judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the members of the State Board of Education. We’ve also updated our existing analysis on members of the Legislature.
83rd Legislative Session
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State Government
TribLive: A Conversation With David Dewhurst
Full video of my 1/16 TribLive conversation with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who’s running for reelection in 2014.
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The Politics of Prevention
Interactive: Track 2014 State Spending on Primary Care for Women
Use this interactive to see how much the state has awarded individual regions for primary women’s health care in 2014, the percentage of that money expected to be spent on family planning and the total anticipated clients.
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Health care
Pregnant Texas Woman on Life Support Stirs Political Debate
A pregnant North Texas woman being kept on life support against her family’s wishes is stirring political debate in a state immersed in competitive primary races.
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State Government
Plans for Unemployment Drug Screening Delayed
Texas is preparing for a new drug screening procedure required of applicants for unemployment benefits, but the federal Labor Department has yet to set the parameters.
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Public Education
Texans for Education Reform Mobilizes for 2014
A new PAC will allow Texans for Education Reform, which became a lobbying powerhouse during the 2013 legislative session, to put resources toward candidates for office.
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State Government
Guest Column: Time to Push Back Against “Do-Nothing” Crowd
Self-appointed “conservative” special-interest groups have intervened in some House races to exert political power. It’s time for those of us who believe in truly conservative solutions to push back.
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Criminal Justice
Solitary Confinement Study Approved, but Funding Remains Elusive
Lawmakers passed a bill that requires a study of solitary confinement in Texas prisons, but the panel charged with hiring a third party to conduct the research does not have money to fund the study.
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Health care
Funds, Reforms Bring New Hope for Mental Health Care in Texas
Advocates see cause for optimism in the unprecedented amount of funding state lawmakers dedicated to mental health services, and in federal health care reform’s emphasis on mental health care.
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Health care
Year in Review: Video
In Texas, 2013 featured a legislative calendar that included multiple special sessions, a filibuster that drew international attention and a multitude of filings for the 2014 elections. Here’s a look back at some of 2013’s top stories.