The Texas House on Thursday voted unanimously to cut the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s travel budget and restrict its use of money from outside groups.
state agencies
Posted in
State Government
Liquor regulators partying on taxpayers’ tab
Texas alcohol regulators know how to party: records show they’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars to travel to swanky resorts where liquor flows and industry lobbyists abound.
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State Government
Lawmaker blasts Abbott appointee, health agency over contracting; agency fires back
State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione is demanding to know why dozens of large Texas Health and Human Services Commission contracts don’t appear in the state’s budget watchdog’s database. The agency says it isn’t responsible for the problem.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Senate to vote only on law enforcement-related bills Monday
Only bills related to law enforcement will be considered in the Senate on Monday, the first day of the legislative session when the House and Senate are allowed to pass non-emergency legislation.
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Criminal Justice
Sandra Bland Act would change processes for law enforcement, jails
The bill’s proposals include limiting police searches during stops, adding reporting requirements for racial profiling and creating an independent ombudsman to monitor inmates’ rights and services.
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Health care
Citing sex-trafficking series, Texas Dem urges Paxton to stop fighting foster care suit
“If there was ever a call to action for state officials to get serious about reforming foster care, this was it,” state Rep. Chris Turner said about problems plaguing the child welfare agency.
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State Government
Texas leaders won’t commit to more resources for sex-trafficking victims
The state’s top leaders have remained silent on whether they’ll provide more resources for sex-trafficking victims — or more funding for the crippled child welfare system that’s supposed to protect vulnerable kids.
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Criminal Justice
Juvenile justice agency pushes back on claims of ineffectiveness
A Senate Finance committee workgroup has been tasked with exploring ways to improve the Texas Juvenile Justice Department as the agency defends itself from claims of inefficiency.
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Health care
At state agencies without a public crisis, workers fear they won’t see raises
Advocates for state employees hope that lawmakers approve substantial pay raises — including for state workers who don’t work at an agency that’s facing a high-profile crisis.
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Public Education
In preliminary vote, State Board of Education keeps controversial evolution standards
A day after hearing from scientists begging them to remove controversial language from science standards that some say opens the door to creationism, State Board of Education members took a preliminary vote Wednesday to do the opposite.