Lawmakers may use riders to avoid special session over Obamacare

In a surprise move, state leaders are exploring the use of special budget "riders" to avoid a special legislative session over the likely repeal of Obamacare. Senate and House leaders said Tuesday that because of uncertainty over how much federal funding will be available to Texas for health care programs, should Congress repeal the Affordable Care Act, they are skeptical that a state budget can be finalized by the time the legislature adjourns in June.

Blair is reaping rewards from chaos he sowed

From a middle-class 'brainiac' to America's last mountain hermit: Infamous camp dweller reveals how he lived for 27 years in total isolation by raiding nearby homes over one thousand times 'Do you know who I am?': Potential top 10 NFL pick linebacker is 'sent home from combine after having a heated argument about waiting in line for a medical exam' Revealed: Tony Blair's secret White House summit and private meetings with Jared as he launches astonishing bid to work for Donald Trump as his Middle East peace envoy You'd see a lot more of Ivanka, Tony ...oh, and her best friend Wendi, too! How Blair could rub shoulders with Trump's daughter and Murdoch's ex if he becomes Kushner's peace team Federal Aviation Administration finds 27 airspace violations near Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as one caused a sonic boom across two Florida counties Obama administration DENIES Towergate: Insiders blast ... (more)

March 2, 2017 – Senate confirms Perry to head Energy Department The…

The Senate voted March 2 to confirm former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, President Trump's nominee for secretary of energy. The vote was 62-37, with Perry winning support from every Republican member of the Senate who voted, as well as from 10 Democrats and one Independent.

The Latest: Perry nomination for Energy heads to full Senate

The next Trump administration Cabinet nominee up for a vote in the Senate is c... Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry cleared a Senate hurdle in his bid to become Energy secretary in the Trump administration. At his confirmation hearing, Perry vowed to be an advocate for an agency he once pledged to eliminate and promised to rely on federal scientists, including those who work on climate change.

Condemned killer in San Antonio robbery set to die May 24

A 35-year-old San Antonio man on death row for a fatal shooting during a robbery more than 13 years ago has been set to die. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark said Tuesday the prison agency has received court documents setting Juan Castillo for lethal injection May 24. Castillo was convicted of the December 2003 slaying of 19-year-old Tommy Garcia Jr. Evidence showed Garcia was lured to a San Antonio lovers' lane by Castillo's girlfriend and then ambushed.

Justice department suddenly rescinds support for opposition in key part of Texas voter ID law

The U.S. Justice Department said Monday it is abandoning its longstanding opposition to a key aspect of Texas' toughest-in-the-nation voter ID law, costing voting rights groups their most important ally and possibly encouraging other conservative states to toughen their own election rules with President Donald Trump in charge. It's a dramatic break from the agency's position under President Barack Obama, which spent years arguing that the voter ID law passed in 2011 by Texas' Republican-controlled Legislature was intended to disenfranchise poor and minority voters.

‘Not a scintilla of evidence’ of wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood:…

Planned Parenthood South Austin Health Center is seen in Austin, Texas, U.S. on June 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ilana Panich-Linsman/File Photo A federal judge on Tuesday ruled Texas officials cannot cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, allowing the organization to continue providing reimbursed services - at least temporarily - to the 12,500 Texas Medicaid patients who rely on it.

Texas counties see price tags on both sides of “sanctuary” debate

More than a year before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott punished Travis County - yanking away $1.5 million in state grants - for scaling back cooperation with federal immigration officials, he fired a warning shot toward Dallas County. His October 2015 letter came after Valdez - in comments she later said were misconstrued - said she would more closely scrutinize requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold non-citizens in county jails after they were otherwise processed.

Judge blocks Texas cutting Medicaid to Planned Parenthood

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Texas can't cut off Medicaid dollars to Planned Parenthood over secretly recorded videos taken by anti-abortion activists in 2015 that launched Republican efforts across the U.S. to defund the nation's largest abortion provider. An injunction issued by U.S. District Sam Sparks of Austin comes after he delayed making decision in January and essentially bought Planned Parenthood an extra month in the state's Medicaid program.

The Brief: In poll, most Texans say “bathroom bill” isn’t an important issue

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst R-Brenham give the media an update on SB6 The Texas Privacy Act also known as the "bathroom bill" on Feb. 6, 2017 The state's top leaders have remained silent on whether they'll provide more resources for victims - or more funding for the crippled child welfare system that's supposed to protect vulnerable kids. The Affordable Care Act is unpopular, but Texans don't want to get rid of it until they know what's going to replace it.

Group holds town hall meeting for Representative Flores

Texas 17th District Indivisible will be holding a Town Hall meeting Sunday evening, but it does not seem Rep. Bill Flores will actually attend. A representative for the group, Jeni Ganz, said they decided to hold a town hall after repeatedly reaching out Rep. Flores to schedule a town hall.

John Cornyn is no climate denier, but with votes like his, does that even matter?

Back in 2014 when I was still fairly new to Washington as The News' business correspondent, I took part in a call between Sen. John Cornyn and Texas reporters, something the senator, to his credit, does regularly. I came away from that talk disheartened over the issue of climate change, and said so in a blog post that afternoon.

Texas woman gets eight years in prison for voting

A permanent U.S. resident living in Texas has been sentenced to eight years in prison for illegally voting, a punishment that will probably result in the woman's deportation after she completes her sentence. On Wednesday, a Tarrant County , Tex., jury convicted 37-year-old Rosa Maria Ortega on two felony charges of illegal voting, for casting a ballot as a noncitizen in 2012 and 2014.