Don't Fear the Reefer: House Mulls Lower Pot Penalties
Three bills up for House committee hearings Wednesday would lower the penalties for possessing small amounts of pot in Texas. A fourth would decriminalize pot entirely. Full Story
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Terri Langford is the Tribune's health services reporter based in Austin. Langford is a veteran journalist, having worked at the Florida Times Union, The Associated Press, The Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, WNYC, Honolulu Civil Beat and Texas Standard/KUT. Langford has a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin. She has covered various city and state agencies, criminal justice and health and human services for the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, The Associated Press, WNYC and Texas Standard at KUT.
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Report: State Lawmaker Threatened Paxton's DPS Detail
State Rep. Borris Miles threatened to "beat up" a plainclothes DPS trooper while the lawman was guarding Attorney General Ken Paxton during a meeting at an Austin steakhouse, according to a report obtained by the Tribune. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Perry Prosecutors Fight to Keep Invoices Secret
A public records request has added another twist to the Rick Perry legal saga, with special prosecutors now suing Attorney General Ken Paxton to keep confidential detailed invoices that would show who they interviewed while building their case. Full Story
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![Prosecutor Michael McCrum gathers his thoughts as testimony continues in Travis County District Court on the Gov. Rick Perry case on Nov. 6, 2014.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
State Auditor: "Operational Defects" Led to 21CT Deal
A scathing state investigative report of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's $20 million deal for fraud tracking software has revealed "operational defects" within the agency's procurement process. Full Story
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![Texas Health and Human Services Commission Kyle Janek and former HHSC chief counsel, Jack Stick.]()
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Grand Jury Recommends UT Regent's Removal
In an unusual, strongly worded report, a Travis County grand jury recommended this week that University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall be removed from office. Full Story
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![UT Regent Wallace Hall on April 28, 2014. Lawmakers admonished and censured Hall, who was waging a personal investigation into lawmaker influence in the UT-Austin admissions process.]()
Credit: Charlie Pearce for The Texas Tribune -
Health Commission Experienced a Program Failure, Report Says
Leadership problems at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in the wake of a contracting scandal leave the agency too vulnerable to consolidate at this time, according to a report released Monday by Gov. Greg Abbott's "strike force" team. Full Story
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![Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Dr. Kyle Janek]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Lawyer's One-Year Banishment Leads to Showdown
When the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals banished a prominent death row attorney this year, it set in motion an interesting showdown not only with the lawyer, David Dow, but one with its own glossier sibling, the Texas Supreme Court. Full Story
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![Attorney David Dow.]()
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FBI at Health Commission Asking About 21CT Deal
FBI agents have interviewed Texas Health and Human Services Commission employees about the agency's problematic contract with Austin firm 21CT, Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek said Thursday, the first time any official with direct knowledge of the FBI's involvement has confirmed it. Full Story
![Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Dr. Kyle Janek]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Terrell State Hospital Privatization Deal Scuttled After Audit
A plan to privatize Terrell State Hospital is dead following a scathing audit that raps the state health commission for bypassing its own contracting procedures. Full Story
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![Terrell State Hospital is one of 10 state psychiatric hospitals.]()
Credit: Texas Department of State Health Services -
Abbott to Foster Care Agency: Get Your Act Together
In the wake of three child deaths under the state’s ward so far this year, Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday told the Department of Family and Protective Services to straighten up and fly right. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott annouces several emergency legislative items in his first State of the State speech on Feb. 17, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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