The latest Department of Public Safety news from The Texas Tribune.
Calling the old policy "stupid," the head of the Department of Public Safety said Tuesday that congressional and state elected officials will no longer have to endure a background check to access the Governor's Mansion. Full Story
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At least three Texas state representatives opted not to attend a reception at the Governor's Mansion this week rather than submit to new security procedures requiring that even legislators submit to background checks to gain access. Full Story
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Texas Department of Public Safety driver's license offices have a reputation for long lines and exhausting wait times for customers. But new mega centers are drastically cutting the wait time for license renewals and replacements. Full Story
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Three members of the House are pushing legislation that would end the Texas Driver Responsibility Program — a program they say has been ineffective. Full Story
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It could cost Texas up to $11 million to clear the backlog of some 20,000 untested rape kits in police agencies statewide. If Congress doesn't come through with funding, lawmakers here in Texas will search for funds to help solve the crimes. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Public Safety announced Wednesday that it has now found suspects in 10,000 open crime investigations using a federal DNA database. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Transportation will decide soon whether to grant a new stretch of toll road the fastest speed limit in the country. More than just bragging rights are at stake. Full Story
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State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, and the Department of Public Safety are sending a reminder message to Texas law enforcement agencies: They must follow a new state law requiring them to report their backlog of untested rape kits. Full Story
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UPDATED: The Texas Department of Public Safety today renewed a warning that cautions Texas students against traveling to Mexico. The break begins next week for most of the state’s schools. Full Story
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Some say that the Texas Department of Public Safety is going against its own policy with its "limited term" designations for driver's licenses and identification cards. Full Story
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Though Gov. Rick Perry's political fortunes on the presidential campaign trail have plummeted, the bills for his omnipresent security detail continue, costing Texas taxpayers as much as $400,000 a month. Full Story
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El Paso has the lowest crime rate of American cities with populations over 500,000, according to rankings assembled by the CQ Press and released earlier today. This is the second year in a row the border city has topped the list. Full Story
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DAY 30 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: During a legislative session where hardly any services were spared the budget ax, funding for border security actually increased. Full Story
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The state senator from McAllen sat down with the Tribune to talk border security, how Democrats move forward after voter ID and what he thinks the upper chamber will look like in 2013. Full Story
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DAY 12 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: applicants for driver's licenses and IDs must furnish proof of legal status. Full Story
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It's not a sales pitch heard too often in the Rio Grande Valley, but farmers and ranchers here have a new, tax-deductible option for improving their businesses — and the company offering it promises to take a bullet for its client. Full Story
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An Austin judge ruled this week that the Texas Department of Public Safety overstepped its authority when it enacted tougher requirements for immigrants trying to obtain driver's licenses, giving immigrants' rights groups and some business leaders a glimmer of hope. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Public Safety said Monday it had preserved certain travel records associated with the cost of providing security to Gov. Rick Perry before 2008, contrary to information it provided on Friday. Full Story
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State officials said Friday they can’t reveal how much money taxpayers are spending to protect Gov. Rick Perry — and that records of security costs compiled before 2008 have been “purged.” Full Story
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The tiny East Texas town of Alto recently made headlines when it furloughed its five-man police department. But Alto is hardly the only Texas city struggling to fund public safety in a tough economy. Full Story
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