Vol 31, Issue 45 Print Issue

Measuring Corruption State by State

by John Reynolds
Dec. 4, 2014

Also, the Ethics Commission boosts lawmakers' per diem rates for the upcoming session and punts on the propriety of staffers driving lawmakers to the Capitol and on personal errands.

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Terry Keel

Terry Keel, appointed by Agriculture Commissioner-elect Sid Miller to the newly-created position of Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture for Enforcement, Consumer Protection, and Border Security.

Terry Keel Lands a New Job ... at Ag Department

by John Reynolds
Dec. 4, 2014

In other news, TMF plans a splashy Senate campaign kickoff, and a name surfaces in the special election to succeed Tim Kleinschmidt.

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Newsreel: Abbott Lawsuit, E-Verify, State Budget

by Justin Dehn
Dec. 4, 2014

This week in the Newsreel: Abbott files suit over the president's immigration executive order, Perry tells state agencies to check citizenship of workers and state budgeteers approve funding to keep state police on the border.

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Inside Intelligence: About "Should Do" and "Will Do"...

by Ross Ramsey
Dec. 3, 2014

For this week’s nonscientific survey of insiders in politics and government, we asked about the state budget and taxes.

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Todd Wiseman

The Calendar

by Texas Weekly
Dec. 4, 2014

Key meetings and events for the coming week.

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Quotes of the Week

Texas students shouldn't lose instruction time for holding gun-shaped Pop-Tart snacks at school. This bill will fix this.

State Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, on his legislation protecting kids who choose to nibble their favorite pastry into the shape of firearms

I really think it’s an answer to prayer that the 5th circuit has put a stay on the execution.

Pat Nolan, director of the American Conservative Union Foundation’s Center for Criminal Justice Reform and one of a group of social conservatives opposed to the execution of mentally ill death row inmate Scott Panetti

That idea would go about as far as I would go flying in the air jumping off a tall building. It’s straight down, baby.

Austin lobbyist Bill Miller, assessing the odds of making Texas House Speaker a statewide elected office

He reflects so well on Abbott. It’s like when you meet somebody’s spouse, and that spouse impacts your opinion of the other person. I think it’s the same thing with them.

State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, on Gov.-elect Greg Abbott's right-hand man, Daniel Hodge

I asked an old lady who had known him well, and she said, 'He might have been a murderer, a robber and a thief, but he was good at heart.'

Jack Skiles, author of a book on Judge Roy Bean, on the contradictory legacy of the West Texas lawman

The Week in the Rearview Mirror

The Legislative Budget Board on Monday set the state's spending cap for next year's budget, allowing for an 11.68 percent growth in non-dedicated state spending over the next two years. The panel also approved the transfer of money within the current budget to free up $86 million to continue the deployment of Department of Public Safety personnel to the border until the end of August.

Greg Abbott, in one of his last major actions as attorney general, announced that Texas and 16 other states were suing to halt an executive order issued by President Barack Obama that temporarily shields up to 5 million undocumented immigrants from immediate deportation.

Gov. Rick Perry announced an executive order directing state agencies and those contracting with state agencies to use the federal E-Verify system to ascertain the legal status of their workers. Skeptical of it before, Perry now says the system is improved and is "the most accurate and efficient way to check a person’s legal work in the United States."

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the execution of Scott Panetti, a mentally ill death row inmate, just hours before his scheduled execution Wednesday night. His pending execution had spurred an unusually broad-based opposition from people across the political spectrum.

The House Administration Committee adopted new rules for granting members of the press access to the chamber floor during session with one significant change: reporters seeking credentials must affirm that they are not lobbyists.

Three Republicans — Lois Kolkhorst, Gary Gates and Charles Gregory — competing in the SD-18 special election to succeed state Comptroller-elect Glenn Hegar debated on Tuesday night. Two Democrats in the race did not attend the debate. The election is set for Saturday.

Political People and their Moves

Keith Pardue of Austin was named by Gov. Rick Perry to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners for a term to expire Aug. 26, 2015.

Jeff Archer was named executive director of the Texas Legislative Council, shedding the "acting" portion of his title that he had carried since August.

Jennifer Teigen Doran has been appointed House Journal Clerk. An employee of the House Journal Office since 1999, she has in recent legislative sessions served as Voting Clerk and Assistant Journal Clerk.

Rene D. Truan has been named director of the newly created Permanent School Fund (PSF) Income Division of the General Land Office. Most recently, he was deputy commissioner of professional services and asset management at GLO.

Anne Idsal has been named general counsel at GLO, coming over from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality where she also served as general counsel.

Outgoing state Reps. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, and Bill Callegari, R-Katy, have been named to Agriculture Commissioner-elect Sid Miller's transition team.

Emmanuel "Manny" Garcia is leaving his position as communications director for the Texas Democratic Party in order to take the job of senior strategist for Leticia Van de Putte's campaign for San Antonio mayor. The TDP is promoting Rachel Boyer to the position of press secretary.

Deaths: Betty King, 89, "gracious lady of the Capitol" and secretary of the Texas Senate for 24 years until her retirement in 2001. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday in the Senate Chamber.