All three of Gov. Greg Abbott's University of Texas System regent appointees were confirmed by the Texas Senate on Wednesday. Two of the appointees drew a small number of dissenting votes.

Texas House budget writers put the final touches Thursday on a two-year budget that offers a different approach to boosting funding for transportation from the Senate.

The House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety voted out a sweeping border security bill on Wednesday. Before the vote, House members were assured on the measure's limits.

State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, made headlines after calling attention to the removal of a "Former Fetus" sign outside his office put up to protest the presence of Planned Parenthood supporters on Wednesday. The rep who removed the sign, House Administration Chairman Charlie Geren, said the next day that the House is "not a college dormitory."

Senators tackling state procurement reform learned at a hearing Wednesday that the current state contracting system is so fragmented that no one knows the total value of the state's current contract.

As legislators considered several early education bills Tuesday afternoon, testimony was dominated by a debate over what standards school districts should meet to get additional state funding and whether districts should offer full-day or half-day programs.

Four Democrats have filed to run in the March 31 special election for House District 124, the Bexar County seat formerly held by now-Sen. José Menéndez.

A Mexican Mafia hit man convicted for his part in the 1998 capital murder of a San Antonio woman was executed Wednesday evening, leaving the state prison system with only enough drugs for one more execution.

Texas House leaders unveiled a plan Tuesday to shore up the state's chronically underfunded retirement system for employees that requires workers to pay more into the system, but gives them a pay raise to offset the cost.

Disclosure: Planned Parenthood is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced the hiring of Rachel Kania to serve as senior field and technology strategist for RANDPAC. The hire coincides with the possible presidential candidate's opening of a tech office in Austin. Kania was statewide field director for the 2012 primary campaign of Ted Cruz, who also is contemplating a presidential run.

Angela Olige was named the new assistant commissioner of food and nutrition at the Texas Department of Agriculture. The division oversees 12 federal child and special nutrition programs in Texas. Olige most recently was finance and budget director for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nev.

U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, has formed an advisory team comprised of elected officials, business leaders and grassroots conservative activists from counties along the I-35 corridor in his district. They are: Rosemary Edwards, former Travis County Republican Party chairwoman; Roger Borgelt, former Travis County Republican Party vice chairman; Naomi Narvaiz, State Republican Executive Committeewoman, Hays County; Will Conley, Hays County Commissioner; Julie Snyder, Kyle Chamber of Commerce president; Sharon Hall, Comal County Republican Party precinct chairwoman; Sonja Harris, pro-life activist; Kaci Poindexter, Bulverde Area Republican Women president; John Beacom, Hill Country Tea Party Patriots president; Belinda Frisk; Jan Kennady, former Comal County commissioner; Rusty Brockman, New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce director of economic development; Larry Nuckols, former Comal County Republican Party chairman; Beverly Nuckols, Comal County Republican Party precinct chairwoman

Deidra Garcia is leaving her job as government affairs consultant for Jackson Walker LLP for the post of assistant vice chancellor of government relations at the University of Houston.

Texas Agricultural Land Trust CEO Blair Fitzsimons and her husband, Joseph Fitzsimons, are the 2015 recipients of the Corpus Christi Rotary Club Harvey Weil Sportsman Conservationist of the Year award.

Deaths: Johnnie B. Rogers, 89, former state representative (1949-53) and state senator (1953-57) from Austin. He later worked in the lobby for clients such as the Texas Oil Marketers Association.

Sandra Anderson, wife of state Rep. Charles "Doc" Anderson, died on Saturday after a long fight with cancer. She was 67. She was laid to rest on Thursday at the Texas State Cemetery.

Disclosure: The University of Houston is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.