The Brief: Top Texas News for June 7, 2011

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-newspaper/texas-news/brief-top-texas-news-june-7-2011/

The Big Conversation:

Republicans warned Democrats they'd regret forcing a special session. On Monday, Democrats got another taste of that.

The state Senate, in no surprise, approved two major pieces of GOP-backed legislation that would redraw the state's congressional map to Republicans' liking and allow school districts to enact teacher pay cuts and furloughs.

Democrats argued that the redistricting bill, which would likely increase the number of Texas Republicans in Congress from 23 to 26, ignored minority interests and unfairly targeted U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the longtime Austin Democrat whom the new plan would draw into a Republican district.

Democrats called the education bill, which its backers say would save teacher jobs by giving districts the flexibility to deal with an anticipated $4 billion funding cut, a short-term solution.

[northoftheborder]

1. Travis County, home to Austin, now has 5 districts. Criminal.