By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – Budget hearings have begun in the House and Senate.The hearings, which are part of the special session that started this week, are intended to give the public the chance to voice their opinions on a handful of GOP-backed measures.
One of the bills includes new distribution formulas for schools that will dictate how a $4 billion cut to Texas classrooms will be distributed over the next two years.
Democrats successfully scuttled the measure during the regular session with a late-night filibuster. But Gov. Rick Perry called lawmakers back for a special session, which started Tuesday.
Republicans say the cuts are necessary to balance the budget without raising taxes.
Democrats were hoping to get a little help from Texas teachers, but the crowd was initially made up mostly of lobbyists.
Son of Dallas bail bond company owner charged
A father and son have been accused of a killing at the family's Dallas bail bond company in a dispute with a business partner.
James Beavers Jr. of Duncanville is the third person jailed Thursday on a capital murder charge over Monday's fatal shooting of 53-year-old Mark Stephen Stockton at the company.
Dallas police earlier arrested 54-year-old James Beavers Sr. and the person allegedly hired to carry out the shooting, 44-year-old Shawn Lewis.
No attorney was listed for Beavers Jr., who was arrested Wednesday, with bond set at $1 million on the capital murder count. The 23-year-old son is also charged with evidence tampering, with bond set at $25,000.
Beavers Sr. and Lewis were booked on Tuesday.
Retail gasoline prices in Texas slip 7 cents
Retail gasoline prices in Texas have fallen for a third straight week, slipping 7 cents to average $3.63 a gallon.
AAA Texas on Thursday reported the average price per gallon nationally is down 3 cents, reaching $3.78 this week.
The association says the declines are due to a recent drop in crude oil prices, plus lower wholesale gasoline prices.
The cheapest price at the pump in Texas is $3.54 a gallon in Beaumont. El Paso has the state's most expensive gasoline, averaging $3.68 a gallon.
New penalty phase sought for condemned Richardson
Lawyers for a Texas death row inmate have urged a judge to recommend a new punishment phase for her amid allegations of misconduct by a former prosecutor.
An attorney for Chelsea Richardson and the current Tarrant County district attorney's office say Mike Parrish withheld evidence. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that both sides this week submitted documents to a judge who'll make recommendations to the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Parrish on Wednesday denied withholding evidence or lying. Parrish also says he has no problem with Richardson getting life in prison.
Richardson was convicted of capital murder in the 2003 killing of her boyfriend's parents, Rick and Suzanna Wamsley, in an alleged inheritance scheme.
Andrew Wamsley was convicted of capital murder. Susana Toledano pleaded guilty to murder. Both received life terms.