It may help explain why black women have higher rates of breast cancer at young ages, a more aggressive form of the disease, and worse survival. It doesn't mean that all black women are at risk or even that all blacks with cancer need genetic counseling or testing, said the study's leader, Dr. Jane Churpek of the University of Chicago.

Experts offer some advice about what to make of this information:

Q. What are the genes?

A. Mostly BRCA1 and BRCA2. Everyone has two copies of these genes, and a mutation in one can give a woman up to an 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer and up to a 54 percent risk for ovarian cancer. Sixteen other genes also can raise risk but are thought to be less common.

Q. Why might blacks have high risk?

A. African-Americans' genes are more diverse than those of many other racial and ethnic groups. Most of the mutations identified in this study were novel, or unique to each woman, Churpek said. It's possible that more detailed tests in whites and other groups might find a higher prevalence of mutations than previous studies have found in them, too.

Q. Should more black women be tested?

A. National guidelines do not specify any groups that should be tested except Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish women with breast or ovarian cancer or a close relative who has had one of those diseases. Genetic counseling should be offered to black women who develop breast cancer before age 50, who have a close relative with the disease, or who have "triple-negative" breast cancer. Triple negative means tumors that are not fueled by estrogen, progesterone or the gene that the drug Herceptin targets.

Q. What can be done if a gene mutation is found?

A. Women who find the mutation after they have breast cancer may want to consider removing both breasts or their ovaries. Those who are screened before cancer develops can consider more frequent screening and prevention measures ranging from hormone-blocking drugs to removal of breasts and ovaries. They also can let relatives know about potential family risk.

Q. Why did this study find so many more gene flaws?

A. Standard tests look for just a few common mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. The tests cost around $3,000, and insurance will often cover them if a woman has a family history suggesting high risk. A second $750 test is needed to look for a different type of genetic flaw. That test often is not done or covered by insurance.

In the Chicago study, researchers decoded, or sequenced, all 18 genes tied to breast cancer risk, so it could pick up all types of mutations in any of them.

___

Online:

Breast cancer: http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/breast-cancer

and http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/brca

___

Marilynn Marchione can be followed at http://twitter.com/MMarchioneAP

Lefeged was arrested during a traffic stop after police said they found a semi-automatic pistol in the car in which he was riding. Police say they also smelled marijuana in the car and found an open bottle containing vodka and orange juice in the center console. Lefeged and another passenger were taken into custody after they tried to run from officers, and the driver got away, authorities have said.

D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Frederick Sullivan ordered Lefeged released on personal recognizance after a brief hearing in which the third-year pro appeared in an orange jail jumpsuit. The decision came against the request of prosecutors, who asked to keep him behind bars as the case moves toward a possible indictment.

"This is a case involving a traffic stop, indicia of drug use, flight from police, recovery of an open container," prosecutor Ben Schrader told the judge.

Lefeged's lawyer, David Schertler, asked that his client be released, saying the Colts have considered him "an exemplary citizen" during his time with the team.

Police say the Chevy Camaro convertible was pulled over in northeast Washington just after midnight Saturday for speeding and because a backseat passenger was standing upright in the car. Police say the driver stopped but then drove away, nearly striking the officers who had surrounded the car. Lefeged and another passenger later ran but were caught in different locations, police say.

Officers say in a police report that they smelled burnt marijuana, though Schertler says no traces of the drug was found. They also say they found an open container of alcohol in the center console and a semi-automatic pistol that the prosecutor says was loaded with one round in the chamber and 12 in the clip. Paperwork in the car showed that Lefeged bought the gun for about $900 this year, police said.

Lefeged has been charged with carrying a licensed pistol outside the home.

Colts spokesman Avis Roper said the team would have nothing more to say about Lefeged's arrest because it is a pending legal matter.

Lefeged, who grew up in Montgomery County, Md., and played for Rutgers in college, is entering his third NFL season. He was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and started four games last season.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Two new Android phones will look and sound familiar to those who have been paying attention to phones. That's because these two devices are replicas of Samsung's Galaxy S4 and HTC's One, except they lack most of the bells and whistles added to the original models.

And that's a good thing.

The modifications Samsung and HTC apply to Google's Android software are meant to be improvements. But I've complained before about how the changes actually make phones more complex to use. The S4 even has an easy mode for first-time smartphone users, an admission that the normal mode is too confounding.

Google worked with both Samsung Electronics Co. and HTC Corp. to come out with "Google Play" editions of the hit phones. Instead of customized software from Samsung and HTC, the Google phones run a pure version of Android, just as it was developed by Google.

Google lets any phone maker use its Android operating system for free. To set themselves apart from competitors, phone makers often add their own touches to devices. They rearrange the menu or load additional apps. Wireless carriers also like to add their own apps. Before you know it, phones are bloated with features and apps you don't want and can't get rid of.

Consider my experience with the original S4 over the weekend. As I tried to adjust the camera's flash setting, I inadvertently made some postage stamp icon pop up. That activated the camera's dual-shot mode, which snaps a shot of you with the front camera to superimpose over whatever you're shooting with the camera on the back of the phone. I didn't want that, but I couldn't figure out how to get rid of it. My friend couldn't either. So we bagged the shot. Taking photos with a phone is supposed to be fun, not a chore.

With Google's version of the S4, I get a no-frills camera that is easy to figure out. It lacks gimmicks such as dual shots and the ability to combine several images of motion into a single shot. It offers about a half-dozen shooting modes, such as night, action and panorama, rather than the dozen or so on the original S4. But a half-dozen is about a half-dozen more than I need and use.

Google's S4 also lacks the original model's ability to pause video automatically when you look away from the screen or to scroll down an article when you tilt your head. Those features may sound cool, but they often don't work properly.

The Google version of the S4 also has alarm sounds that I can actually wake up to. Samsung had substituted those sounds with soft, soothing melodies that I end up incorporating into dreams. I've overslept a few times as a result.

As for Google's version of the HTC One, you don't get a busy home screen filled with news articles and Facebook status updates your phone thinks you want to read. Instead, you get a clean page with few apps. It's up to you to add the ones you want to see and use.

Both Google phones feel spare and minimal, which is great because it makes me feel in control. If I want to constantly know the weather, it's easy to add a weather widget to the home screen of either phone. But it's not forced.

The same goes for apps. I get basic functions such as text messaging and the clock and a range of Google services such as Gmail and YouTube. If I want other apps, I can easily tap the Google Play icon to get them. With the original S4, Samsung tries to steer you into its own app store, as well as its own music and video players. You end up with too many ways to do the same things.

You might think it takes a lot of work to add the apps you want to Google's phones, but it actually takes more work to hide or turn off everything you don't need that is, if you can at all with Samsung's and HTC's versions.

Now for the bad news: The Google edition of the S4 sells for $649, while Google's HTC One goes for $599. You can typically get the original models for $100 to $200 through your wireless carrier with a two-year agreement. And unless you're on T-Mobile, your monthly bill won't go down just because you pay full price for the phone elsewhere.

In addition, both Google phones are compatible only with T-Mobile, AT&T and other carriers that use GSM cellular technology, not the CDMA networks used by Sprint and Verizon Wireless. The Google edition would have been great for Verizon customers who still have unlimited data plans. Verizon no longer lets you stay on that plan if you buy a subsidized phone, so you'd have to pay the full price anyway.

The Google phones are also ideal for people who want the latest Android system that Google has to offer. You'll be able to update your phone as Google releases new versions of Android. Normally, phone makers and wireless carriers delay updates by weeks or months, so you can only read about those new Android features.

There are a few useful Samsung and HTC add-ons that Google does bring to its versions of the phones.

Google's S4 is compatible with Samsung's S-View flip cover. Using a magnetic sensor, the phone detects when the cover is closed and switches to a special mode that gives you the current time and details about who's calling through a small window in the cover. You can answer or reject a call without flipping over the cover.

Google's HTC One, meanwhile, shares the original model's front-facing speakers, giving you great sound when you're watching a movie or listening to music. Both models also have cameras with larger sensor pixels for better low-light shots. Our tests show that the HTC One produces low-light images with less distortion than other Android phones, though images aren't particularly crisp because the resolution is lower.

There are a few things I wish Google would have brought to its phones and to Android in general.

In the original S4, the on-screen keyboard has a row of numerals to type in. With the Google S4, you have to hit a button to get another screen with numerals, then toggle back for the letters. The original S4 also has the ability to run two apps side by side in a split window. That's gone in Google's S4.

Meanwhile, the original HTC One has the ability to make calls, send texts and take photos by sliding icons from the lock screen. With the Google version, you have to unlock the screen before getting icons to those functions.

On both phones, Google also adds one feature I could do without: a 360-degree panorama known as Photo Sphere. Neat as it is, it detracts from what is otherwise a just-the-basics camera. It would have been better as a separate app for those who want it.

But that's no reason to shun the Google phones. The minimized feel of Google's versions underscores how busy software can detract from good hardware. Take away that clutter, and you have excellent phones.

It's a bummer that you can't get the simplified phones through regular channels. You can get them only through Google's online Play store for hundreds of dollars more.

___

About the Google phones:

The new phones are existing Samsung and HTC phones loaded with Google's version of the Android operating system. That's the version that Google makes, before phone makers and phone carriers load Android up with their own features and apps.

These phones are good options for those who don't like all the bells and whistles in the original models. They are cleaner and easier to use. But they are also more expensive, as you have to pay full price through Google's online Play store rather than a subsidized price that wireless carriers offer with two-year agreements.

These phones aren't compatible with Verizon's or Sprint's CDMA networks. If you're on AT&T, you'll be paying more for the phone without any reduction in monthly phone bills. If you're on T-Mobile, though, expect to save $20 a month, or $480 over two years. You're still paying about $70 more overall for Google's S4 and $20 more for Google's One, but it's not the hundreds of dollars you'd be paying on AT&T.

The one-time, upfront cost is $649 for Google's S4 with 16 gigabytes of storage and $599 for the One with 32 gigabytes. Both phones are available in the U.S. only through Google's online Play store, with shipments expected by July 9.

___

Anick Jesdanun, deputy technology editor for The Associated Press, can be reached at njesdanun@ap.org.

___

Online:

Google phones: http://play.google.com/store/devices

Samsung Galaxy S4: http://samsung.com/GalaxyS4

HTC One: http://www.htc.com/www/smartphones/htc-one

McDowell, winner of the 2010 U.S. Open, carded a one-under-par 70 while Sterne returned a 71 as the pair ended on five-under 208.

Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (68), David Howell of Britain (69) and Australia's Richard Green (70) shared third place on 209 while Dane Thomas Bjorn (74) was two strokes further back despite twice finding water off the tee on the back nine.

"It's going to be phenomenal come 2018," McDowell told reporters. "The last four holes are as dramatic a risk-reward finish as you could imagine with a combination of a natural ampitheatre.

"The 15th and 18th are two phenomenal holes especially the pin position on 15 today. When the caddie in the group in front put the pin back in the hole I thought he'd missed the green with it - it looked like it was in the water."

World Match Play champion McDowell and Joburg Open winner Sterne are both aiming to record their second European Tour victories of the season.

"I'm very pleased with my 71," said the South African. "This course can bite you in a lot of places and the finish here is probably the toughest on the tour.

"There are a lot of guys bunched up. Someone can come from further back but hopefully I get off to a good start again tomorrow and keep it going."

Also in title contention on 210 are Briton Simon Dyson and Dane Soren Kjeldsen while Bjorn is one of eight players on 211. (Writing by Tony Jimenez; editing by Alison Wildey)

In a letter to Congress that was released on Thursday, the inspector general for tax administration, J. Russell George, acknowledged that the term "Progressives" appeared on a list of terms used by IRS screeners from to look for applicants with potential problems that would merit close scrutiny. But he said there was no evidence the IRS set aside progressive groups' applications because they appeared on that list, which was aimed at finding groups that may have engaged in political activity which could affect whether they were granted tax-exempt status.

George said his investigators have "multiple sources of information corroborating" that tea party groups' applications were set aside for close examinations, including interviews with IRS employees, emails and other documents. But he added, "We found no indication in any of these other materials that 'Progressives' was a term used to refer cases for scrutiny for political campaign intervention."

George's explanation did not satisfy Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee.

At a hearing of that panel Thursday at which IRS chief Danny Werfel testified, Levin said he wanted that committee to have George answer questions at a future session. Levin and other Democrats say George's report last month revealing IRS mistreatment of tea party groups unfairly focused on conservatives and omitted mention of progressives.

"Our committee, in its oversight role, has an obligation to fully understand the manner in which the inspector general conducted his audit, and at what direction," Levin said.

The congressman, to whom George sent his letter, said that applications from progressive groups were sent to a different group of screeners within the IRS and that George failed to investigate that. Levin also criticized George for not investigating why the word "Progressives" appeared on the lists IRS screeners used and not openly acknowledging until now that the word was on those lists.

"The failure of the IG's audit to acknowledge these facts is a fundamental flaw in the foundation of the investigation and the public's perception of this issue," said Levin, using the abbreviation for inspector general.

George's letter said that out of 298 groups the IRS set aside between 2010 and 2012 for close examination of their political activities, six had the words "progress" or "progressive" in their names. Another 14 groups with those words in their names were not sidetracked for close scrutiny because of their political efforts, he said.

Overall, George wrote, 30 percent of groups with "progress" or "progressive" in their names received tough processing because of their political activities. That compared to 100 percent of organizations with "Tea Party," ''Patriots" or "9/12" in their names, George said.

Under questioning from Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., Werfel said his own investigation of his agency's behavior had produced no evidence to contradict George's finding that progressive groups' applications were not set aside so their political activities could be examined. But he later said there was "a diversity of political labels" among the groups whose applications were set aside for further review.

Some progressive groups seeking tax-exempt status have complained about facing lengthy delays and detailed questions from the IRS.

It is unclear whether progressive groups faced the same extent of mistreatment as conservative organizations. Dozens of them ran into delays exceeding a year, and many received scores of detailed questions that officials have since said were overly intrusive, including demands for information about their donors.

The back-and-forth came as Werfel answered questions from Congress for the first time since revelations that progressives joined the tea party on a list of groups whose applications for tax-exempt status drew extra scrutiny.

Camp criticized a report that Werfel issued this Monday, six weeks after President Barack Obama named him to head the troubled agency.

Werfel wrote that he found mismanagement but no purposeful wrongdoing at the IRS in a report that also pointed to the officials who have been replaced and other changes he has made. Camp said that conclusion was "incomplete" because Werfel did not interview several former top IRS officials, including former commissioner Douglas Shulman.

Werfel also came under Republican fire for his agency's request for a $1 billion budget increase next year, with several recounting recent revelations about costly conventions for employees and videos that some workers made.

"Until the IRS proves that it can responsibly manage its current funds, the IRS will not see one more dime in taxpayer funding," Camp said.

Werfel said no decisions had yet been made on the agency's previous plans to distribute $70 million in bonuses to employees, payments that have been required by union contracts. He said bargaining was underway.

Democrats seem determined to shift the focus to this week's disclosure that the term "Progressive" was also on the agency's watch lists.

IRS regulations allow tax-exempt social welfare organizations to engage in some political activity but it cannot be their primary mission. The agency must decide whether each applicant's activities meet those vague guidelines.

The IRS has been under withering fire since May 10, when an agency official acknowledged that it had targeted conservative groups seeking tax-exempt designations for tough examinations. Until then, IRS officials had insisted that conservatives had not been singled out for such treatment.

Some Republicans have suggested that the focus on conservative groups came from the White House or other Obama allies.

There has been no evidence of that so far. Instead, according to investigators and testimony from IRS workers to congressional committees, workers in the agency's Cincinnati office that handled tax-exempt applications developed the lists to help them find groups that merited additional scrutiny.

Obama and members of both parties in Congress have said such targeting is inexcusable. At least five top officials, including former acting Commissioner Steven Miller, have been removed.

The BET Awards were barely about the actually awards as wild performances stole the night. They also didn't present the top honor Sunday.

Janelle Monae ended the three and a half hour-plus event with a top notch performance of "Q.U.E.E.N." alongside Erykah Badu, who brought a white poodle onstage. It was just one of the night's best performances, which also featured stolen moments from a seductive Ciara, a slick Miguel, a random but welcomed reggae set and a playful Justin Timberlake with an even more playful Charlie Wilson.

Timberlake took a backseat to the soul singer, joining Wilson onstage for a medley of his solo and Gap Band hits.

Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, Pharrell, Snoop Dogg and India.Arie were also part of the tribute to 60-year-old Wilson, who earned the lifetime achievement award.

"Charlie Wilson is soul music. His impact colors the work of many artists, which is basically my nice way of saying I and a lot of other artists have stolen from him," Timberlake said when presenting Wilson the award.

Wilson's lively stage presence was arguably the night's top moment, though others were on fire.

Ciara echoed Janet Jackson when she danced and sang her R&B hit "Body Party," while Dawn Penn, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Beenie Man and Elephant Man electrified the audience when they gave a colorful performance of reggae classics.

Many artists played double or triple duty onstage at the Nokia Theater L.A. Live. Badu sang with Monae and Kendrick Lamar, who also performed with 2 Chainz. Miguel sang alone, and with Mariah Carey and J. Cole, while Minaj performed with Ciara and Chris Brown. Pharrell helped out Wilson and Robin Thicke, who excitedly performed his current No. 1 hit, "Blurred Lines."

Drake, who didn't attend the awards show, led with 12 nominations, including five for video of the year, winning the top honor with "Started from the Bottom." The rapper-singer also won viewer's choice and best collaboration for his appearance on A$AP Rocky's "(Expletive) Problems" with Lamar and 2 Chainz.

Lamar tied Drake with three wins, taking home best new artist, male hip-hop artist and collaboration.

"Most importantly to my little home boys and my home girls back in the city, you looking at me on TV right now, I came up in that same county building, food stamps, welfare section eight ... this is living proof that you can do anything you put your mind to," said 26-year-old Lamar, who is from Compton.

Minaj and Brown picked up their fourth consecutive wins for best female hip-hop artist and the fandemonium award.

"Don't read the bull in the news, I'm a real dude," Brown told the crowd.

Brown opened the show with a medley of new songs, including one that featured vocals from late R&B singer Aaliyah and another with Minaj, who joined him onstage. BET couldn't bleep some of the rapper's expletives much like the awards show last year. Expletives from Badu, Wayne Brady and the singers who performed with R. Kelly slipped, too.

Carey was angelic as she belted or lip synched her latest hit, "#Beautiful," and an excited R. Kelly sang snippets of a dozen of his hits including "Bump N Grind" and "Ignition" as the crowd cheered on.

Host Chris Tucker sang and danced too in tribute to Michael Jackson.

Miguel won the night's first award, best male R&B pop artist, beating out Brown, Timberlake, Usher and Bruno Mars.

"I got to really give it up to all the other guys in this category," Miguel said.

Don Cheadle presented Miguel with the award, and dedicated the night to the ailing Nelson Mandela.

"We want to take a moment and send our prayers and thoughts to a man who literally changed the world," he said. "This evening we would like to offer prayers and support and hope to the extraordinary Nelson Mandela and his family."

Jamie Foxx, wearing a shirt that featured a picture of Trayvon Martin, won best actor, and danced onstage with Kevin Hart when accepting the honor.

Hart, who hosted the BET Awards in the past, was overly excited onstage, even stealing the shine from Tucker, who was a mediocre host.

Rihanna won best female R&B pop artist and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won best group.

Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle Douglas won sportswoman of the year and the youngstars award. She thanked BET for "just for embracing me after Olympics."

___

Online:

http://www.bet.com/shows/bet-awards.html

___

Follow Mesfin Fekadu on Twitter: twitter.com/MusicMesfin

The program's anchor, Matt Lauer, said on Monday's show that Deen "told us she will be here this time."

Deen, who withdrew from an interview on June 21, tweeted, "See you Wednesday, I am so glad Matt, Al and my friends at @TodayShow are bringing me back."

The program did not say if Deen would address the controversy.

Deen, 66, apologized in videos posted online for using a racial slur, but Food Network later said it would not renew the Southern chef's contract when it expired at the end of June.

Pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc on Monday also dropped Deen, who had a name-brand line of hams with the company, saying in a statement that it "condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind."

The controversy surrounding Deen began last week when a deposition taken as part of a lawsuit was released in which Deen, who is white, was asked if she had used the "N-word," and responded, "Yes, of course.

Deen, who has built a business empire based on high-calorie and fried Southern food with cookbooks, restaurants and kitchen supplies, made the comments in a deposition related to a racial and sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a former employee.

The former employee of Paula Deen Enterprises, Lisa Jackson, is suing Deen and her brother, Earl "Bubba" Hiers, over allegations that while discussing plans for Hiers' 2007 wedding, Deen said she wanted a "true southern plantation-style wedding."

Jackson said that Deen used the slur in the discussion describing how she wanted an all-black wait staff for the party dressed in "long-sleeve white shirts, black shorts and black bow ties, you know in the Shirley Temple days, they used to tap dance around," she said, according to the lawsuit.

The Food Network is owned by Scripps Network Interactive Inc, while Chinese meat company Shuanghui International hopes to buy Smithfield, the world's largest pork producer and processor, for $4.7 billion in what would be the biggest takeover of a U.S. company by a Chinese firm.

That deal is expected to close in the second half of 2013.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey, Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Cynthia Osterman)

LONDON (Reuters) - World shares touched their highest level in a week on Friday and bonds and oil rose after U.S. central bankers moved to ease fears of an early withdrawal of monetary stimulus.

Upbeat data from Japan, which helped Tokyo's Nikkei indexend the first half of the year up 31.5 percent, and improving credit conditions in China added to the better investor sentiment.

Gold plumbed fresh three-year lows below $1,200 an ounce, leaving it on course for its worst quarterly performance since 1968 as the Federal Reserve's plan to taper its bond buying strips the metal of its appeal as a hedge against inflation.

Traders said the day's market activity was likely to be dominated by last-minute position adjustments at the end of what has been a volatile period for many investors as the era of easy money draws to an end.

"It's been a tough quarter, the easy game is up and markets have to revaluate where they stand," Wouter Sturkenboom, Investment Strategist at Russell Investments, said.

The end-of-quarter maneuvering was cited behind a rise in the euro off a four-week low against the dollar to $1.3045, and was expected to cap moves in European shares.

The broad FTSE Eurofirst 300 indexopened 0.1 percent higher for a third day of gains, though it is on course to end June lower after a record 12 monthly rises.

European bonds shared in the more positive tone, with yields falling on core German debt and on riskier Spanish and Italian paper.

Earlier, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japanclimbed 1.4 percent, pulling further away from an 11-month low and wiping out this week's losses. It was still down around 7 percent for the year.

Brent crude oil futures gained from the better tone towards riskier assets to climb 29 cents to $103.11 on the way to their the first monthly rise in five months.

(Editing by John Stonestreet)

It was a serious tone for an otherwise fun bill-signing and should bolster the governor's Christian conservative credentials before he travels to Washington for the Faith & Freedom Coalition's "Road to Majority" conference with the likes of tea party darlings and U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Kentucky's Rand Paul and fellow Texan Ted Cruz.

Dubbed the "Merry Christmas bill," the bipartisan measure sailed through the state House and Senate to reach Perry's desk.

It removes legal risks of saying "Merry Christmas" in schools while also protecting traditional holiday symbols, such as a menorah or nativity scene, as long as more than one religion and a secular symbol are also reflected.

"I realize it's only June. But it's a good June and the holidays are coming early this year," Perry said. "It's a shame that a bill like this one I'm signing today is even required, but I'm glad that we're standing up for religious freedom in this state. Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion."

During the last Sunday of the legislative session on May 26, Rep. Donna Howard, an Austin Democrat, gave the Texas House's daily prayer.

"We are fortunate to live in a country where we have the freedom to exercise the religion of our choosing while also being free from having any religion imposed upon us," said Howard, herself a Unitarian Universalist.

Her words prompted some conservative lawmakers to hold their own, separate prayer session moments later.

Perry did not mention Howard or her prayer, but invited to the signing ceremony cheerleaders from Kountze High School in East Texas. They were briefly barred by their school district from displaying banners with bible verses at football games. Perry decried the ban and a judge eventually ruled it violated students' free speech rights.

The governor said the law was for believers such as the Kountze cheerleaders, who wore red "I cheer for Christ" T-shirts.

The Faith & Freedom Coalition is a conservative, grass-roots advocacy group whose conference runs through the weekend. Perry heads to Washington on Friday.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Dwayne Bohac of Houston, said he drafted it after discovering that his son's school erected a "holiday tree" in December because any mention of Christmas could spark litigation.

"We hope that this is a fire that will take off and become laws in the other 49 states," said Bohac.

The proposal has drawn little public opposition. Tom Hargis, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, declined to comment beyond a statement that "we hope administrators and teachers remain mindful that it's an important role of parents to teach their children about matters of faith, not our public schools."

Bohac said Perry "is not a governor that shirks away from the tough issues. And this should not be a tough issue, which is what's even amazing about all this. But this is just political correctness that's run amok and our brains have completely fallen out as a result."

As Perry signed, 10 members of a group called the Lone Star Santas with long white beards but wearing colorful summer garb rather than their traditional red suits cheered and rang bells. Standing behind Perry's desk was Glenn Westberry, or "Santa G" from Houston, and Rabbi Zev Johnson of the Rohr Chabad Jewish Center at the University of Texas.

Both cheered the measure, with Westberry saying he has been "persona non grata in Texas schools for too long." Johnson joked, "I thought this was the 'Happy Hanukkah' law."

The conference and the Yankee Stadium bowl game have agreed to a six-year deal that starts in 2014. Commissioner John Swofford was in the Bronx on Tuesday for a news conference with Yankees officials.

"This is truly a terrific opportunity," Swofford said Tuesday. "To play in this game on an annual basis, in the media capital of the world and partner with the most storied and iconic franchise, and stadium, in American sports.

"It's a partnership that makes sense in every way."

The ACC is expanding north, adding Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame this season. The Fighting Irish will remain a football independent, but will play five games per season against ACC teams. Louisville will join in 2014.

"Certainly New York becomes a very, very important part of our footprint and our newly aligned conference," Swofford said.

Swofford re-iterated that the conference is discussing playing its men's basketball tournament in the New York area in the future, but that it hasn't gone past that point.

The Pinstripe Bowl announced a deal with the Big Ten earlier this month that also starts in 2014, though it runs for eight years.

This year's Pinstripe Bowl, sponsored by New Era, will be the fourth and final under its original agreement with the Big East (which becomes the American Athletic Conference next season) and the Big 12.

The American had hoped to remain a part of the bowl it helped get off the ground, but with the turnover in the conference due to realignment, the league lost its geographic appeal to bowl organizers.

"We are really proud of the role we played in the creation of the Pinstripe Bowl and certainly expect to see that game continue to grow," said Nick Carparelli, senior associate commissioner for the American.

And with the ACC and Big Ten expanding into the Northeast, it gave the Pinstripe Bowl a chance to upgrade.

"It's amazing just how far this bowl has come in such a short time," Pinstripe Bowl executive director Mark Holtzman said. "We are now one of the premier bowls in the country."

Yankees President Randy Levine said the team might even consider bidding to host a College Football Playoff game in the future.

"We've taken a step up we believe with the Big Ten and the ACC, and we believe that after performing for a couple more years, we'll be as good as any venue there is to a host a semifinal or eventually a championship game," he said.

Swofford said the ACC will not have a fixed selection system for its postseason lineup, the rest of which has yet to be announced.

He said the conference will use a tiered system for setting up its bowl matchups that league and bowl officials hope will create more flexibility and prevent teams from making multiple appearances in the same postseason games in a short period of time.

ESPN.com reported earlier this week that the Pinstripe Bowl will share the ACC's third through sixth selections with the Belk and Sun bowls, along with the Gator and Music City bowls, which will rotate between Big Ten and ACC teams.