TEXAS NEWS
In Texas, criminal charges and misdemeanor convictions don’t automatically take away people’s voting rights
Read full article: In Texas, criminal charges and misdemeanor convictions don’t automatically take away people’s voting rightsTexans serving time for misdemeanor offenses or who are in jail awaiting trial are eligible to vote but only two counties offer voting in jail.
News organizations, including KSAT 12, ask Texas court to order release of state police records of Uvalde shooting
Read full article: News organizations, including KSAT 12, ask Texas court to order release of state police records of Uvalde shootingA group of news organizations, including KSAT 12, asked a Texas appeals court on Wednesday to order the release of state Department of Public Safety records of the law enforcement response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde.
Texas buys two ranches near the border, including a huge property next to Big Bend National Park
Read full article: Texas buys two ranches near the border, including a huge property next to Big Bend National ParkA Starr County property was purchased to build border wall, while Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said the state has many options for a sprawling ranch in West Texas.
Second Texas doctor sued for providing gender-affirming care to minors
Read full article: Second Texas doctor sued for providing gender-affirming care to minorsThese are the first cases under a law prohibiting doctors from providing puberty blockers or hormone therapy to help minors transition.
In South Texas, university students accuse Democratic county officials of suppressing their votes
Read full article: In South Texas, university students accuse Democratic county officials of suppressing their votesThe county decided to not have an early voting site at a Laredo university because of historic low turnout. It will have one on Election Day.
Colin Allred courts Black voters in the final days of his bid to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz
Read full article: Colin Allred courts Black voters in the final days of his bid to unseat Sen. Ted CruzWith stops in Houston and the Rio Grande Valley, Allred hopes to make the race competitive by running up the tally with the core of the Democratic base.
There are warring depictions of Robert Roberson’s murder case. Here’s what to know.
Read full article: There are warring depictions of Robert Roberson’s murder case. Here’s what to know.Even before the Texas man’s death sentence became a political lightning rod, law enforcement and medical experts had differing opinions on the evidence that convicted him.
Ken Paxton calls on Rep. Jeff Leach to resign over texts to judge in Robert Roberson case
Read full article: Ken Paxton calls on Rep. Jeff Leach to resign over texts to judge in Robert Roberson caseThe AG also said he’d make a criminal referral against the lawmaker, who apologized for texting a Court of Criminal Appeals judge about a new trial for the death row inmate.
Republicans dominate fundraising in final weeks of Texas House battles
Read full article: Republicans dominate fundraising in final weeks of Texas House battlesAcross a dozen of the most competitive House races, Republicans raked in more than $11 million over the last month, compared to the nearly $3.5 million collectively raised by their Democratic counterparts.
Ken Paxton resisting Texas House members’ bid to hear Robert Roberson’s testimony
Read full article: Ken Paxton resisting Texas House members’ bid to hear Robert Roberson’s testimonyMembers of a Texas House committee say in a Texas Supreme Court filing that Paxton’s office is blocking the death row inmate from complying with a legislative subpoena.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Biden administration over listing freshwater mussels as endangered
Read full article: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Biden administration over listing freshwater mussels as endangeredThe lawsuit claims the endangered designation for six mussel species is a misuse of environmental law that threatens Texas’ economy.
Hundreds illegally got Texas teacher licenses through cheating ring, Harris County prosecutors say
Read full article: Hundreds illegally got Texas teacher licenses through cheating ring, Harris County prosecutors sayFive people were charged in connection with the scheme. Investigators say aspiring teachers would pay for help cheating in the certification test.
How 11 Texas cities made housing unaffordable — and what’s being done to fix it
Read full article: How 11 Texas cities made housing unaffordable — and what’s being done to fix itTexas desperately needs more and denser housing to keep up with the demand. But zoning restrictions get in the way, a Texas Tribune analysis found.
Texas judge accused of breaking law after asking his university students to vote for him
Read full article: Texas judge accused of breaking law after asking his university students to vote for himA candidate running against the judge accused him of emailing his students at Texas State to vote for him. State law prohibits using public resources for political advertising.
State Rep. Jeff Leach asked Texas judge to consider a new Robert Roberson trial in apparent conduct violation
Read full article: State Rep. Jeff Leach asked Texas judge to consider a new Robert Roberson trial in apparent conduct violationLeach, one of the driving forces behind the effort to stop Roberson’s execution, later apologized to the judge, who told the lawmaker there were still pending matters before the court.
Texas is slashing $607 million in Medicaid funding from program for students with disabilities
Read full article: Texas is slashing $607 million in Medicaid funding from program for students with disabilitiesSchool officials say the state decision to cut federal money likely will hurt their ability to recruit and retain critical staff for students with disabilities.
Texas’ high housing costs sparked a movement to bring them down. The fight could shape the state for years to come.
Read full article: Texas’ high housing costs sparked a movement to bring them down. The fight could shape the state for years to come.A new breed of activists wants Texas to tame costs by building more housing. But longstanding opposition to such policies remains strong.
In Dallas, ballot propositions could drastically change police and city government
Read full article: In Dallas, ballot propositions could drastically change police and city governmentProposed amendments to the city charter would require the city to hire more police, tie the city manager’s pay to community reviews and let citizens sue the city more easily.
Mexico is offering water to South Texas. But there’s a catch farmers aren’t happy about.
Read full article: Mexico is offering water to South Texas. But there’s a catch farmers aren’t happy about.Farmers say they want the water, but not if it goes against the allotment they need for the spring planting season.
In complaint, Ted Cruz says Democrats broke campaign finance laws to help Colin Allred
Read full article: In complaint, Ted Cruz says Democrats broke campaign finance laws to help Colin AllredCruz alleged that national Democrats illegally exceeded contribution limits when it spent more than $10 million for television ads in Texas benefiting Allred campaign.
Long lines but few problems as Texas wraps the first week of early voting
Read full article: Long lines but few problems as Texas wraps the first week of early votingA Bexar County election worker was assaulted Thursday, officials said. In Tarrant County, officials encouraged voters to review their ballots before voting.
In final days of senate race, Colin Allred bests Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 senate fundraising record
Read full article: In final days of senate race, Colin Allred bests Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 senate fundraising recordColin Allred also continues to out raise Ted Cruz bringing in over $11.8 million in the first 16 days of October. Cruz raised $9.9 million in the same period.
Beyoncé endorses Kamala Harris while Donald Trump vows border crackdown in dueling Texas stops
Read full article: Beyoncé endorses Kamala Harris while Donald Trump vows border crackdown in dueling Texas stopsHarris talked about reproductive rights to a stadium full of supporters in Houston. In Austin, Trump stumped to supporters and reporters at a private jet terminal and appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast.
How a boom in East Texas high schoolers taking college classes is transforming Kilgore College
Read full article: How a boom in East Texas high schoolers taking college classes is transforming Kilgore CollegeHigh school students that are getting a jump on college through dual credit now make up the majority of students at one East Texas community college.
Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Roberson’s case
Read full article: Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Roberson’s caseAfter the attorney general insisted on the death row inmate’s guilt in a graphic press release, four lawmakers issued a point-by-point rebuttal.
Robert Roberson’s case spotlights Texas’ GOP divide on criminal justice
Read full article: Robert Roberson’s case spotlights Texas’ GOP divide on criminal justiceTexas’ junk science statute has remained hamstrung for the last decade. So too have other criminal justice reforms, despite efforts from the Texas House.
Former President Donald Trump to make stop in Austin on Friday
Read full article: Former President Donald Trump to make stop in Austin on FridayAs the 2024 U.S. presidential race heads into the final stretch, the Republican nominee announced Wednesday that he will be in Texas on the same day this week as his Democratic challenger.
From Denton to Edinburg, Texas cities are spooking their residents and tourists this Halloween
Read full article: From Denton to Edinburg, Texas cities are spooking their residents and tourists this HalloweenDenton has renamed itself Halloween, Texas, and has planned 31 days of events to drive up tourism and family entertainment.
Former Eagle Pass detective sentenced to 10 years in prison for running migrant stash houses
Read full article: Former Eagle Pass detective sentenced to 10 years in prison for running migrant stash housesHazel Eileen Diaz received nearly $40,000 in cash and money transfers for letting human smugglers use her rental properties.
Laredo ends boil-water notice after 11 days, turns attention to illegal connections and old pipes
Read full article: Laredo ends boil-water notice after 11 days, turns attention to illegal connections and old pipesThe South Texas city has hired a consulting firm for $200,000 to provide an interim director for the utility amid a restructuring of the department.
Board cancels costly psychologist licensing exam after pushback led by Texas
Read full article: Board cancels costly psychologist licensing exam after pushback led by TexasThe national licensing board announced it will consider folding the proposed skills test into an existing exam amid worries the additional hurdle would discourage applicants.
Facing election scrutiny, Texas prepares for Nov. 5 with paper ballots and strengthened security
Read full article: Facing election scrutiny, Texas prepares for Nov. 5 with paper ballots and strengthened securityOnly a handful of Texas counties will not have all in-person voters cast paper ballots at the polls. By 2026, all voting machines in Texas must produce a paper trail, per a 2021 state law.
Delta-8 hemp and Texas medical marijuana industries to face off in the upcoming legislative session
Read full article: Delta-8 hemp and Texas medical marijuana industries to face off in the upcoming legislative sessionMedical marijuana providers say they must operate under strict rules while hemp products like delta-8 can proliferate.
Texas sues Biden administration for not providing data on noncitizens
Read full article: Texas sues Biden administration for not providing data on noncitizensAttorney General Ken Paxton accused the federal government of failing to provide citizenship data for registered voters, even as he acknowledged that the vast majority of the people on the rolls are lawful voters.
Children in Texas state representative’s latest campaign ad aren’t hers
Read full article: Children in Texas state representative’s latest campaign ad aren’t hersFrom our premium politics newsletter, The Blast: A new ad from Rep. Caroline Harris Davila raises eyebrows in what increasingly appears to be a competitive race.
Spriester Sessions: Colin Allred, former Baylor, NFL linebacker, hopes to upset Ted Cruz in Texas Senate race
Read full article: Spriester Sessions: Colin Allred, former Baylor, NFL linebacker, hopes to upset Ted Cruz in Texas Senate raceAllred discusses what sets him apart from his opponent, why he thinks Ted Cruz is to blame for some of the border problems, and how he feels about being compared to former Congressman Beto O’Rourke, Cruz’s last opponent, who narrowly lost.
Level of oil and gas regulation at heart of Texas Railroad Commission race
Read full article: Level of oil and gas regulation at heart of Texas Railroad Commission raceIncumbent Christi Craddick is touting the health of the Texas energy industry and its impact on the economy. Her top opponent says regulation on the commission is too lax.