State news in Texas
State
AG Paxton Secures Ban on San Antonio’s Out-of-State Abortion Travel Funding While Case Continues
The merits of the case have yet to be determined.
Texas Lottery Operator Rebrands Amid Scandals
IGT, the embattled operator of the Texas Lottery, is rebranding to Brightstar Lottery.
A Special Session on Bail Reform?
Bail reform may be on the call for a future special session.
New Teacher Misconduct Reporting Law Closes ‘Pass the Trash’ Loopholes
The measure passed the Texas Legislature and awaits the governor’s signature.
State Archive
House Committee Considers Property Tax Relief in the Form of Tax Rate Compression
The Texas House Ways and Means Committee met Monday to consider a package of bills aimed at reducing Texans' property tax burden, with an emphasis on lowering school district tax rates through compression rather than increasing the homestead exemption. House Bill 8,...
Senators Hear From the Public on Parental Rights in Education
With the governor’s priority school choice legislation checked off their list, state senators are moving on to other proposals designed to empower Texas parents. The Texas Senate’s Committee on Education K-16 met last week to consider nearly a dozen measures relating...
Texas A&M Regents Ban On-Campus Drag Shows
The Texas A&M System Board of Regents passed a resolution banning drag shows across all 11 universities. The regents resolved that the system Chancellor John Sharp, TAMU President Mark A. Welsh III, and all other university presidents must take immediate action to...
‘Texas Strip’: Lone Star State Looks To Carve Out a New Name for a Classic Steak
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says he has a beef with the New York Strip. In an X post on Friday, Patrick announced he is cooking up a new initiative to rename the popular steak to the "Texas Strip," arguing that Texas, not New York, deserves recognition for its beef...
Senators Consider Stronger Safeguards Against Sexually Explicit Books in Schools
A state senator has re-introduced legislation to increase safeguards against sexually explicit books in school libraries. “The presence of sexually explicit books in school libraries is indeed still a problem in our state,” said State Sen. Angela Paxton (R-McKinney),...
State Lawmaker Files TLR-Backed Measure Limiting Texans’ Free Speech
State Rep. Jeff Leach has filed a measure targeting a state law that protects citizens from abusive lawsuits. Earlier this month, Leach (R-Allen) filed House Bill 2459. The measure would cut into the First Amendment protections first outlined in HB 2973 of 2011,...
State Senators to Freeze Funding Increases for Universities, Citing Noncompliance With DEI Ban
Two state senators have sent a letter to university boards of regents announcing the move to freeze state funding increases if they do not demonstrate compliance with state law. In their letter, State Sens. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), chair of the Senate Education...
Senate Records Reveal Lawmakers’ Taxpayer-Funded News Sources
Newly obtained records from the Texas Senate show that state lawmakers have spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on subscriptions to news outlets, raising questions about the necessity and transparency of such expenditures. The records, covering January 2024...
Lawmaker Confronts State Agency on DEI, Democrat Chair Melts Down
A routine budget hearing in the Texas House erupted into controversy when Republican State Rep. Brian Harrison was reprimanded by Democrat lawmakers for daring to question a state agency’s adherence to Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive against diversity, equity, and...