State news in Texas
Statewide Texas News
Taxpayers Are Funding Illegals’ Defense Attorneys
The state’s ongoing border security efforts come at a cost.
House Committee Considers Bipartisan Ban on Smartphones in Classrooms
A majority of House members support the proposed law to keep smart devices out of students’ hands during school hours.
Ban on Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Weakened in Texas Senate
7 Republicans joined Democrats in amending the legislation to allow taxpayer-funded lobbying organizations to continue hiring full-time lobbyists.
Texas Senators Advance Conservative Agenda, Pass Republican Priority Legislation
Protections for Texas children and land have passed the Senate.
State Archive
Abbott Declines to Take Action as Salon Owner Shelley Luther Is Jailed and Fined
After opening up her hair salon in defiance of orders from state, county, and city officials prohibiting the reopening of salons, Dallas small-business owner Shelley Luther was sentenced to seven days in jail on Tuesday and thousands of dollars in fines. Overnight,...
Runoff Review: Isaac and Wymore Vie for Chance to Retake Democrat Seat
Encompassing Blanco and Hays counties, Texas House District 45 is a Republican-leaning district that fell into Democrat hands in the 2018 election after Beto O’Rourke's campaign turned out large numbers of votes in Hays County, which contains San Marcos and Texas...
Runoff Review: With Rick Miller Out, Jacey Jetton and Matt Morgan Square Off
Following the future of House District 26, located in Fort Bend County, has been much like watching a rollercoaster, with twists and turns ever since the legislature gaveled out last summer. Currently represented by State Rep. Rick Miller (R–Sugar Land), it was...
Runoff Review: Garrett and Vasut Compete for Bonnen’s Seat
After House Speaker Dennis Bonnen was forced to announce he would not seek re-election following revelations that he offered a quid pro quo to Empower Texans CEO Michael Quinn Sullivan and then repeatedly lied about it, a crowd of candidates quickly entered what was...
Runoff Review: Incumbent Dan Flynn Faces Bryan Slaton Head-To-Head
As some businesses in Texas begin to reopen, attention is once again being placed on the Republican primary runoff elections. Originally scheduled for May 26, the election was postponed to July 14 by Gov. Greg Abbott as part of the state’s response to the Chinese...
Hegar: State Sales Tax Collections Down Nearly 10 Percent
On Friday, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar reported the State of Texas collected $2.58 billion in state sales tax revenue—a decrease of nearly 10 percent and the steepest decline since January 2010. In a press release, Hegar said: “State sales tax collections declined...
State Still Can’t Require Voters to Prove Citizenship, Federal Court Rules
A federal appellate court ruled Wednesday that a state law requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration cannot be enforced, affirming lower court decisions that the law is unconstitutional and preempted by federal statute. Judges with the U.S....
Lawmakers Demand Abbott Accelerate Efforts to Reopen Texas
As some Texas businesses prepare to partially reopen on Friday as part of the first phase of Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to reopen Texas, many Texans have taken issue with the speed—or lack thereof—of the phased approach previewed earlier this week. Now even more...
Hood County Attorney Takes Stand Against Governor’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Shutdown Orders
Hood County Attorney Matthew Mills has announced that his office will not prosecute those who violate certain provisions of Gov. Greg Abbott’s coronavirus executive shutdown orders. “My duty under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Section 2.01, is not to convict,...