TEXAS NEWS
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.
As Robert Roberson’s execution neared, Gov. Greg Abbott stuck to silence
Read full article: As Robert Roberson’s execution neared, Gov. Greg Abbott stuck to silenceIt’s rare for governors to step in to halt executions. In the case of Robert Roberson, it ended up being state lawmakers who took extraordinary steps.
After Roberson ruling, upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals election in the spotlight
Read full article: After Roberson ruling, upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals election in the spotlightThree of the five judges who allowed Robert Roberson’s execution to proceed will be leaving the court after Paxton-backed primary challenges.
A legal battle spared Robert Roberson’s life, for now. Here’s what happens next.
Read full article: A legal battle spared Robert Roberson’s life, for now. Here’s what happens next.The effort to spare Roberson sparked a conflict between the state’s top courts that must be resolved. When it is, the death row inmate will likely be back on the path to execution.
At debate, Mayra Flores shrugs off concern about mandating South Texans carry passports
Read full article: At debate, Mayra Flores shrugs off concern about mandating South Texans carry passportsDuring a tense debate with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, Flores attacked Gonzalez for being soft on border security, then suggested requiring residents to prove citizenship in some instances was appropriate.
Republicans want to flip this last competitive South Texas senate seat
Read full article: Republicans want to flip this last competitive South Texas senate seatState Sen. Morgan LaMantia, D-South Padre, faces off against Republican Adam Hinojosa in the only competitive race for the Texas Senate.
Five races for the Republican-dominated State Board of Education to watch this year
Read full article: Five races for the Republican-dominated State Board of Education to watch this yearRevising the social studies curriculum could be among the divisive issues the Texas State Board of Education tackles next year.
Vicente Gonzalez and Mayra Flores clash in fiery South Texas congressional debate
Read full article: Vicente Gonzalez and Mayra Flores clash in fiery South Texas congressional debateIn their only debate before Election Day, Gonzalez and Flores traded jabs over the economy, immigration and abortion, and regularly spoke over each other.
Ken Paxton sues Dallas pediatrician over providing hormone treatments to teens
Read full article: Ken Paxton sues Dallas pediatrician over providing hormone treatments to teensIn the first test of Senate Bill 14, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has accused Dr. May Lau of providing testosterone to at least 21 teens.
What is shaken baby syndrome, the controversial diagnosis for which Robert Roberson is set to die?
Read full article: What is shaken baby syndrome, the controversial diagnosis for which Robert Roberson is set to die?The American Academy of Pediatrics embraces the diagnosis, but courts have thrown out some cases, calling it “junk science.”
“More than our wombs”: Women in conservative Texas cities mobilizing to end GOP dominance
Read full article: “More than our wombs”: Women in conservative Texas cities mobilizing to end GOP dominanceDemocrats in Lubbock and Amarillo hope Kamala Harris’ candidacy and a backlash to abortion laws will help make their long-held vision of a blue wave a reality.
Texas’ order to ask hospital patients’ citizenship status renews focus on the state’s large uninsured population
Read full article: Texas’ order to ask hospital patients’ citizenship status renews focus on the state’s large uninsured populationOn Nov. 1, hospitals will begin asking patients their citizenship status. But data suggests uninsured citizens, not immigrants, cost Texas hospitals more.
With little say over Robert Roberson’s fate, Texas lawmakers take extraordinary steps to buy him more time
Read full article: With little say over Robert Roberson’s fate, Texas lawmakers take extraordinary steps to buy him more timeWith Roberson’s options dwindling, a House panel used its bully pulpit to prove his case and excoriate the failures of the state’s junk science law.
Texas lawmakers signal push to require proof of citizenship from voters
Read full article: Texas lawmakers signal push to require proof of citizenship from votersGov. Greg Abbott gave an inflated number of noncitizens removed from the state’s voter rolls, officials acknowledged, confirming findings by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, and Votebeat.
Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Roberson’s execution
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Roberson’s executionThe state’s highest civil court said it wants a lower court to resolve a separation-of-powers issue raised by a group of Texas lawmakers who subpoenaed the death row inmate the night before he was set to be put to death.
Nearly half of Texas high school students who earn college credits are Hispanic, study says
Read full article: Nearly half of Texas high school students who earn college credits are Hispanic, study saysDespite the group’s strong participation, Hispanic students graduate college at a lower rate than peers in the program, according to a report.
Watch: Texas lawmakers discuss noncitizens on the voter rolls
Read full article: Watch: Texas lawmakers discuss noncitizens on the voter rollsHere’s what you need to know after a ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and Votebeat investigation found that Gov. Greg Abbott likely inflated the number of noncitizens on voter rolls.
Houston ISD superintendent didn’t illegally funnel state money to out-of-state schools, TEA says
Read full article: Houston ISD superintendent didn’t illegally funnel state money to out-of-state schools, TEA saysThe Texas Education Agency found that checks mailed to Miles’ charter school network in Colorado were eventually deposited into the network’s Texas account.
Colin Allred, Ted Cruz blast each other as “extreme,” throw jabs on border and abortion in Senate debate
Read full article: Colin Allred, Ted Cruz blast each other as “extreme,” throw jabs on border and abortion in Senate debateThe debate proved combative from start to finish, with Cruz and Allred trading barbs on nearly every issue that came up.
Laredo enters its sixth day of a boil-water notice after E. coli is discovered in water system
Read full article: Laredo enters its sixth day of a boil-water notice after E. coli is discovered in water systemThe South Texas city is the latest to grapple with aging water infrastructure, which officials suggested could have been the cause for the E. coli outbreak.
Ted Cruz and Colin Allred to meet in the only debate in the Texas Senate race
Read full article: Ted Cruz and Colin Allred to meet in the only debate in the Texas Senate raceRepublican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Colin Allred met Tuesday night in the only debate of their Texas Senate race that could help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.
A Texas rematch: Republican Mayra Flores aims to beat Democrat Vicente Gonzalez for U.S. House seat
Read full article: A Texas rematch: Republican Mayra Flores aims to beat Democrat Vicente Gonzalez for U.S. House seatFlores briefly represented the district after winning a 2022 special election. Gonzalez went on to beat her by nearly 9 points in the general.
Texas man held in Las Vegas in deadly 2020 Nevada-Arizona shooting rampage pleads guilty
Read full article: Texas man held in Las Vegas in deadly 2020 Nevada-Arizona shooting rampage pleads guiltyOne of three people jailed in Las Vegas following a deadly Nevada and Arizona shooting rampage in Thanksgiving 2020 has pleaded guilty ahead of trial.
South Texas driver killed, two deputies wounded during Missouri traffic stop shootout
Read full article: South Texas driver killed, two deputies wounded during Missouri traffic stop shootoutAuthorities say a Texas man shot and wounded two deputies during a traffic stop before they returned fire and killed him.
South Texas congressional races remain the most competitive — but this time Democrats are playing offense
Read full article: South Texas congressional races remain the most competitive — but this time Democrats are playing offenseThe same candidates will be running in Texas’ 15th and 34th Congressional Districts, though the presidential and Senate races could mix things up.
Texas students can now see which state public universities would accept them before they apply
Read full article: Texas students can now see which state public universities would accept them before they applyStudents can enter their class rank, grade point average, and standardized test scores to get a list of universities to which they’d be admitted.
Galveston man drops wrongful death claims against women who allegedly helped his ex-wife get an abortion
Read full article: Galveston man drops wrongful death claims against women who allegedly helped his ex-wife get an abortionMarcus Silva and the women agreed to drop lawsuits against each other just days before they were set to go to trial.
Can ire over abortion ban finally put a Democrat on the Texas Supreme Court?
Read full article: Can ire over abortion ban finally put a Democrat on the Texas Supreme Court?Three Republican incumbents are being targeted for their role in recent abortion rulings by a new Democratic political action committee.
Ken Paxton’s voter registration suit against Travis County returned to state court
Read full article: Ken Paxton’s voter registration suit against Travis County returned to state courtA federal court’s decision is the latest development in a bitter pre-election brawl between Republican state officials and Democratic county leaders.
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller subpoenaed to testify in his former political consultant’s criminal trial
Read full article: Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller subpoenaed to testify in his former political consultant’s criminal trialTodd Smith was indicted in 2022 on felony charges of theft and commercial bribery related to taking money in exchange for hemp licenses that are issued by Miller’s office.
“Should we be worried?”: Another well blowout in West Texas has a town smelling of rotten eggs
Read full article: “Should we be worried?”: Another well blowout in West Texas has a town smelling of rotten eggsExperts warn that more blowouts should be expected unless oil and gas companies change their methods.
Here are the Texas House races that Democrats and Republicans think they can flip
Read full article: Here are the Texas House races that Democrats and Republicans think they can flipDemocrats — riding a wave of enthusiasm sparked by Kamala Harris’ nomination — think they can flip just enough House seats to stop Republicans from passing school vouchers.
Republicans raise $1 million targeting South Texas House races as Democrats invest elsewhere
Read full article: Republicans raise $1 million targeting South Texas House races as Democrats invest elsewhereDemocrats have long held an edge in South Texas, but Republicans see an opening there to expand their House majority.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Legislature will review Deloitte’s contracts after public loan project scandal
Read full article: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Legislature will review Deloitte’s contracts after public loan project scandalThe examination of Deloitte’s existing contracts comes after it failed to catch red flags in a company’s application for a loan to build or upgrade power plants in the state.
Officials release more videos of hesitant police response to Uvalde school shooting
Read full article: Officials release more videos of hesitant police response to Uvalde school shootingAuthorities have released footage from the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that police originally failed to make public.
Uvalde city officials release missing footage from officers responding to 2022 Robb Elementary shooting
Read full article: Uvalde city officials release missing footage from officers responding to 2022 Robb Elementary shootingThe new videos largely affirm prior reporting and investigations that detailed law enforcement’s failures to confront the gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers.