U.S. Department of Justice sues Texas over new political maps
Texas lawmakers illegally discriminated against voters of color by drawing new political districts that give white voters more political power despite rapid growth of Hispanic and Black populations, the department claims in its lawsuit.
After Texas Democrats’ woeful performance last year, the 2022 race to chair the party is already heating up
Current state party leader Gilberto Hinojosa has indicated he isn’t going anywhere. But that hasn’t stopped open discussion about leadership of the party with several months until convention delegates vote on the position.
Texas Democrats see focusing on power grid failure as a winning campaign strategy heading into 2022
Republican leaders defend their record on the power grid, pointing to more than a dozen laws passed during this year’s legislative session to address the grid’s reliability. Gov. Greg Abbott has staked his reputation on a promise that the lights won't go out this winter.
The number of undocumented immigrants in detention centers has increased by more than 50% since Biden took office
A Texas construction worker who’s been locked up for 11 months is one of an increasing number of undocumented immigrants detained since Biden took office — despite the president’s instructions to prioritize more dangerous immigrants.
Texas scientists search for potentially virulent new omicron COVID-19 variant as state health officials push vaccination
So much is unknown about the new COVID-19 variant: the severity of the illness it causes, whether it can resist vaccines and natural antibodies and whether it’s more contagious than the delta variant that has burned through Texas and the U.S. for months.
Texas abortion funds struggle to meet demand for out-of-state abortion assistance
But some Texas nonprofit groups dedicated to paying for the medical costs of abortion say they have more money than patients to give it to — a likely symptom of fewer people being able to access the procedure because of the new law.
Analysis: Betting a Texas election on a weather forecast
Gov. Greg Abbott says he can "guarantee" there won't be blackouts this winter in Texas after one that knocked out power for some people for four days last February. That's the kind of pre-election prediction that can make a weather forecaster more useful than a political poll.
Texas regulators pass rule aimed at preventing natural gas producers from having power cut off during future winter storms
But Texas oil and gas regulators addressed only part of the problem that led millions of Texans to lose power for days after February’s winter storm, and gas producers likely won’t be required to weatherize until 2023.
A growing number of Texas Republicans want a fourth special session to pass COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban
It remains unclear whether Gov. Greg Abbott — the only official with the power to convene special sessions — will order state lawmakers back to Austin, or what issues he would include on the agenda.
Coronavirus shuts down legal proceedings in latest misstep for Texas border crackdown
Migrants arrested under Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security push have been imprisoned for weeks or months waiting to appear before a judge. About 90 were finally to receive hearings this week, but court proceedings were canceled.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott remains silent on posthumous pardon for George Floyd
The state's parole board recommended in October that Floyd, murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, be pardoned for a minor 2004 drug conviction in Houston. The governor hasn't acted, and isn't answering questions about what he will do.
Freshman state Rep. Jasmine Crockett is running for Dallas congressional seat, with Eddie Bernice Johnson’s backing
Crockett is running for the seat vacated by Johnson, who announced Saturday that she would not seek reelection in the 30th Congressional District after serving nearly three decades in Congress. The seat is solidly Democratic.