INSIDER
Texas House Democratic Caucus elects new chair to replace Trey Martinez Fischer
Read full article: Texas House Democratic Caucus elects new chair to replace Trey Martinez FischerTrey Martinez Fischer, a San Antonio representative in the Texas House, was replaced on Wednesday as chair of the Democratic caucus.
Henry Cuellar pitched adding buoys in Rio Grande to deter migrants years ago
Read full article: Henry Cuellar pitched adding buoys in Rio Grande to deter migrants years agoThe congressman said he joined other Democrats in opposition to the use of the floating barriers and razor wire at Texasā border because of the lack of permits.
Texas has billions pledged to expand broadband. Spending it is taking a while.
Read full article: Texas has billions pledged to expand broadband. Spending it is taking a while.Despite the efforts of local governments and others, the move to provide internet access to millions of Texans has been slow and faces new challenges.
Court backs Texas over razor wire installed on US-Mexico border
Read full article: Court backs Texas over razor wire installed on US-Mexico borderA federal appeals court has ruled that Border Patrol agents cannot cut razor wire that Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border in the town of Eagle Pass.
Feds canāt destroy razor wire Texas installed near Eagle Pass, appeals court rules
Read full article: Feds canāt destroy razor wire Texas installed near Eagle Pass, appeals court rulesTexas Attorney General Ken Paxton had sued the Biden administration after Border Patrol agents had cut the razor wire.
Steven McCraw bids farewell after leading Texas DPS for 15 years
Read full article: Steven McCraw bids farewell after leading Texas DPS for 15 yearsAfter 15 years of leading the Texas Department of Public Safety, Col. Steven C. McCraw departed the DPS Headquarters in Austin for the final time on Wednesday. His retirement marks the conclusion of a law enforcement career spanning more than four decades.
Texas offers Trump administration more land and support for mass deportations
Read full article: Texas offers Trump administration more land and support for mass deportationsTwo events in the Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday made clear Texas officials will work with the Trump administration on immigration.
Texas General Land Office unveils proposed 1,402-acre site for immigrant detention, border wall
Read full article: Texas General Land Office unveils proposed 1,402-acre site for immigrant detention, border wallOfficials with the Texas General Land Office on Tuesday outlined plans for a 1,402-acre ranch it has offered to the incoming Donald Trump administration for housing undocumented immigrants before deportation.
A tuition freeze without more state aid could leave Texas universities strapped
Read full article: A tuition freeze without more state aid could leave Texas universities strappedRegional colleges rely more on tuition revenue to operate than flagship campuses. Gov. Greg Abbottās desire to pause increases could create tight financial conditions.
Texas hospitals are now required to ask for patientsā citizenship. Hereās what you should know.
Read full article: Texas hospitals are now required to ask for patientsā citizenship. Hereās what you should know.Gov. Greg Abbott wants to know how much hospitals spend caring for undocumented immigrants. Hospitals should not deny care based on how patients respond.
Approval of Texas' Bible-infused curriculum will likely depend on Abbott appointee
Read full article: Approval of Texas' Bible-infused curriculum will likely depend on Abbott appointeeTiffany Clark, who was elected to fill a vacant State Board of Education seat in January, said she would have voted against the curriculum.
Texas Tech wants permission to pay college athletes as a part of its recruitment efforts
Read full article: Texas Tech wants permission to pay college athletes as a part of its recruitment effortsState law prohibits schools from making direct name, image and likeness deals with athletes. Texas Tech says it puts them at a disadvantage as the university recruits athletes for fall 2025.
Gov. Greg Abbott issues executive order targeting Chinese government operatives in Texas
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott issues executive order targeting Chinese government operatives in TexasGov. Greg Abbott has issued an executive order directing the Texas Department of Public Safety to target and arrest people trying to execute influence operations on behalf of the Chinese government to return dissidents to China.
Texasā top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes office
Read full article: Texasā top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes officeWith Donald Trump returning to the White House, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both recently signaled new openness to winding down the stateā border security operation.
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to freeze tuition at Texas colleges and universities for another two years
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott wants to freeze tuition at Texas colleges and universities for another two yearsThe governorās directive extends a tuition freeze for Texasā public universities that was approved in the last legislative session.
Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Robersonās execution
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Robersonās executionThe stateās highest civil court ruled that legislators canāt use subpoenas to block death row inmatesā executions, but suggested thereās still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel.
Judge says New York can't use 'antiquated, unconstitutional' law to block migrant buses from Texas
Read full article: Judge says New York can't use 'antiquated, unconstitutional' law to block migrant buses from TexasA judge has ruled that New York City canāt use a two-century-old āanti-pauperā law to block the state of Texas from offering migrants free bus rides to the city.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick names private school vouchers as his top legislative priority
Read full article: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick names private school vouchers as his top legislative prioritySchool voucher supporters say they have the votes to get a bill across both the Texas Senate, led by Patrick, and the House, which has repeatedly blocked such proposals.
āUncharted territoryā: Trumpās anti-immigration plans could take center stage in Texas
Read full article: āUncharted territoryā: Trumpās anti-immigration plans could take center stage in TexasTexas is positioned better than any state to help Trump carry out his ambitious anti-immigration agenda. But it is also vulnerable to those policyās impacts.
Texas Legislature will approve school vouchers and boost public education funds next year, Abbott says
Read full article: Texas Legislature will approve school vouchers and boost public education funds next year, Abbott saysLast year, Abbott refused to give public schools a major raise without passing a voucher program. His tone was more conciliatory after Election Day.
State Representative election results in Texas on Nov. 5, 2024
Read full article: State Representative election results in Texas on Nov. 5, 2024Among the most competitive races on the Bexar County ballot for Texas House include District 118, which features Republican incumbent John Lujan and Democrat Kristian Carranza. The other Texas House race thatās expected to be competitive is District 121 between Marc LaHood and Laurel Jordan Swift.
State Rep. 121 candidates LaHood, Swift host dueling rallies in San Antonio
Read full article: State Rep. 121 candidates LaHood, Swift host dueling rallies in San AntonioThe candidates in the running for Texas House of Representatives District 121. will have dueling rallies on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
There are warring depictions of Robert Robersonās murder case. Hereās what to know.
Read full article: There are warring depictions of Robert Robersonās murder case. Hereās what to know.Even before the Texas manās death sentence became a political lightning rod, law enforcement and medical experts had differing opinions on the evidence that convicted him.
Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Robersonās case
Read full article: Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Robersonās caseAfter the attorney general insisted on the death row inmateās guilt in a graphic press release, four lawmakers issued a point-by-point rebuttal.
Robert Robersonās case spotlights Texasā GOP divide on criminal justice
Read full article: Robert Robersonās case spotlights Texasā GOP divide on criminal justiceTexasā junk science statute has remained hamstrung for the last decade. So too have other criminal justice reforms, despite efforts from the Texas House.
Republican Marc LaHood declares victory in Texas House District 121 election
Read full article: Republican Marc LaHood declares victory in Texas House District 121 electionRepublican Marc LaHood declared victory on Tuesday night over Democrat Laurel Jordan Swift in the race for State Representative District 121.
Texas man whose execution was halted by subpoena wonāt testify in person before lawmakers
Read full article: Texas man whose execution was halted by subpoena wonāt testify in person before lawmakersA Texas man whose execution was halted because of a last-ditch subpoena won't testify in person before lawmakers.
Texas' junk science law is getting another look over Robert Roberson's case
Read full article: Texas' junk science law is getting another look over Robert Roberson's caseA man whose execution was halted will testify at a legislative hearing about a ājunk scienceā law in Texas that many say should have saved him long ago.
As Robert Robersonās execution neared, Gov. Greg Abbott stuck to silence
Read full article: As Robert Robersonās execution neared, Gov. Greg Abbott stuck to silenceItās 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.
Texas was about to execute Robert Roberson. Then a last-ditch tactic bought him more time
Read full article: Texas was about to execute Robert Roberson. Then a last-ditch tactic bought him more timeRobert Roberson, who had been set to be the first person in the U.S. to be put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome, had his execution delayed after a dramatic few hours of legal wrangling among three different Texas courts.
āMore than our wombsā: Women in conservative Texas cities mobilizing to end GOP dominance
Read full article: āMore than our wombsā: Women in conservative Texas cities mobilizing to end GOP dominanceDemocrats in Lubbock and Amarillo hope Kamala Harrisā candidacy and a backlash to abortion laws will help make their long-held vision of a blue wave a reality.
Texasā order to ask hospital patientsā citizenship status renews focus on the stateās large uninsured population
Read full article: Texasā order to ask hospital patientsā citizenship status renews focus on the stateās 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 Robersonās fate, Texas lawmakers take extraordinary steps to buy him more time
Read full article: With little say over Robert Robersonās fate, Texas lawmakers take extraordinary steps to buy him more timeWith Robersonās options dwindling, a House panel used its bully pulpit to prove his case and excoriate the failures of the stateās junk science law.
Texas Supreme Court halts execution of man in shaken baby case after lawmakers' last-minute appeal
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court halts execution of man in shaken baby case after lawmakers' last-minute appealThe Texas Supreme Court has halted the scheduled execution of a man who would have become the first person in the U.S. put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.
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 stateās voter rolls, officials acknowledged, confirming findings by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, and Votebeat.
Governor Abbott issues disaster declaration for 143 Texas counties as wildfire threat intensifies
Read full article: Governor Abbott issues disaster declaration for 143 Texas counties as wildfire threat intensifiesTexas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration and deployed state firefighting resources as a wildfire threat grows across the state.
Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Robersonās execution
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Robersonās executionThe stateās 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.
Watch: Texas lawmakers discuss noncitizens on the voter rolls
Read full article: Watch: Texas lawmakers discuss noncitizens on the voter rollsHereās 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.
A Texas board rejects clemency plea from a man facing execution in shaken baby syndrome case
Read full article: A Texas board rejects clemency plea from a man facing execution in shaken baby syndrome caseThe Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied a request for clemency for a man who this week could be the first person in the U.S. executed for a murder conviction tied to the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.
What to know about shaken baby syndrome as a Texas man could be first in US executed over it
Read full article: What to know about shaken baby syndrome as a Texas man could be first in US executed over itA Texas man this week could become the first person executed in the U.S. under a murder conviction tied to the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.
Texas leaders, moms who lost kids to fentanyl unite for second awareness walk
Read full article: Texas leaders, moms who lost kids to fentanyl unite for second awareness walkA handful of mothers who lost their children to fentanyl poisoning created an enormous movement, which led to a long line of local, state, and federal leaders vowing to do their part in stopping fentanyl poisoning.
Moms who lost kids to fentanyl gearing up for second awareness walk Sunday
Read full article: Moms who lost kids to fentanyl gearing up for second awareness walk SundayMoms who have lost their kids to fentanyl poisoning have turned their pain into action. For Americans age 18-45, the leading cause of death is fentanyl overdose, and they want to stop that.
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 theyād be admitted.
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 ā riding a wave of enthusiasm sparked by Kamala Harrisā nomination ā think they can flip just enough House seats to stop Republicans from passing school vouchers.
āWe need to make our community saferā: San Antonio state Senator plans to refile dangerous dog bill
Read full article: āWe need to make our community saferā: San Antonio state Senator plans to refile dangerous dog billSome state politicians said they are not giving up on addressing dangerous dog cases in Texas.
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.
San Antonio organizations to deploy to Florida to assist in preparation of Hurricane Milton
Read full article: San Antonio organizations to deploy to Florida to assist in preparation of Hurricane MiltonSeveral San Antonio organizations will deploy to Florida to help with the potential impact of Hurricane Milton.
Governor Greg Abbott deploys aid to Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton landfall
Read full article: Governor Greg Abbott deploys aid to Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton landfallMembers of the Texas Division of Emergency Management will be going to Florida to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
A Texas execution is renewing calls for clemency. It's rarely granted
Read full article: A Texas execution is renewing calls for clemency. It's rarely grantedTexas rarely grants clemency for death row inmates, but that's not stopping a group of bipartisan lawmakers from showing their support for a man scheduled to be executed in October.
Supreme Court steps into a fight over plans to store nuclear waste in rural Texas and New Mexico
Read full article: Supreme Court steps into a fight over plans to store nuclear waste in rural Texas and New MexicoThe Supreme Court has agreed to step into a fight over plans to store nuclear waste at sites in rural Texas and New Mexico.
For migrant women who land in Colorado looking for jobs, a common answer emerges: No
Read full article: For migrant women who land in Colorado looking for jobs, a common answer emerges: NoAs record numbers of South Americans come to the U.S. seeking better economic opportunities, many are landing in communities that are unprepared for them ā and sometimes outright hostile.
How a school voucher supporter won in a Texas House district with almost no private schools
Read full article: How a school voucher supporter won in a Texas House district with almost no private schoolsGov. Greg Abbott said the primary showed Texans want vouchers. In House District 18, an ad blitz and immigration fears may have played a larger role.
2 San Antonio arrests made in connection with Tren de Aragua gang, Department of Homeland Security says
Read full article: 2 San Antonio arrests made in connection with Tren de Aragua gang, Department of Homeland Security saysThe Department of Homeland Security said Friday that its Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested two people in connection with a Venezuelan transnational gang.
Despite warnings, Texas rushed to remove millions from Medicaid. Eligible residents lost care.
Read full article: Despite warnings, Texas rushed to remove millions from Medicaid. Eligible residents lost care.Texas officials acknowledged some errors after they stripped Medicaid coverage from more than 2 million people, most of them children. A ProPublica and Texas Tribune review of records shows that these mistakes and others were preventable.
What you need to know about the Venezuelan gang that Texas is targeting
Read full article: What you need to know about the Venezuelan gang that Texas is targetingTren de Aragua is a Venezuelan gang that started in a prison in the state of Aragua and has since expanded into Central America and the United States, including Texas.
Tren de Aragua gang started in Venezuela's prisons and now spreads fear in the US
Read full article: Tren de Aragua gang started in Venezuela's prisons and now spreads fear in the USLaw enforcement authorities across the U.S. are increasingly focused on a Venezuelan gang behind a spate of violent crimes.
Democrats hope anti-voucher campaign will help win back South Texas House seat
Read full article: Democrats hope anti-voucher campaign will help win back South Texas House seatThe first-term Republican defending her seat said a private school voucher program will help her community, especially students from low-income families.
Judge tosses Ken Paxtonās lawsuit targeting Bexar Countyās voter registration effort
Read full article: Judge tosses Ken Paxtonās lawsuit targeting Bexar Countyās voter registration effortThe county told a state district court judge that the applications were already mailed out and any ruling would be moot.
Texas GOP investing in South Texas races as some Republicans worry about party's performance in November
Read full article: Texas GOP investing in South Texas races as some Republicans worry about party's performance in NovemberSeveral local party officials have signed an open letter warning that āgrave and deterioratingā fundraising and voter outreach efforts could leave some candidates vulnerable.
Texas officials say theyāve scrubbed the voter rolls. Hereās how to check if youāre still on them.
Read full article: Texas officials say theyāve scrubbed the voter rolls. Hereās how to check if youāre still on them.The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 7. The Texas Tribune, ProPublica and Votebeat want to hear from people removed from voter rolls.
Florida hospitals ask immigrants about their legal status. Texas will try it next
Read full article: Florida hospitals ask immigrants about their legal status. Texas will try it nextTexas hospitals who are enrolled in state health plans, Medicaid and the Childrenās Health Insurance Program will start asking patients' immigration status in November.
At this West Texas church, āthe Lordās workā is helping the poor, not rewriting state law
Read full article: At this West Texas church, āthe Lordās workā is helping the poor, not rewriting state lawLed by co-pastors Joe and Dawn Weaks, Connection Christian Church, a 118-year-old congregation in Odessa, has transformed while keeping true to its legacy of helping the community.
Abbott says potential power outages from Tropical Storm Francine will be restored within hours
Read full article: Abbott says potential power outages from Tropical Storm Francine will be restored within hoursTexas isnāt expected to take a direct hit when the storm makes landfall as a hurricane. But storm surge and dangerous winds are possible.
Tropical system expected to strengthen near Mexico and Texas and bring heavy rains, forecasters say
Read full article: Tropical system expected to strengthen near Mexico and Texas and bring heavy rains, forecasters sayThe National Weather Service says a tropical system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico was expected to strengthen this week into a tropical storm and dump heavy rains onto Mexico and Texas before reaching the U.S. as a potential hurricane.
Mayorkas: Texasā immigration policies have wreaked havoc and disorder
Read full article: Mayorkas: Texasā immigration policies have wreaked havoc and disorderThe U.S. Homeland Security Secretary specifically called out the stateās policy of busing migrants to cities in other parts of the country.
What Texans need to know about helping people register to vote or cast ballots
Read full article: What Texans need to know about helping people register to vote or cast ballotsTexas officials have launched investigations into voting fraud allegations, but assisting other voters isnāt automatically illegal.
Data indicates voting by noncitizens is rare. Republicans are pressing measures to make sure of it
Read full article: Data indicates voting by noncitizens is rare. Republicans are pressing measures to make sure of itFederal law already allows only U.S. citizens to vote in elections for president and Congress.
Harris County voter outreach proposal sparks another fight with Texas Republicans
Read full article: Harris County voter outreach proposal sparks another fight with Texas RepublicansThe county plans to ID eligible voters and send them registration forms. GOP officials say itās an end-run around state law.
Election experts cautious as Abbott touts voter roll purge
Read full article: Election experts cautious as Abbott touts voter roll purgeFederal and state law already required voter roll maintenance. Experts warn the governorās framing of this routine process could be used to undermine trust in elections.
Texas must build hundreds of thousands of homes to lower housing costs, says state comptroller
Read full article: Texas must build hundreds of thousands of homes to lower housing costs, says state comptrollerTexas needs hundreds of thousands more homes than it has, per one estimate. That shortage has driven up home prices and rents.
LULAC condemns Paxtonās election fraud raids as āintimidationā
Read full article: LULAC condemns Paxtonās election fraud raids as āintimidationāThe group said that searches the attorney generalās office carried out this week targeted at least six Latinos, including a Democrat running for the Texas House.
Judge rejects Attorney General Ken Paxtonās attempt to shut down Houston immigrant rights group
Read full article: Judge rejects Attorney General Ken Paxtonās attempt to shut down Houston immigrant rights groupPaxtonās office claimed the group broke rules prohibiting political activity by nonprofits, but the judge rejected the case outright.
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as stateās top law enforcement officer
Read full article: Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as stateās top law enforcement officerThe longtime head of the Department of Public Safety will step down at the end of the year.
āA monumental achievementā: Texas Water Development Board adopts first-ever statewide flood plan
Read full article: āA monumental achievementā: Texas Water Development Board adopts first-ever statewide flood planIn what the Texas Water Development Board chairwoman called a āmonumental achievement,ā officials voted Thursday to adopt the stateās first comprehensive flood plan, setting in motion yearsā worth of planning.
Texas launches new investigation into Houston's power utility following deadly outages after Beryl
Read full article: Texas launches new investigation into Houston's power utility following deadly outages after BerylTexas has opened an investigation into a Houston area utility provider over allegations of fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars during its botched response to Hurricane Beryl.
Abbott order will require Texas hospitals to collect patientsā immigration status
Read full article: Abbott order will require Texas hospitals to collect patientsā immigration statusThe executive order from the Texas governor will require hospitals to track the cost of care for undocumented migrants, in order for the state to push for federal reimbursement.
Rising costs and stagnant state funds pushed this West Texas school district to the financial brink
Read full article: Rising costs and stagnant state funds pushed this West Texas school district to the financial brinkThe Ector County school district boosted student learning but now faces financial uncertainty. It closed schools and cut costs to stay afloat, but it wonāt slash teacher jobs.
Gov. Greg Abbott sets special election to fill U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Leeās seat
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott sets special election to fill U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Leeās seatGov. Greg Abbott on Friday set a special election to fill former U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Leeās seat for the remainder of the term on Nov. 5, the same day as the general election.
Texas' floating Rio Grande barrier can stay for now, court rules as larger legal battle persists
Read full article: Texas' floating Rio Grande barrier can stay for now, court rules as larger legal battle persistsA floating barrier in the Rio Grande meant to discourage migrants from trying to cross from Mexico into Texas can stay for now, a full federal appeals court has ruled.
Texasā floating barrier in the Rio Grande can stay for now, appeals court says
Read full article: Texasā floating barrier in the Rio Grande can stay for now, appeals court saysAfter Texas deployed the barrier, a panel ordered it removed. The full appeals court says it can stay while a lower court hears a case on the merits.
Texas senators grill utility executives about massive power failure after Hurricane Beryl
Read full article: Texas senators grill utility executives about massive power failure after Hurricane BerylA special committee of the Texas Senate has convened to hear executives from Houston's largest utility provider explain the massive electricity failure that occurred when Hurricane Beryl hit the city on July 8.
Texas deaths from Hurricane Beryl climb to at least 36, including more who lost power in heat
Read full article: Texas deaths from Hurricane Beryl climb to at least 36, including more who lost power in heatA rising number of heat-related deaths in Texas among residents who lost power during Hurricane Beryl has pushed the number of storm fatalities to at least 36.