On July 31, Texas lawmakers listened to local leaders, survivor testimonies, and experts in Kerrville at a state committee hearing to address flood response after the Hill Country Floods.
"The three guys in Kerr County who were responsible for sounding the alarm were effectively unavailable,” said Representative Ann Johnson, a Houston Democrat.
The bills would carry a $5,000 fine for a first-time violation and comes as momentum for such restrictions has increased in the state and nationally.
Lawmakers will have 30 days to tackle a packed agenda outlined by Gov. Greg Abbott, from flood relief to redistricting to THC products.
A controversial bill banning consumable THC products has been vetoed by Governor Abbott, who instead calls for tighter regulations in the upcoming special session. A Houston CBD store owner says the ban would have forced him to shut down and supports age restrictions and labeling requirements to keep his business open and customers safe.
Officials in Texas are facing questions about whether they did enough to get people out of harm’s way before a flash flood swept down the Guadalupe River and killed at least 120 people, including more than two dozen children and counselors at an all-girls Christian camp.
Devastating flash floods from a storm that pounded central Texas have killed at least 51 people.
As the floodwaters recede from Camp Mystic, a torrent of grief remains for the families of the children who died and those who went missing when flash floods tore through central Texas earlier this week.
Heavy rains have caused devastating flash floods in Texas Hill Country, killing at least 24 people and leaving many others missing.
The contest coincides with the state’s November uniform election, when voters across Texas will already be at the polls to decide local offices and ballot measures.
Although Patrick and hemp industry leaders have quarreled over the risks and benefits of THC, cannabis researchers say it can be addictive but doesn’t usually cause widespread psychosis or brain damage.
The North Texas district opened up last week when Republican Kelly Hancock resigned from the upper chamber to take over as the state’s acting comptroller.
THC will remain on the shelves in smoke shops across Texas after Governor Greg Abbott shot down a bill aimed at banning the element derived from marijuana.
The clash marks a rare break between two of the most powerful Republicans in Texas after a legislative session that ushered in a series of conservative victories.
After Governor Greg Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, which aimed to ban all THC consumables in Texas, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is holding a press conference to address the situation.
Democrats will need to sort through a pileup of potential candidates who see an opportunity to harness backlash to the Trump administration in next year’s midterms.
Lawmakers have approved funding clinical trials for ibogaine as a treatment for addiction and brain trauma. It comes as Texas contemplates banning THC.
It’s an unusual situation for the lieutenant governor, long viewed by GOP activists as a stalwart conservative responsible for driving the Legislature rightward.
Star running back Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens finally has the attention of “The Waterboy.”.
In 2001, Texas Republicans saw expanding college access for certain undocumented students as a way to build an educated workforce. Now, some GOP lawmakers feel only U.S. citizens should receive those benefits.
Texas passed sweeping changes to cannabis policy, including expanding the medical marijuana program and banning hemp products, while also boosting psychedelics research.
At the same time, some Democrats acknowledged the Lubbock Republican let them leave their mark on some of the GOP bills they disagreed with.
Texas lawmakers have approved banning gummies, drinks and vapes infused with THC, the compound that gives marijuana its psychoactive properties.
Abbott faces pressure from both sides of the aisle. The prohibition was a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, but some hemp farmers and veterans want it killed.
The Legislature wrapped up without the same drama that defined the end of the last two sessions, with state GOP leaders checking off nearly everything on their to-do lists.
Senate Bill 3, a controversial measure that would ban all THC products in Texas, has officially passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature. The bill is now on Governor Greg Abbott’s desk, where he will make the final decision on whether it becomes law.
In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk with politics reporter Jasper Scherer about education funding, a THC ban and the success of conservative priorities this year.
The governor has not addressed whether he supports the ban, as hemp industry leaders have urged him to veto Senate Bill 3.
SB 3070, which awaits Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature, would move the lottery game to Texas’ Department of Licensing and Regulation and includes new restrictions on ticket purchases.
A top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the legislation would make it easier to construct homes on smaller lots. A House Democrat briefly killed the bill.
A 2024 war among Republicans tilted the House to the right. Now more closely aligned with the Senate, Speaker Dustin Burrows has accelerated action on bail, school vouchers and social issues.
A bill that would make it illegal to sell THC products could soon head over to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. For a cannabis store employee, lawmakers don't know enough about the industry they're trying to shut down.
The House approved the ban after previously considering proposals to preserve the industry by tightening regulations.
Gov. Greg Abbott and other leaders have called for a major investment to save the state’s water supply. How to spend the money has caused friction at the Capitol.
The deal appears to strike a face-saving compromise for both chambers over how to increase funds for the state’s public schools, with money earmarked for teacher pay and overhead costs.
President Donald Trump's establishment of a White House Faith Office, a Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias and a Religious Liberty Commission has raised cheers from his base of conservative Christian supporters.
Senate Bill 3070 would allow the Texas Lottery’s games to continue under a new department, abolish the agency and create restrictions on ticket purchases.
A key Senate critic threw a lifeline to the Texas Lottery when he proposed moving its oversight to a new agency instead of eliminating it entirely.
The money will help pay for a permanent home for the school on UT-Austin's campus. Conservative donors and lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, helped create the school in 2023.
Paul is the first candidate out of the gate to succeed incumbent Mayes Middleton in an open seat running from Galveston to the outskirts of Houston.
Texas will give participating families about $10,000 to pay for their kids’ private schooling. Other details about the program, set to launch in 2026, are unclear.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has called banning THC products a top priority. The latest draft of the lower chamber’s THC regulation bill would allow retailers to continue selling edibles and drinks.
Some Republicans have bristled at the hefty cost of the bill, and Democrats could reject the funding for it over the school voucher dispute.
The first bill to reach Abbott’s desk this session creates a regulation-cutting state agency under the purview of the governor. It was passed with bipartisan supermajorities.
The lieutenant governor proposes that the Texas Senate adopt the House bill, which would eliminate a negotiation over the two versions and cement the victory for supporters.
Lawmakers are pursuing legislative changes that would keep more people locked up in overcrowded county jails while awaiting resolution to their cases.
Lottery couriers have gained newfound scrutiny in Texas after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick raised questions about the use of a courier to sell an $83.5 million jackpot ticket.
Only Gov. Greg Abbott can call for a special session. But in his role presiding over the Texas Senate, Patrick can block any bill from passing, giving him leverage to compel overtime sessions by killing must-pass legislation.
The Texas legislature is proposing a bill that would make it illegal to possess, share, or create obscene visual material depicting children, even if it’s merely a drawing or an AI-generated image. Could this law unintentionally criminalize art, manga (comics or graphic novels originating from Japan), or even harmless visual content?
Lawmakers, who are preempting locals on lot sizes in new subdivisions, have been eyeing ways to allow more homes to be built as the state faces a shortage.
The winning ticket, purchased online through the courier Jackpocket, is being scrutinized by lawmakers concerned about the legality of third-party services.
A Senate bill filed Friday does not expand abortion access, but aims to give doctors clarity while operating under laws that come with up to life in prison.
Republican lawmakers in Kentucky have added several medical exceptions to the state’s near-total abortion ban.
Texans who fall behind on their property taxes face one of the most punitive systems in the nation, where private collection companies can tack up to 20% onto their bill.
A Montgomery County man has been arrested again for allegedly using artificial intelligence to depict a teenage girl as naked.
All 20 GOP senators signed on to Senate Bill 16, which would apply to currently registered voters, and restrict some to only congressional elections.
From requiring law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal officials to forcing state contractors to use E-Verify, here’s how immigration bills fared in this year’s legislative session.
House Bill 239, which echoes a bathroom bill that failed in 2017, includes new provisions for shelters and prisons.
A new bill making its way through the Texas Senate could ban all forms of THC in consumable hemp products—including delta-8, which has become a popular alternative to marijuana.
House and Senate lawmakers plan to spend at least $6 billion on property tax cuts, but haven't yet agreed on how much relief should go to homeowners over businesses.
Several of Texas’ top Republicans are defending Gov. Greg Abbott’s pick to head the state’s water agency following pointed questions from a GOP lawmaker over the agency’s diversity hiring policies.
The topic was a budget request from a state agency. The exchange grew emotional when a lawmaker pressed for answers about a strategic plan that praises diversity.
At a public event last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said higher ed would get less funding if they don’t “kick DEI out of their schools,” a few weeks after lawmakers proposed a massive cut to public universities.
AG Ken Paxton’s office joins two other investigations by state officials into the commission as one service suspends operations due to the agency’s ban.
Two of the biggest lottery jackpots in Texas history are under investigation over claims that the winners may have benefitted from more than good luck.
Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock embraced constitutional originalism, a judicial philosophy tied to conservatism, in addressing the Legislature.
The policy shift was announced before state senators, skeptical of the move, grilled officials with the department and courier services in a hearing on SB 28.
The bill would ban diversity, equity and inclusion policies related to hiring and programming, while creating ways for parents to complain about violations to the DEI ban.
While the Lottery Commission says it can’t regulate sales to couriers, lawmakers want changes after two major jackpots were won using those services.
Supporters of voucher-like education savings accounts are trying to press their advantage early and build a sense of inevitability.
The package was fast-tracked after Gov. Greg Abbott declared “bail reform” an emergency item. The bills now head to the House for consideration.
The package of bills would tighten the state's bail laws to keep more people in jail — including undocumented immigrants — while their criminal cases are pending.
