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Bill overhauling disaster emergency response misses final approval in Texas Senate
Read full article: Bill overhauling disaster emergency response misses final approval in Texas SenateBoth legislative chambers adjourned without agreeing on changes to Senate Bill 2, which aimed to create new training and licensing requirements for local officials.
Texas Legislature ends second special session marked by new political maps, slew of conservative wins
Read full article: Texas Legislature ends second special session marked by new political maps, slew of conservative winsBetween cracking down on abortion pills and restricting transgender restroom use, lawmakers also tackled flood safety and the STAAR test. Left untouched: Texas’ hemp industry.
First hearing held on detainees' legal rights at 'Alligator Alcatraz' after judge orders wind down
Read full article: First hearing held on detainees' legal rights at 'Alligator Alcatraz' after judge orders wind downAttorneys are fighting for the legal rights of detainees at an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades.
The president blamed AI and embraced doing so. Is it becoming the new 'fake news'?
Read full article: The president blamed AI and embraced doing so. Is it becoming the new 'fake news'?Politicians are increasingly blaming artificial intelligence to dodge accountability for embarrassing situations.
Texas kids’ camps must remove cabins from floodplains, operate warning systems under new laws
Read full article: Texas kids’ camps must remove cabins from floodplains, operate warning systems under new lawsThe parents of children who died at Camp Mystic advocated for the new legislation, which now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature.
Texas is poised to replace STAAR. Here is what schools’ new standardized tests would look like.
Read full article: Texas is poised to replace STAAR. Here is what schools’ new standardized tests would look like.A bill scrapping the state’s standardized test heads over to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. It would replace STAAR with three shorter tests at the beginning, middle and end of the year.
DC National Guard troops have orders extended through December, official says
Read full article: DC National Guard troops have orders extended through December, official saysDistrict of Columbia National Guard troops who are deployed as part of President Donald Trump’s federal law enforcement intervention in the nation’s capital have had their orders extended through December.
Justice Department requests access to Dominion voting equipment used in Missouri in 2020
Read full article: Justice Department requests access to Dominion voting equipment used in Missouri in 2020The U.S. Department of Justice has requested access to voting equipment used in the 2020 election in two Missouri counties in what appears to be a wide-ranging effort to more closely monitor election processes around the country.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams insists he isn't ending his reelection campaign
Read full article: NYC Mayor Eric Adams insists he isn't ending his reelection campaignNew York City Mayor Eric Adams is insisting that he isn’t dropping his reelection campaign after reports he had been approached about potentially taking a job with the federal government.
Trump extends his reach into Congress in ways large and small
Read full article: Trump extends his reach into Congress in ways large and smallAs Congress returns for a busy fall stretch, President Donald Trump is reaching into the affairs of the legislative branch, chiseling away at the separation of powers.
Republicans are preparing to change Senate rules to speed Trump's nominees
Read full article: Republicans are preparing to change Senate rules to speed Trump's nomineesRepublican senators say they are prepared to change the chamber’s rules to get around the Democratic blockade of President Donald Trump’s nominees, discussing a proposal to make it easier to confirm multiple nominees at once.
Democratic senator says classified meeting with intel agency is canceled after Loomer's criticism
Read full article: Democratic senator says classified meeting with intel agency is canceled after Loomer's criticismThe top ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee says a classified meeting planned with a key U.S. spy agency was called off after it was criticized by Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist.
Texas student groups sue to block state law that limits campus protests
Read full article: Texas student groups sue to block state law that limits campus protestsThe law, largely in response to pro-Palestinian protests last year, bans "expressive activity" on campuses from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. The lawsuit says it is overly broad and will affect protected speech.
Most Texas THC products remain legal after GOP leaders fail to break legislative impasse
Read full article: Most Texas THC products remain legal after GOP leaders fail to break legislative impasseLegislators couldn’t reach a last-minute deal to tighten regulations on consumable hemp products.
Trump plans to ask Supreme Court to toss E. Jean Carroll’s $5 million abuse and defamation verdict
Read full article: Trump plans to ask Supreme Court to toss E. Jean Carroll’s $5 million abuse and defamation verdictPresident Donald Trump will soon ask the Supreme Court to throw out a jury’s finding in a civil lawsuit that found that he sexually abused writer E.
Texas lawmakers at odds over ending massive water exports from East Texas
Read full article: Texas lawmakers at odds over ending massive water exports from East TexasState. Rep. Cody Harris won’t accept Senate changes allowing exports to continue while the state studies its underground water supply.
Epstein survivors implore Congress to act as push for disclosure builds
Read full article: Epstein survivors implore Congress to act as push for disclosure buildsSurvivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse have gathered on Capitol Hill to demand the release of the sex trafficking investigation into the late financier.
Florida plans to become first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates
Read full article: Florida plans to become first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandatesFlorida plans to become the first state to eliminate vaccine mandates that have been a cornerstone of public health policy for decades in keeping schoolchildren and citizens safe from infectious diseases.
US media quickly forced to revisit a thorny question: How should a president's health be covered?
Read full article: US media quickly forced to revisit a thorny question: How should a president's health be covered?At President Donald Trump's news conference, Fox News' Peter Doocy asked something that surely baffled those who avoided social media over Labor Day: “How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead?”.
Rep. Alma Allen, longtime Houston Democratic lawmaker, to retire from Texas House
Read full article: Rep. Alma Allen, longtime Houston Democratic lawmaker, to retire from Texas HouseAllen, known for her focus on public education issues, announced her retirement after 20 years in the House. She endorsed her son, Lawrence Allen Jr., to succeed her.
House committee releases some Justice Department files in Epstein case, but most already public
Read full article: House committee releases some Justice Department files in Epstein case, but most already publicThe House Oversight Committee has publicly posted the files it has received from the Justice Department on the sex trafficking investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Texas lawmakers scuttle new measure allowing late voter registration changes
Read full article: Texas lawmakers scuttle new measure allowing late voter registration changesThe bill walks back a measure lawmakers passed earlier this year allowing voters to update their address at the polls and immediately vote in their new precinct and district if their move was within the county.
Texas Legislature approves stiff penalties, fundraising limits for lawmakers who leave state to block bills
Read full article: Texas Legislature approves stiff penalties, fundraising limits for lawmakers who leave state to block billsHouse members who freeze future legislation by fleeing Texas will face steeper fines, loss of seniority and committee posts, and limits on political fundraising.
Trump says video showing items thrown from White House is AI after his team indicates it's real
Read full article: Trump says video showing items thrown from White House is AI after his team indicates it's realPresident Donald Trump claims a video showing items being tossed from a White House window is fake and created with AI, though his press team earlier seemed to confirm the video's authenticity.
Trump addresses health rumors after days without public events
Read full article: Trump addresses health rumors after days without public eventsPresident Donald Trump is dismissing rumors about his health after speculation on social media because of a lack of public events over the last week.
Judge orders search shakeup in Google monopoly case, but keeps hands off Chrome and default deals
Read full article: Judge orders search shakeup in Google monopoly case, but keeps hands off Chrome and default dealsA federal judge on Tuesday ordered a shake-up of Google’s search engine in an attempt to curb the corrosive power of an illegal monopoly while rebuffing the U.S. government’s attempt to break up the company and impose other restraints.
Texas AG Ken Paxton encourages students to recite Lord’s Prayer in latest test of church-state separation
Read full article: Texas AG Ken Paxton encourages students to recite Lord’s Prayer in latest test of church-state separationThe endorsement comes as Texas elected officials push for more Christianity in public life and as Paxton’s office fights a legal challenge to religion in education.
Former Texas Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, author of 2013 abortion restrictions, dies
Read full article: Former Texas Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, author of 2013 abortion restrictions, diesRep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, announced her passing Monday, calling her “one of the first and most effective fighters” for the anti-abortion movement.
Trump says he's set to order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore, despite local opposition
Read full article: Trump says he's set to order federal intervention in Chicago and Baltimore, despite local oppositionPresident Donald Trump says he will direct federal law enforcement intervention to combat crime in Chicago and Baltimore, despite staunch opposition from state and local officials in both cities.
Pentagon authorizes up to 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judges
Read full article: Pentagon authorizes up to 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judgesDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved sending up to 600 military lawyers to the Justice Department to serve as temporary immigration judges, according to a memo reviewed by The Associated Press.
The defunded Corporation for Public Broadcasting will get one of TV's biggest prizes
Read full article: The defunded Corporation for Public Broadcasting will get one of TV's biggest prizesThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting is being honored with the Television Academy’s Governors Award even as it winds down after nearly 60 years.
The Latest: Trump announces Space Command is moving from Colorado to Alabama
Read full article: The Latest: Trump announces Space Command is moving from Colorado to AlabamaPresident Donald Trump announced that U.S. Space Command will be relocated from Colorado to Alabama, reversing a Biden-era decision to keep it at its temporary home.
Red beret-wearing Republican Curtis Sliwa likes his chances in a crowded NYC mayor's race
Read full article: Red beret-wearing Republican Curtis Sliwa likes his chances in a crowded NYC mayor's raceCurtis Sliwa is the bombastic creator of New York City’s Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol group who lost his last election battle with Mayor Eric Adams by almost 40 percentage points.
In rapidly diversifying Tarrant County, a summer of GOP redistricting hits Black and Latino representation
Read full article: In rapidly diversifying Tarrant County, a summer of GOP redistricting hits Black and Latino representationDespite explosive growth turning Tarrant into a racially diverse swing county, two new political maps will leave it with whiter, more Republican representation.
Hoping to curb roadside deaths, TxDOT is helping stranded drivers in West Texas
Read full article: Hoping to curb roadside deaths, TxDOT is helping stranded drivers in West TexasThe one-year experiment in Midland and Ector counties is based on similar efforts in larger cities. A nonprofit backed by oil companies and Midland County are helping pay for it.
Some Texas counties replace touchscreen voting machines after Trump order
Read full article: Some Texas counties replace touchscreen voting machines after Trump orderCollin, Bastrop and Williamson counties say they’re proactively changing their voting procedures and equipment following a federal attempt to limit barcodes or QR codes on paper ballots.
Final preparations for the trial of the man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump in Florida
Read full article: Final preparations for the trial of the man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump in FloridaA man charged with trying to assassinate President Donald Trump last year in South Florida has been given clear instructions on how he should behave while representing himself during a trial that begins next week.
New York Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler says he won't run for reelection in 2026
Read full article: New York Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler says he won't run for reelection in 2026Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York says he will not run for reelection next year, according to an interview published Monday night by The New York Times.
Trump says he's awarding former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Read full article: Trump says he's awarding former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani the Presidential Medal of FreedomPresident Donald Trump says he’s awarding former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom, announcing the honor two days after his longtime political ally was badly injured in a traffic accident.
State Sen. Brandon Creighton expected to be sole finalist for Texas Tech chancellor
Read full article: State Sen. Brandon Creighton expected to be sole finalist for Texas Tech chancellorThe Conroe Republican has authored some of Texas' major higher education legislation in recent years, including a DEI ban and a law expanding political appointees’ power in universities.
PBS, NPR stations working to cope with — and survive — government funding cuts
Read full article: PBS, NPR stations working to cope with — and survive — government funding cutsA month after Congress voted to strip public media of public money, PBS and NPR stations are working to cope — and survive.
DHS Secretary Noem confirms more ICE resources are heading to Chicago for immigration crackdown
Read full article: DHS Secretary Noem confirms more ICE resources are heading to Chicago for immigration crackdownDepartment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the Trump administration will soon expand immigration operations in Chicago.
As Guatemalan kids sit in planes on tarmac, judge orders they stay in the US, for now
Read full article: As Guatemalan kids sit in planes on tarmac, judge orders they stay in the US, for nowA U.S. judge has blocked the government from deporting Guatemalan children who had crossed the border without their families.
Kemp endorses Derek Dooley for Georgia Senate seat and says an outsider can beat Democrat Jon Ossoff
Read full article: Kemp endorses Derek Dooley for Georgia Senate seat and says an outsider can beat Democrat Jon OssoffGeorgia Gov. Brian Kemp has endorsed Derek Dooley for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat in 2026.
Big money and names power the campaign to influence California voters over a new congressional map
Read full article: Big money and names power the campaign to influence California voters over a new congressional mapCalifornia voters will decide in November whether to OK a new congressional map that would benefit Democrats.
Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, Vietnam War hero convicted of accepting bribes as a congressman, dies at 83
Read full article: Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, Vietnam War hero convicted of accepting bribes as a congressman, dies at 83Randy “Duke” Cunningham, whose feats as a U.S. Navy flying ace during the Vietnam War catapulted him to a U.
What happens to Trump’s tariffs now that a federal appeals court has knocked them down?
Read full article: What happens to Trump’s tariffs now that a federal appeals court has knocked them down?President Donald Trump has audaciously claimed virtually unlimited power to bypass Congress and impose sweeping taxes on foreign products.
Correction: Social Security-Whistleblower story
Read full article: Correction: Social Security-Whistleblower storyIn a story published Aug. 29, 2025, about Social Security whistleblower Charles Borges, who had resigned after filing a complaint that alleged Department of Government Efficiency officials mishandled Americans’ sensitive information, The Associated Press erroneously reported that he was being represented in the case by The Project Government Accountability Office.
Trump administration plans to remove nearly 700 unaccompanied migrant children, senator says
Read full article: Trump administration plans to remove nearly 700 unaccompanied migrant children, senator saysThe Trump administration plans to remove nearly 700 Guatemalan children who crossed into the U.S. without their parents.
Judges, defense lawyers and grand jurors poke holes in cases from Trump's DC federal intervention
Read full article: Judges, defense lawyers and grand jurors poke holes in cases from Trump's DC federal interventionA grand jury refused to indict a man who was captured on video hurling a sandwich at a federal agent.
THC ban stalls out down the homestretch of Texas special legislative session
Read full article: THC ban stalls out down the homestretch of Texas special legislative sessionHigh priority bills that propose banning THC have not moved through the Texas House, as the current overtime session could conclude in the coming days.
Trump administration tells states to remove references to 'gender ideology' from sex ed materials
Read full article: Trump administration tells states to remove references to 'gender ideology' from sex ed materialsPresident Donald Trump's administration has told 40 states to remove references to what it calls “gender ideology” from federally funded sex education materials.
South Carolina GOP governor hopefuls clamor to show Trump ties, as Evette launches race's first ad
Read full article: South Carolina GOP governor hopefuls clamor to show Trump ties, as Evette launches race's first adSouth Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette is highlighting her connection to President Donald Trump in her first campaign ad for the state's gubernatorial race.
Gov. Greg Abbott signs new Texas congressional map designed to give GOP five more seats
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott signs new Texas congressional map designed to give GOP five more seatsThe governor was expected to sign off on the new district lines, which passed the Legislature last week and aim to flip five Democratic seats in the 2026 midterms.
Sen. Ernst of Iowa is expected to announce next month that she won't run for reelection in 2026
Read full article: Sen. Ernst of Iowa is expected to announce next month that she won't run for reelection in 2026U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is expected to announce next month she won't seek reelection, leaving another vacancy in an Iowa seat that could have ripple effects down the ballot as Democrats look to the state for pickup opportunities.
ACLU, other groups sue to block Texas' DEI ban on K-12 public schools
Read full article: ACLU, other groups sue to block Texas' DEI ban on K-12 public schoolsThe suit alleges the new state law unconstitutionally silences the viewpoints of students and teachers. The law’s supporters say DEI programs use public funds to promote political agendas.
Correction: Wisconsin Supreme Court story
Read full article: Correction: Wisconsin Supreme Court storyIn a story published Aug. 29, 2025, about Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley announcing she will not seek reelection, The Associated Press erroneously reported that Bradley voted with the majority in upholding Act 10, a law that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most state workers.
New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is working to woo Black voters away from Adams and Cuomo
Read full article: New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is working to woo Black voters away from Adams and CuomoNew York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is out courting Black voters, trying to do better with them in the general election than he did in the primary.
The Latest: Trump blocks $4.9 billion in foreign aid approved by Congress
Read full article: The Latest: Trump blocks $4.9 billion in foreign aid approved by CongressIn a letter sent to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, President Donald Trump said he wouldn't be spending $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid — effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch.
A rigorous accreditation program inspired Texas’ camp reforms. Here’s what that process looks like.
Read full article: A rigorous accreditation program inspired Texas’ camp reforms. Here’s what that process looks like.More than 75 Texas camps have met dozens of safety standards to become accredited by the American Camp Association, which can be a lengthy and costly process.
Spared from dissolution, Texas Lottery gets a second chance under new management
Read full article: Spared from dissolution, Texas Lottery gets a second chance under new managementAfter months of controversy, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation must tackle poor sales and legislative scrutiny as it takes over the games on Sept. 1.
“Bathroom bill” aimed at trans people awaits governor’s signature after decade of failed attempts
Read full article: “Bathroom bill” aimed at trans people awaits governor’s signature after decade of failed attemptsSenate Bill 8 restricts bathroom use in government buildings and schools to sex assigned at birth.
Regents name sole finalist for Texas A&M International University president
Read full article: Regents name sole finalist for Texas A&M International University presidentChristopher Maynard is slated to be the next leader of the Laredo university. Regents on Thursday also approved construction projects and new limits on faculty senates.
Trump proposed getting rid of FEMA, but his review council seems focused on reforming the agency
Read full article: Trump proposed getting rid of FEMA, but his review council seems focused on reforming the agencyPresident Donald Trump has floated the idea of “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which manages federal disaster response.
DC Man seen throwing sandwich at agent charged with misdemeanor after grand jury declines indictment
Read full article: DC Man seen throwing sandwich at agent charged with misdemeanor after grand jury declines indictmentA man captured on camera hurling a sandwich at a federal agent in Washington has been charged with a misdemeanor after prosecutors failed to convince a grand jury to return a more serious felony indictment, according to court papers filed Thursday.
Fed governor Cook seeks court order blocking her firing by Trump
Read full article: Fed governor Cook seeks court order blocking her firing by TrumpA case that could provide the Trump administration with new and expansive power over the traditionally independent Federal Reserve got its first court hearing Friday.
Alabama town's first Black mayor _ who had been locked out of office _ wins election
Read full article: Alabama town's first Black mayor _ who had been locked out of office _ wins electionThe first Black mayor of an Alabama town has won election by a landslide, four years after he ran unopposed and white residents locked him out of the town hall.
Judge throws out campaign finance lawsuit between Republican rivals in Georgia governor's race
Read full article: Judge throws out campaign finance lawsuit between Republican rivals in Georgia governor's raceA federal judge has thrown out Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's campaign finance lawsuit against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.
As Republicans make gains in the Rio Grande Valley, Democrats are fighting among themselves
Read full article: As Republicans make gains in the Rio Grande Valley, Democrats are fighting among themselvesA faction of Hidalgo County Democrats has raised concerns over how the party is spending money and blocking the group from doing business for several months.
Trump fires Democratic member of Surface Transportation Board ahead of huge rail merger decision
Read full article: Trump fires Democratic member of Surface Transportation Board ahead of huge rail merger decisionPresident Donald Trump has fired one of two Democratic members of the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to break a 2-2 tie ahead of the board considering the largest railroad merger ever proposed.
Texas Rep. John Lujan files to run in redrawn 35th Congressional District
Read full article: Texas Rep. John Lujan files to run in redrawn 35th Congressional DistrictLujan, a Republican, represents a state House district that covers southern and eastern portions of San Antonio, overlapping with the new congressional seat.
Fed official sues Trump over attempt to fire her, challenging his power over the independent agency
Read full article: Fed official sues Trump over attempt to fire her, challenging his power over the independent agencyFederal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook is suing the Trump administration in an effort to overturn the president’s attempt to fire her, launching an unprecedented legal battle that could significantly reshape the Fed’s longstanding political independence.
Gun used in Emmett Till's lynching is displayed in a museum 70 years after his murder
Read full article: Gun used in Emmett Till's lynching is displayed in a museum 70 years after his murderThe gun used in the lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till is now on display for the public to see, 70 years after the killing.
1 in 4 Texas school districts sign up for new Bible-infused curriculum
Read full article: 1 in 4 Texas school districts sign up for new Bible-infused curriculumThe numbers may grow as the state collects more data. Some districts adopted the plan not for its religious emphasis but for more funding and to better align with teaching requirements.
A Texas congressman is quietly helping Elon Musk pitch building $760M tunnels under Houston to ease flooding
Read full article: A Texas congressman is quietly helping Elon Musk pitch building $760M tunnels under Houston to ease floodingExperts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels to divert floodwaters. Musk’s company wants a piece of the project.
More than 800 new laws went into effect in Texas on Sept. 1. Here are some of the significant ones.
Read full article: More than 800 new laws went into effect in Texas on Sept. 1. Here are some of the significant ones.New laws range from school vouchers and water infrastructure funding to a ban on city and county-funded abortion travel funds.
Al Sharpton leads pro-DEI 'March on Wall Street' on anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington
Read full article: Al Sharpton leads pro-DEI 'March on Wall Street' on anniversary of the 1963 March on WashingtonThe Rev. Al Sharpton has led a protest through Manhattan's Financial District to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Harris County constables, sheriffs could contract with HOAs without commissioners’ OK under bill heading to Abbott
Read full article: Harris County constables, sheriffs could contract with HOAs without commissioners’ OK under bill heading to AbbottHouse Bill 26 advanced out of the Texas Legislature on Wednesday evening, two days after being added to the second special session’s agenda.
Guard not needed in Chicago, Pritzker tells AP during tour of city to counter Trump’s crime claims
Read full article: Guard not needed in Chicago, Pritzker tells AP during tour of city to counter Trump’s crime claimsIllinois Gov. JB Pritzker is doubling down on his message to President Donald Trump that the nation’s third-largest city doesn’t need or want military intervention to fight crime.