Texas Tribune Brief

State of Texas should tell parents their rights when it investigates child abuse claims, lawmaker proposes

Uvalde’s state lawmakers face an uphill battle raising the age limit for semi-automatic guns. They’re trying anyway.

Many relatives of Uvalde victims back bills that state Rep. Tracy King and Sen. Roland Gutierrez are pushing in the Legislature. But limits on gun access don’t fare well at the Capitol.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority bills signal another swing at pushing Texas to the right

Gov. Greg Abbott says he supports legislation banning transgender athletes from competing in college sports

In 2021, Texas passed a law barring transgender student athletes from playing on K-12 school sports teams that align with their gender identity.

Federal appeals court ruling says alleged domestic abusers have a constitutional right to keep their guns

Advocates for domestic violence victims were stunned by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that continued a string of court decisions citing the Second Amendment to push back against gun restrictions.

Gov. Greg Abbott tells state agencies to stop considering diversity in hiring

In a memo written Monday and obtained by The Texas Tribune, Abbott’s chief of staff Gardner Pate told agency leaders that using diversity, equity and inclusion policies in hiring violates federal and state employment laws, and hiring cannot be based on factors “other than merit.”

After bungled Uvalde massacre response, Texas senator wants better mass shooting training for public safety entities

State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, wants to prevent communication breakdowns that occurred in the botched response to the Uvalde school shooting in May.

Austin city manager’s job could be on the line after winter storm response

Austin City Council members will evaluate Spencer Cronk’s employment during their Thursday meeting. Cronk was hired in 2017.

Gov. Greg Abbott issues disaster declaration for Texas ice storm

Abbott declared disaster in seven Texas counties hard hit by this week’s winter storm. Austin has been the epicenter of a power crisis as tens of thousands wait for electricity to be restored.

Austin doesn’t know when it’ll fully restore power as hundreds of thousands of Texans remain in the cold

More than 400,000 electricity customers statewide lacked power Thursday. Austin’s main power provider said it can no longer promise full restoration by 6 p.m. Friday.

Hundreds of thousands of Texans without heat, with no clear timeline for getting power back

Austin’s main power provider warned that outages could last through Thursday. More than 300,000 customers in Texas did not have power Wednesday because of localized outages, but the state’s main power grid remained stable.

Texans should avoid travel in regions hit with icy weather; state’s power grid expected to meet demand

School closures and hazardous road conditions are expected throughout a large portion of Texas, according to forecasts. State officials caution Texans about local power outages but expect the grid to stay up.

The National Weather Service has forecast freezing rain, sleet or ice on roads in much of Texas from Monday through Wednesday morning.

Power outages are a possibility during any severe weather event. But a local power outage is different from a larger power grid problem.

Federal judge again threatens contempt-of-court fines for Texas’ slow progress on foster care reforms

The judge warned the state could be held in contempt of court for not following through with three mandates: failing to inform youths of their rights, not adequately responding to abuse allegations and still having too many children without placement.

Gov. Greg Abbott says he won’t give up COVID-era power until Texas lawmakers ban vaccine mandates, strengthen border

Abbott doubles down on his long-standing call to lawmakers to prohibit local governments from enacting mask and vaccine mandates.

Heat-related deaths in Texas reached a two-decade high in 2022 amid extreme temperatures

A Texas Tribune analysis of state data found that at least 214 people in Texas were killed by heat last year, and a large portion of those deaths were likely migrants found after crossing the border.

After fumbled Uvalde shooting response, Texas senator wants to make it easier to sue law enforcement officers

State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a San Antonio Democrat, introduced a package of legislation that includes a bill that would end qualified immunity, which shields government officials from liability for constitutional violations.

In a border graveyard, volunteers exhume migrants’ bodies and search for their families

In Maverick County, nearly 30 bodies pulled from the Rio Grande were buried without attempts to identify them. Teams of Texas State University students are trying to learn their names so their families can be notified.

Jobless rate in Texas drops below 4% for first time since pandemic shutdowns

The state has set a record for the number of employed people for 14 consecutive months, according to new data from the Texas Workforce Commission.

After alleged sexual assault of two children in state care, another foster facility closes

Two girls in the care of Child Protective Services were allegedly sexually assaulted in October after sneaking out of a facility run by the state agency. Advocates say it’s a symptom of the Texas foster care systems’ problems.

Texas Legislature’s state budget proposals leave more than $50 billion in state funds up for grabs

The preliminary budgets by House and Senate call for $130.1 billion in state spending over two years, even though tens of billions more are available to them. The bills do not bust state or constitutional spending limits.

UT-Austin blocks access to TikTok on campus Wi-Fi networks

Students and faculty will not be able to access the popular social media app while connected to university internet servers. It’s the latest step to limit access to the service after Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to ban the app on government-issued devices citing cybersecurity risks.

Supreme Court of Texas clears way for state’s education agency to take over Houston ISD

The decision from the state’s highest court would allow the TEA to move forward with its plan to replace Houston ISD’s school board members over low academic scores.

Ken Paxton wants more power to prosecute election crimes. These bills in the Texas Legislature would give it to him.

Although no evidence of widespread voter fraud has been found, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been actively pursuing election-related crimes since he took office in 2015.

Farmers face a higher risk of suicide. The Texas Agriculture Department wants $500,000 a year to change that.

The department’s helpline is less than a year old. But advocates hope state lawmakers fully fund it as farmers and ranchers continue to face hard economic times and isolation.

House selects Rep. Dade Phelan as speaker for another Texas legislative session

Phelan defeated Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, for the House leadership position in a vote, 145-3. In cruising to victory, Phelan secured the support of Democrats as well as the most conservative members of his party.

The Texas legislative session begins today. Here’s 6 things we’re watching.

Lawmakers begin work Tuesday for their biennial legislative session. They’ll debate over the state budget, school funding, border security and property taxes, among other issues.

Joe Biden tours El Paso for first border visit of his presidency

President Joe Biden was greeted by Gov. Greg Abbott upon arrival at the El Paso airport. Abbott has been a chief critic of Biden’s immigration policies and has frequently called on him to visit the border over the past year as the number of migrant arrests has broken records.

Ahead of El Paso visit, Biden says U.S. will allow 30,000 migrants from four countries to enter monthly

Migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela will be allowed entry and given work permits. The administration will also expand the use of Title 42 to expel more migrants to Mexico.

Family planning clinics in Texas require parental consent for birth control following court ruling

The Title X program has long provided free, confidential contraception to anyone, regardless of age, income or immigration status. A North Texas federal judge ruled in December that the program violates Texas law and parents’ rights.

Texas is facing its worst drought since 2011. Here’s what you need to know.

The drought will likely continue into the fall and winter.

“Where’s this money going?” Millions donated after Uvalde shooting still haven’t reached victims and families

The largest fund for those affected by the May 24 massacre is still months away from distributing most of the $16 million it has raised. Some families are turning to smaller donations to get by.

After the Robb Elementary shooting, some Uvalde parents are choosing private or online education

Following a state report showing that almost 400 law enforcement officers showed up at the school on May 24, some Uvalde parents are doubtful over whether their kids will be safe in the district.

Beto O’Rourke swears at Greg Abbott supporter who heckled him over Uvalde shooting

O’Rourke confronted a heckler at a campaign event Wednesday who laughed while he was talking about the Uvalde school shooting, telling the person, “It may be funny to you, m*****f*****, but it is not funny to me.”

Phone bills are about to go up for some in Texas. Here’s why.

The rate increase will help replenish a state fund to maintain and operate cellphone networks in rural Texas. A court determined the state’s Public Utility Commission needed to restore $200 million in overdue money to the fund.

FBI search of Trump home was likely vetted carefully, despite Texas Republicans claims of a witch hunt

Federal authorities would have needed to meet an extraordinarily high threshold for probable cause to sign off on such a high-profile, politically explosive operation, legal experts say.

Soldiers are more likely to be held before trial for drug charges than for sexual assault, an analysis of court data shows.

A first-of-its-kind analysis reveals that soldiers in the Army are more likely to be locked up ahead of trial for drug offenses than for sexual assault under a system that gives commanders control.

ACLU calls on feds to investigate Abbott’s border policy transporting migrants back to border

In July, Abbott authorized state law enforcement to transport migrants to ports of entry. It’s unclear how and why migrants are being detained, raising civil rights concerns and questions about whether the state is overstepping its authority.

Abortion is considered basic health care in Mexico City. Its clinics are open to U.S. women.

Private clinics offer abortions at a fraction of the cost in the United States. City public health clinics may be more difficult to navigate but offer abortions free of charge, including for noncitizens.

The EPA has identified 23 U.S. facilities that are emitting toxic air pollution that puts people at risk

One of them is in Laredo, which has elevated rates of cancer, according to a recent state analysis. The findings come after reporting by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.

With rural Texas watching, Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke dig in on school vouchers fight

O’Rourke is hammering Abbott over vouchers on the campaign trail in rural Texas, where Democrats know they need to do better and where vouchers are a political hot potato for Republicans.

Author of “critical race theory” ban says Texas schools can still teach about racism

State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, said his intention was never to gloss over American history or have negative effects on teachers and administrators. His comments to the State Board of Education come as members consider new social studies curriculum.

Almost 600 Texas youth are trapped in a juvenile prison system on the brink of collapse

The agency is so understaffed that teens have reported spending up to 23 hours locked in their cells, using water bottles to go to the bathroom. A staggering number have hurt themselves or been placed on suicide watch.

Bucking other Texas Democrats, Cuellar and Gonzalez vote against U.S. House bill that would ban semi-automatic weapons

Texas troopers are causing car chase fatalities and racially profiling drivers under Abbott’s border crackdown, complaint claims

Two civil rights groups have expanded their request for a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into Operation Lone Star, citing evidence of risky pursuits and more frequent traffic stops of Hispanic drivers.

Ted Cruz says Texas should repeal its now-defunct law banning gay sex

The law was made unenforceable by the Supreme Court in 2003, but Justice Clarence Thomas recently suggested that the court should reconsider it.

New Texas law increasing penalties for abortion providers goes into effect Aug. 25

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its judgment Tuesday in the Mississippi case that revoked a constitutional right to abortion. That means Texas’ “trigger law” severely limiting the procedure will soon take effect.

Ken Paxton bans staff lawyers from speaking at state bar events, escalating feud sparked by 2020 election

The bar, which licenses lawyers and offers training sessions, is suing Paxton in an attempt to sanction him for trying to block the certification of Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump.

Lawyers preparing for abortion prosecutions warn about health care, data privacy

While people consider deleting period tracking apps and worry about interstate travel restrictions, most pregnancy-related criminalizations start in a much simpler way: with a report from a health care provider.

Offshore wind farm proposed for Gulf of Mexico near Galveston could power 2.3 million homes

Two proposed wind farms off the Texas and Louisiana coasts would join offshore oil drilling rigs in the gulf as the Biden administration tries to boost the country’s clean energy supply.