INSIDER
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 Abbott’s desire to pause increases could create tight financial conditions.
Texas hospitals are now required to ask for patients’ citizenship. Here’s what you should know.
Read full article: Texas hospitals are now required to ask for patients’ citizenship. Here’s 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.
Texas Board advances Bible curriculum in close vote, final decision pending Friday
Read full article: Texas Board advances Bible curriculum in close vote, final decision pending FridayThe curriculum — designed by the state’s public education agency — would allow teachings from the Bible such as the Golden Rule and lessons from books such as Genesis into classrooms. Under the plan, it would be optional for schools to adopt the curriculum though they would receive additional funding if they did so.
Texas Supreme Court weighs in on argument over death row inmate’s delayed execution date
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court weighs in on argument over death row inmate’s delayed execution dateAs a legal chess match continues over a death row inmate’s life, the Texas Supreme Court has weighed in, saying a legislative committee that delayed Robert Roberson’s execution date did not have the power to stop a scheduled sentence.
Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes office
Read full article: Texas’ 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 state’ 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 governor’s directive extends a tuition freeze for Texas’ public universities that was approved in the last legislative session.
Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Roberson’s execution
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Roberson’s executionThe state’s highest civil court ruled that legislators can’t use subpoenas to block death row inmates’ executions, but suggested there’s still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel.
Lawmakers fire back at accusations they overstepped authority in death row case
Read full article: Lawmakers fire back at accusations they overstepped authority in death row caseThis is the latest salvo in a legal battle between committee members and the Texas Attorney General and Governor’s offices.
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 can’t use a two-century-old “anti-pauper” law to block the state of Texas from offering migrants free bus rides to the city.
What put a Texas death row inmate’s case back in the spotlight?
Read full article: What put a Texas death row inmate’s case back in the spotlight?Robert Roberson was set to be the first person in the U.S. to be executed on a “shaken baby syndrome” diagnosis after getting convicted for killing his 2-year-old daughter. He maintained his innocence and in October 2024, his sentence was put on a temporary pause.
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.
Will Robert Roberson have a chance to testify? Death row inmate’s next moves lie with Texas Supreme Court
Read full article: Will Robert Roberson have a chance to testify? Death row inmate’s next moves lie with Texas Supreme CourtRobert Roberson may have had his execution date postponed, but time is running out for whether he will get to testify.
“Uncharted territory”: Trump’s anti-immigration plans could take center stage in Texas
Read full article: “Uncharted territory”: Trump’s 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 policy’s 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.
Texas lawmakers, most Texans celebrating Trump’s projected victory as 47th US President
Read full article: Texas lawmakers, most Texans celebrating Trump’s projected victory as 47th US PresidentTexans celebrated Donald Trump's victory as the 47th U.S. President with prominent political figures such as Governor Greg Abbott, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton expressing their support.
‘We will not be bullied:’ Texas AG touts victory after DOJ claims federal monitors will stay outside polling locations
Read full article: ‘We will not be bullied:’ Texas AG touts victory after DOJ claims federal monitors will stay outside polling locations“Texans run Texas elections, and we will not be bullied by the Department of Justice,” AG Ken Paxton said.
‘Further demonize immigrants’: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo response to Gov. Abbott’s executive order for hospitals
Read full article: ‘Further demonize immigrants’: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo response to Gov. Abbott’s executive order for hospitalsHarris County Judge Lina Hidalgo scolds Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order that mandates all state hospitals to ask patients whether they are in the U.S. legally and track the cost of treating people without legal status.
There are warring depictions of Robert Roberson’s murder case. Here’s what to know.
Read full article: There are warring depictions of Robert Roberson’s murder case. Here’s what to know.Even before the Texas man’s 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 Roberson’s case
Read full article: Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Roberson’s caseAfter the attorney general insisted on the death row inmate’s guilt in a graphic press release, four lawmakers issued a point-by-point rebuttal.
Robert Roberson’s defense team drops 27-page rebuttal after Texas AG releases autopsy report, statement
Read full article: Robert Roberson’s defense team drops 27-page rebuttal after Texas AG releases autopsy report, statementThe rebuttal focuses on what the defense team calls 12 misrepresentations by Paxton in Roberson’s case.
Robert Roberson’s case spotlights Texas’ GOP divide on criminal justice
Read full article: Robert Roberson’s case spotlights Texas’ GOP divide on criminal justiceTexas’ junk science statute has remained hamstrung for the last decade. So too have other criminal justice reforms, despite efforts from the Texas House.
Gov. Abbott says House Committee ‘stepped out of line’ with subpoena for death row inmate
Read full article: Gov. Abbott says House Committee ‘stepped out of line’ with subpoena for death row inmateTexas Governor Greg Abbott says the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence “stepped out of line” by subpoenaing death row inmate Robert Roberson and delaying his execution.
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 “junk science” law in Texas that many say should have saved him long ago.
As Robert Roberson’s execution neared, Gov. Greg Abbott stuck to silence
Read full article: As Robert Roberson’s execution neared, Gov. Greg Abbott stuck to silenceIt’s 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.
Texas judge grants TRO to keep Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson from being executed tonight
Read full article: Texas judge grants TRO to keep Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson from being executed tonightA Texas man who could be the first person in the U.S. executed for a murder conviction tied to the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome is facing a lethal injection.
“More than our wombs”: Women in conservative Texas cities mobilizing to end GOP dominance
Read full article: “More than our wombs”: Women in conservative Texas cities mobilizing to end GOP dominanceDemocrats in Lubbock and Amarillo hope Kamala Harris’ candidacy and a backlash to abortion laws will help make their long-held vision of a blue wave a reality.
With little say over Robert Roberson’s fate, Texas lawmakers take extraordinary steps to buy him more time
Read full article: With little say over Robert Roberson’s fate, Texas lawmakers take extraordinary steps to buy him more timeWith Roberson’s options dwindling, a House panel used its bully pulpit to prove his case and excoriate the failures of the state’s junk science law.
Texas’ order to ask hospital patients’ citizenship status renews focus on the state’s large uninsured population
Read full article: Texas’ order to ask hospital patients’ citizenship status renews focus on the state’s large uninsured populationOn Nov. 1, hospitals will begin asking patients their citizenship status. But data suggests uninsured citizens, not immigrants, cost Texas hospitals more.
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 state’s voter rolls, officials acknowledged, confirming findings by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, and Votebeat.
Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Roberson’s execution
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Roberson’s executionThe state’s 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 rollsHere’s 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 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 they’d be admitted.
Houston delivering on commitment to help Florida residents in Hurricane Milton’s aftermath
Read full article: Houston delivering on commitment to help Florida residents in Hurricane Milton’s aftermathAll eyes remain on Florida and Texas is maintaining its commitment to step in and assist our neighbors as the monstrous Hurricane Milton brought a deadly storm surge and strong winds to the area.
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 — riding a wave of enthusiasm sparked by Kamala Harris’ nomination — think they can flip just enough House seats to stop Republicans from passing school vouchers.
Gov. Abbott to give Texas $50M for Hurricane Beryl, Derecho cleanup
Read full article: Gov. Abbott to give Texas $50M for Hurricane Beryl, Derecho cleanupGovernor Greg Abbott has announced a $50 million emergency fund to help Texans recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl and the Derecho storm.
Houston answers call to help Florida ahead of Category 5 Hurricane Milton
Read full article: Houston answers call to help Florida ahead of Category 5 Hurricane MiltonThe monster Category 5 hurricane is expected to make landfall overnight or- into Thursday morning somewhere along Florida’s Gulf Coast. First responders from Houston are also there, ready to help.
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.
Texas sends aid as Florida braces for Hurricane Milton; here’s how the Red Cross says you can help too
Read full article: Texas sends aid as Florida braces for Hurricane Milton; here’s how the Red Cross says you can help tooThis afternoon, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that he is sending help to Florida—as the area braces for back-to-back hurricanes. Now, our local Red Cross is asking for volunteers ahead of another extremely dangerous storm.
Texas deploying additional resources to help Florida residents bracing for Milton
Read full article: Texas deploying additional resources to help Florida residents bracing for Milton“Our country is stronger when we come together in times of crisis, and Texas is immediately deploying additional support to help our fellow Americans as Florida braces for this major hurricane,” Governor Abbott said in a statement.
Don’t be surprised at polls! Check to see if your name is on voter suspension list
Read full article: Don’t be surprised at polls! Check to see if your name is on voter suspension listIf you’re planning to vote in November, today is your last chance to register. You don’t want to show up at the polls and find out your name is on the suspended list!
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 — 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.
‘Will do all we can’: Texas sends generators to Georgia to help in aftermath of Hurricane Helene
Read full article: ‘Will do all we can’: Texas sends generators to Georgia to help in aftermath of Hurricane HeleneFollowing a request from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state is sending generators to Georgia to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
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.
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 Paxton’s lawsuit targeting Bexar County’s voter registration effort
Read full article: Judge tosses Ken Paxton’s lawsuit targeting Bexar County’s 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 “grave and deteriorating” fundraising and voter outreach efforts could leave some candidates vulnerable.
Texas governor visiting Houston to make announcement on border security
Read full article: Texas governor visiting Houston to make announcement on border securityDetails on the announcement are unclear, but a press release from the governor’s office says the efforts are a response ”to the Biden-Harris Administration’s reckless open border policies that have allowed dangerous criminals to enter our country illegally.”
Texas officials say they’ve scrubbed the voter rolls. Here’s how to check if you’re still on them.
Read full article: Texas officials say they’ve scrubbed the voter rolls. Here’s how to check if you’re 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 Children’s Health Insurance Program will start asking patients' immigration status in November.
At this West Texas church, “the Lord’s work” is helping the poor, not rewriting state law
Read full article: At this West Texas church, “the Lord’s work” 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.
Ex-HPD Chief Acevedo silent on video showing he ordered body cam shutdown after botched Harding Street raid
Read full article: Ex-HPD Chief Acevedo silent on video showing he ordered body cam shutdown after botched Harding Street raidFormer Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo has decided not to immediately comment on the bombshell video evidence and testimony that played inside the courtroom during the murder trial of former HPD Officer Gerald Goines.
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 isn’t expected to take a direct hit when the storm makes landfall as a hurricane. But storm surge and dangerous winds are possible.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activates emergency response resources in preparation of potential tropical system
Read full article: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activates emergency response resources in preparation of potential tropical systemCoastal communities in Texas may be impacted by heavy rainfall and flash flooding from the system.
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.
Person in custody, being questioned in connection to murder of 90-year-old Houston Navy veteran
Read full article: Person in custody, being questioned in connection to murder of 90-year-old Houston Navy veteranThe shooting happened on Saturday at the Lonestar Senior Living Apartments along Westbrae Parkway near Rainer Drive when a carjacker shot and killed Nelson Beckett.
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 isn’t automatically illegal.
Gov. Abbott announces $10,000 reward for information leading to arrest of killer of 90-year-old Navy veteran in Houston
Read full article: Gov. Abbott announces $10,000 reward for information leading to arrest of killer of 90-year-old Navy veteran in HoustonNelson Beckett was shot and killed by a carjacker at the Lonestar Senior Living Apartments along Westbrae Parkway near Rainer Drive on Saturday.
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.
1 million Texans have been removed from voting rolls ahead of Nov. 5 elections
Read full article: 1 million Texans have been removed from voting rolls ahead of Nov. 5 electionsIn a significant move to ensure election integrity, Texas has removed over one million people from its voter rolls, Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday.
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 it’s 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 governor’s 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.
Nonprofit FIRE files complaint attempting to block Texas’ social media law that takes effect Sept. 1
Read full article: Nonprofit FIRE files complaint attempting to block Texas’ social media law that takes effect Sept. 1The law Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment Act (SCOPE) was passed last year and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott. The SCOPE Act limits online access for minors. It takes effect on September 1 and requires age verification for “harmful material.”
LULAC condemns Paxton’s election fraud raids as “intimidation”
Read full article: LULAC condemns Paxton’s election fraud raids as “intimidation”The group said that searches the attorney general’s office carried out this week targeted at least six Latinos, including a Democrat running for the Texas House.
Judge rejects Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to shut down Houston immigrant rights group
Read full article: Judge rejects Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to shut down Houston immigrant rights groupPaxton’s office claimed the group broke rules prohibiting political activity by nonprofits, but the judge rejected the case outright.
Houston man named to ‘40 Under 40′ arrested in Virginia over violent threats against Texas governor, local attorneys
Read full article: Houston man named to ‘40 Under 40′ arrested in Virginia over violent threats against Texas governor, local attorneysFederal agents arrested a Houston man in Alexandria, Virginia, on Friday after he’s accused of making violent threats for weeks against a state governor, deputy U.S. Marshal, Houston attorneys and their family members, according to a newly unsealed federal criminal complaint.
Hot and hard work: A day in the life of a lineworker in Houston
Read full article: Hot and hard work: A day in the life of a lineworker in HoustonThe saying “It takes an army to build something great” couldn’t be a better fit for the work being done to strengthen the CenterPoint Energy infrastructure.