Hill Country News 3160
Texas Lottery Commission, Ticket Couriers Under Scrutiny from Lawmakers
The Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks, prompting one of the state’s highest elected officials to take to the streets and inquire about the issue. Texas voters approved the creation of a state lottery in 1991, and the Legislature established the TLC in 1993. Since 1997, the commission has
Texas Lottery Commission, Couriers Come Under Increasing Scrutiny
The Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks, prompting one of the state’s highest elected officials to take to the streets and inquire about the issue. Texas voters approved the creation of a state lottery in 1991, and the Legislature established the TLC in 1993. Since 1997, the commission has
‘Texas Two Step’: House School Choice, Public Education Funding Bills Filed
The Texas House has filed its pair of education bills, one for public school funding and the other to create a school choice program, characterized by House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) as the “defining issue of this session.” Dubbed the “Texas Two Step,” Burrows described the pair of education bills as “historic” and said that
Texas Senate Approves ‘Jocelyn’s Law’ Denying Bail to Illegal Aliens Facing Felony Charges
Three bail reform measures filed by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) and prioritized by both Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick sailed through the Texas Senate with bipartisan support Wednesday, including a proposal that would require judges to hold illegal immigrants charged with felony crimes without bail. “Across Texas, and specifically in Harris County,
Texas Senate Weighs Creating of Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) is keen on establishing a first-of-its-kind financial reserve for the State of Texas focused on Bitcoin. Senate Bill (SB) 21, one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s legislative priorities, would create a fund outside the state treasury and run by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts that “serves the public purpose of
Texas Senate Weighs Creating Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) is keen on establishing a first-of-its-kind financial reserve for the State of Texas focused on Bitcoin. Senate Bill (SB) 21, one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s legislative priorities, would create a fund outside the state treasury and run by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts that “serves the public purpose of
Tarrant County District Attorney Seeks Attorney General’s Opinion on School District Detachment
Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells, on behalf of the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, is seeking the Texas attorney general’s (AG) opinion for “clarification on the procedural requirements for a school district engaging in the detachment process.” Keller Independent School District (ISD) has recently been discussing plans and options for detaching a western portion of
Strip Baits for Flounder
There was a time before soft plastics and add-on scents were used to increase your chances of catching fish, when flounder sharpies would strive to perfect their prowess with strip baits. When livies couldn’t be procured these were the ticket to success, and many anglers would make up several bags of strips for the freezer
‘Texas Teacher Bill of Rights’ With Pay Raises Filed in Senate
Gov. Greg Abbott made a point of talking about teacher pay raises in his 2025 State of the State address, and now the Texas Senate has filed legislation to address the issue. Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), who also filed the upper chamber’s school choice proposal, has proposed Senate Bill (SB) 26, otherwise known as the
West Texas County Reports Rising Measles Cases in Recent Weeks
Once thought to be a dormant disease, Texas has experienced a recent uptick in measles cases among school-age children. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported in early February about six cases of measles that had been identified in Gaines County, which is located in rural West Texas along the New Mexico border.
Texas Proposes Land Ownership Ban for Certain Foreign Entities
The Texas Senate has wasted no time tackling priority legislation during the 89th Legislature Session, the latest being a bill to “protect key and natural resources” by restricting who can own land in Texas. “Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs” or Senate Bill (17) is a piece of legislation, proposed by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) and
Elk Range Expands In Tennessee
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation helped the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) add two tracts totaling 1,322 acres to the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Laurel Fork project lies in the heart of the Southern Appalachian elk range just south of the Tennessee-Kentucky border about 55 miles north of Knoxville. “This effort meets
