State 977
Texas Man, Convicted Rapist Pleads Guilty to Involvement in Online Child Sex Abuse Network
A Texas man has pleaded guilty to his participation in an expansive child sexual abuse network, after being named in a federal indictment while already serving out a sentence for child rape. Twenty-six-year-old Kaleb Christopher Merritt from Spring pleaded guilty to a count regarding his involvement from 2019 to 2022 in CVLT, pronounced “cult,” which […]
Most Consumable Hemp Products Become Illegal in Texas Today
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) announced new rules regarding consumable hemp products, and published an official program rule text which will go into effect on Tuesday, March 31. Consequently, certain consumable hemp products will be affected in Texas, including popular smokable products like THCa flower and pre-rolled joints. × This page requires […]
Here’s a Look at the Public Education Priorities in the Texas Legislature Interim Charges
Both the Texas House and Senate released their 2026 interim charges last week, with some mutual educational priorities and other chamber-specific areas of focus. Interim charges outline what lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate will focus on leading up to the next legislative session, and provide a way for legislators to examine specific issues […]
Here’s a Closer Look at the Texas House Interim Charges
Among the Texas House’s interim charges released by House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) on Thursday are several broaching issues related to artificial intelligence (AI), foreign actors, health and social policy, criminal justice, the Texas workforce, and the state’s economy as a whole. These charges will shape the House members’ next several months leading up to […]
Dan Patrick Releases Second Round of Senate Interim Charges Ahead of 90th Legislative Session
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has released a more extensive list of Texas Senate interim charges, addressing a number of issues including data center growth, criminal justice, surrogacy exploitation, prediction market gambling, Texas’ electric grid, and government accountability. Similar to the Texas House’s interim charges released on Thursday, Patrick included a focus on identifying and weeding […]
Texas Comptroller Audit of Attorney General Fuels Hancock-Paxton Feud Over Islamic Schools
A long-planned audit of the Texas Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) spending may have further fueled a public spat between Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock and Attorney General Ken Paxton already brewing over whether public education dollars may be used for schools with alleged ties to Islamic terrorist organizations and foreign adversaries. The comptroller conducts […]
Speaker Burrows Rolls Out Texas House Interim Committee Charges, New Select Committees
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) released his interim committee charges on Thursday, establishing three new committees and addressing a plethora of issues touching upon government accountability, Texas’ infrastructure needs, and hot-button social issues. Interim charges lay the groundwork for what lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate will focus on leading up to the […]
Patrick Announces Texas Senate Committee Assignments, New Religious Liberty Committee
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the Texas Senate committee assignments this week, with the exit of five members of the Senate and four chairs. Patrick also named interim Senate committee members who will serve through the 90th Legislative Session. Patrick announced the creation of the Senate Select Committee on Religious Liberty, which will be made […]
Newly-Elected State Sen. Taylor Rehmet Complains of Lack of Interim Senate Committee Assignments
Recently-elected state Sen. Taylor Rehmet (D-Fort Worth), who won a special election to fill the vacant Senate District (SD) 9 seat and flipped it from Republican to Democratic, is clashing with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick over Rehmet’s lack of committee assignments during the legislative interim. Rehmet was not appointed to any Senate committees or interim […]
Paxton Calls for Comptroller Hancock’s Firing After Muslim School ESA Program Dispute
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called on Gov. Greg Abbott to fire Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock after Hancock sent a letter questioning Paxton’s legal handling of a Muslim school accepted into the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program. In a March 24 letter, Hancock addressed a temporary restraining order (TRO) by a federal judge that […]
AI Data Centers’ Effects on Texas Groundwater Raises Bipartisan Concerns
Data centers use a substantial amount of water, and not only are they booming in Texas, with over 400 currently active, but the state’s water-needy agricultural industry may struggle to keep up. AI data centers have garnered attention in recent months, especially as predictions anticipate demand for water outpacing supply in Texas in the coming […]
Four Islamic Schools Accepted for Texas Education Freedom Accounts Program After Deadline Extended
At least four Islamic schools were allowed to participate in the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program this week. The announcement comes after a federal judge extended the deadline for student applications for the TEFA program from March 17 to March 31, claiming that the lack of Islamic schools might have deterred parents who would […]
