State 977
Texas, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Debate Radioactive Waste Storage at U.S. Supreme Court
Texas squared off with the federal government at the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday over the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) approval of a license to store spent nuclear fuel at a Permian Basin facility. At the center of the dispute is an Andrews County facility that currently stores low-level radioactive waste but sought approval for […]
‘Michael Jordan of Politics’: Valentina Gomez Brings Brazen Brand from Missouri to Texas
Social media sensation Valentina Gomez has taken the online world by storm, amassing millions of views in audacious, attention-grabbing videos chock-full of various slurs and threats against “pedophiles” and other sexual offenders — first as a candidate for Missouri Secretary of State (SOS), and now with her sights set on Texas’ 31st Congressional District. A […]
Senate Committee Approves Removing Legal Exception Related to Pornography, Sexual Performance of a Child
The Texas Senate Committee on Criminal Justice took testimony Tuesday on legislation seeking to address the creation and distribution of pornographic material, including computer-generated images of children, and moved to strike a long-standing exception in state laws protecting children. “The purpose of today’s hearing is to take up and consider items related to [artificial intelligence […]
Texas Lawmaker Proposes ‘Enhanced Penalty’ for Criminal Activity While Masked and Disguised
University campus protests have sparked a discussion regarding the balance between campus safety and political expression, with one Texas lawmaker now filing a bill to create an “enhanced penalty for committing offense while disguised or masked.” House Bill (HB) 3061 by Rep. Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress) is designed to enhance the punishment for certain criminal offenses […]
Former Uvalde Mayor, Now-Lawmaker Files Priority School Safety Bill
State Rep. Don McLaughlin (R-Uvalde), who was the mayor of Uvalde when a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in Robb Elementary School three years ago, filed a Texas House priority school safety bill this week. Dubbed “The Uvalde Strong Act,” House Bill (HB) 33 mandates that schools and police forces develop active shooter […]
‘THC Ban,’ Compassionate Use Bills Hear 10 Hours of Testimony in Senate Committee Hearing
The Texas Senate State Affairs Committee endured a full day of testimony Monday, where debate, discussion, and passionate pleas from witnesses descended on the upper chamber to consider the future of THC and cannabis in the state. Senate Bill (SB) 3, known as “Banning THC in Texas,” was the major focus of the day, while […]
Texas A&M University System Bans Campus Drag Shows Ahead of ‘Draggieland’ Event
The Texas A&M Board of Regents passed a resolution last week that would “cancel any upcoming Drag Show Events” across the university system’s 11 campuses. “[T]he Board finds that Drag Show Events are likely to create or contribute to a hostile environment for women contrary to System anti-discrimination policy and Title IX of the Education Amendments of […]
Attorney General Paxton Launches Investigative Probe Into Texas Lottery ‘Process’
The Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) is undergoing increased scrutiny, with all three branches of the state government now announcing investigations into recent “winners” and ticket courier services. Gov. Greg Abbott took the first step on Monday when he announced that he would be directing the Texas Rangers to “investigate two incidents” regarding “bulk purchase” winners […]
Texas Lottery Accused of ‘Conspiracy,’ ‘Organized Crime’ in Legislative Hearings
The ongoing controversy surrounding the Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) has seen several new developments, not only regarding the commission’s future but also the looming threat of an investigation. Concerns over recent lottery winners came to light last week following a February 17 jackpot winner who used a courier app called Jackpocket to purchase the winning […]
Texas Bill Would Allow Property Owners to Shoot Down Trespassing Drones
A bill has been filed in the Texas House that would allow a property owner to disable, destroy, or damage unmanned aircraft flying over their property — both a pressing concern for any Texans who have experienced an unidentified object flying over their home, and a bilateral potential threat to public safety. Rep. Jeff Leach’s […]
Texas House Proposes Business Tax Cut Opposite Senate’s Homestead Exemption Increase Route
Two years after a stalemate over property taxes, the two chambers of the Texas Legislature again have differing blueprints for applying the at least $10 billion in relief called for by Gov. Greg Abbott. Chairman Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas) filed his House Bills (HB) 8 and 9 alongside House Joint Resolution (HJR) 1, the accompanying constitutional […]
House Bill Seeks to Restrict Children’s Access to ‘Sexually Explicit Material’ in Public Libraries
Enhanced library oversight, stronger protections for minors, and increased parental involvement have become hot button topics for lawmakers and citizens alike, and now a bill has been proposed that intends to regulate the accessibility of “sexually explicit materials” to minors in public libraries. Freshman Texas legislator Rep. Daniel Alders (R-Tyler) seeks to establish a rigorous […]
