Texas Legislature 2021 16
Nearly a year into the pandemic, grocery workers in Texas are more fatigued than ever
After the Department of State Health Services neglected to include front-line essential workers in the latest phase of the vaccine rollout, grocery store workers juggle stressful work while waiting for the vaccine.
Greg Abbott’s State Of The State Steers Clear Of Pandemic Response
Instead the governor’s address focuses on his five priorities. Every two years, the Texas governor gives a State of the State address to the Legislature. It’s a chance for the state’s leader to broadcast his priorities.
Texas Prepares to Test for Lead in Schools’ Drinking Water for the First Time
Texas will soon begin a program to test drinking water in thousands of elementary schools and child care facilities across the state following an update to federal standards on lead and copper exposure.
Census delays will force Texas lawmakers into a special session to redraw political maps
Census Bureau revealed Wednesday that the detailed results lawmakers need to reconfigure congressional and state legislative districts won’t be available until at least two months after the end of the regular 2021 legislative session.
Governor pushes Legislature to protect businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, unsuccessfully pushed for similar federal legislation. Abbott's support comes as Texas intensive care units are filling up with coronavirus patients.
Sheldon Adelson’s gambling empire pushes forward with the goal to bring casinos to Texas
Las Vegas Sands has hired 51 lobbyists to push for the expansion of gambling in Texas.
Governor Signals Repercussions Loom For Cities Where Police Budgets Have Been Cut
The governor has floated cutting off access to tax revenue and limiting cities’ annexation powers like Austin.
Toxic substance or water supply? Lawmakers to weigh whether wastewater from oil fields could replenish the state’s aquifers
A recent EPA decision will allow Texas to regulate water discharges from oil drilling operations. Some lawmakers see a future water supply for the state in the decision, while environmental groups — and some scientists — warn it could be risky.
Texas House elects Dade Phelan speaker as 2021 legislative session gets underway
Phelan’s election to the gavel was one of the House’s first order of business Tuesday, when the Legislature kicked off the 2021 legislative session.
Texas legislators eye tougher rules on chemical tanks to prevent explosions, spills during storms
A string of explosions involving little-regulated petroleum and chemical storage tanks have lawmakers and regulators talking about new rules as the Legislature prepares to convene this month.
Texas hires two companies to run STAAR, moving toward statewide online testing
Contracts totaling $388 million have been awarded to Cambium Assessment and Pearson, a longtime player in testing Texas public school students, to develop and administer STAAR for the next four years.
Next year’s redistricting process will impact Texas politics for 10 years. Here’s how.
Republicans will control the process, but a legal and political fight is sure to commence over who is empowered and whose voice is diluted.
