Texas bill penalizing cities and counties for progressive policies misses House deadline

Senate Bill 2858 would have expanded a sweeping state law intended to erode the authority of the state’s major urban areas.
Bill allowing Texas colleges to pay their athletes nears approval in the Legislature

Student athletes would be able to receive a slice of the billions of dollars Texas colleges generate in revenue from their sports teams.
“Anti-Red Flag Act” that would limit when guns can be taken from people advances in Texas House

Senate Bill 1362 would prevent officials from taking someone’s firearms if they haven’t been charged with a crime or aren’t subject to a protective order under the Texas Family Code.
Texas House OKs bill to allow smaller homes on smaller lots amid housing affordability crunch

Senate Bill 15, a top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, is part of a broad push by state lawmakers to put a dent in the state’s high home prices.
Texas oil companies face new deadlines to plug inactive wells

Senate Bill 1150, which is on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott, is a rare example of the Texas Legislature regulating the state’s oil and gas industry.
Ronnie Dugger, trailblazing founder of The Texas Observer, dies at 95
Dugger launched the Observer, a fixture of the Texas media landscape known for its decidedly progressive lens to state affairs, in 1954.
TribCast: Dan Patrick and Greg Abbott are getting what they want this legislative session

In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk with politics reporter Jasper Scherer about education funding, a THC ban and the success of conservative priorities this year.
Lawmakers near deal to spend $20 billion over two decades on water crisis

The deal allocates $1 billion a year to water projects for 20 years, which some groups estimate is a fraction of what Texas needs to save its water supply.
An East Texas community grapples with school closures as education options shift

The schools were closed last week after years of declining enrollment. The school communities said increased choices were to blame.
Texas lawmaker abruptly spiked his bill to punish cities that don’t deal with homeless encampments

The bill would have withheld some tax dollars from cities that did not comply with state law.