Lawmakers send to Gov. Greg Abbott new political maps that would further solidify the GOP’s grip on the Texas Legislature

Latest News

• Texas bill restricting transgender student athletes’ sports participation sent back to the House with amendment

  by Allyson Waller Updated: 8 hours ago

  The bill is one step closer to the governor’s desk. If it becomes law, Texas will join at least five other states that have passed such legislation. Full Story 

• The law that prompted a school administrator to call for an “opposing” perspective on the Holocaust is causing confusion across Texas

  by Brian Lopez 8 hours ago

  Lawmakers say schools are misinterpreting a new measure designed to keep critical race theory out of public schools. Full Story 

• Texas Senate approves $3 billion college campus construction bill

  by Kate McGee Updated: 10 hours ago

  Lawmakers haven’t passed a tuition revenue bond bill since 2015. Full Story 

• Texas Republicans pave way for new battleground state House district in Rio Grande Valley over local lawmakers’ objections

  by Patrick Svitek Oct. 15, 2021

  The likely new district comes as Texas Republicans continue to try to make new inroads in South Texas after the 2020 election. Full Story 

• Biden administration to ask Supreme Court to stop enforcement of Texas’ near-total abortion ban

  by Neelam Bohra Oct. 15, 2021

  Court decisions have gone back and forth on the law’s enforceability over several weeks. Full Story 

• Texas schools have reported more coronavirus cases in two months than they did in the entire 2020-21 school year

  by Kalley Huang, Mandi Cai and Brian Lopez Updated: Oct. 15, 2021

  A little over two months into this school year, districts have reported 193,012 cases in students. But state data on school cases is incomplete and likely an undercount. Full Story 

• Texas has reported more than 67,000 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began

  by Texas Tribune Staff Updated: Oct. 15, 2021

  The Texas Tribune is using daily data from the Texas Department of State Health Services to track coronavirus vaccinations, cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Full Story 

• Biden administration says it’s ready to restore “remain in Mexico” policy along border next month

  by Nick Miroff, The Washington Post Oct. 15, 2021

  A court ordered the administration to resume the Trump-era policy that sends asylum-seekers to Mexico to await U.S. court hearings. But Mexico has to agree to accept them. Full Story 

• With surgical precision, Republicans draw two congressional districts that dilute power of Hispanic and Asian voters

  by Alexa Ura and Mandi Cai Oct. 15, 2021

  The GOP is losing its hold on suburbs of Dallas and Fort Worth as they grow more diverse. Two proposed districts show how far the party is reaching to entrench rural, white electoral power. Full Story 

• Texans will decide eight proposed amendments to the state Constitution on Nov. 2. Here’s what you need to know.

  by Andrew Zhang Oct. 15, 2021

  Two proposed amendments — one regarding religious services and another related to nursing home visitors — stem from restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Early voting begins Oct. 18. Full Story 

• Texas House approves bill targeting transgender student athletes after lawmakers' three previous attempts faltered

  by Allyson Waller Updated: Oct. 14, 2021

  Under House Bill 25, K-12 student athletes would be prohibited from competing on school sports teams aligned with their gender identity. The bill will now head to the Senate, where it is expected to pass. Full Story 

• Texas’ near-total abortion ban will remain in effect as federal appeals court agrees to hear legal challenge

  by Reese Oxner Updated: Oct. 14, 2021

  Senate Bill 8 barred abortions as early as six weeks, before many people know they are pregnant. It is the strictest abortion ban in the nation. Full Story 

• As Texas GOP wages war on COVID-19 mandates, lawmakers OK bill that would make companies requiring the shot vulnerable to lawsuits

  by Neelam Bohra and Mitchell Ferman Oct. 14, 2021

  Senate Bill 51 would make any entity, including hospitals, vulnerable to discrimination lawsuits if they mandate vaccinations for all employees. Full Story 

• Texas Supreme Court puts San Antonio school district’s vaccine mandate on hold

  by Joshua Fechter Oct. 14, 2021

  The halt comes after Gov. Greg Abbott expanded his ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates — which previously applied to cities, counties and school districts — to private employers. Full Story 

• This Plano family got evicted after the Texas Rent Relief program paid the wrong landlord

  by Christopher Connelly, KERA News Oct. 14, 2021

  The state’s $1.9 billion rental assistance program, which launched during the pandemic, has helped more than 165,000 Texans. But people have “slipped through the cracks,” advocates say. Full Story 

• “Extremely influential” or “delusional ideas of grandeur”? GOP primary foe Don Huffines sees impact as Gov. Greg Abbott pushes rightward

  by Patrick Svitek Oct. 14, 2021

  Huffines has been the most vocal fellow Republican taking on Abbott, pressuring him over his COVID-19 response, the border and other hot-button issues. Full Story