Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has embraced Senate Bill 8, which will get its first committee hearing Wednesday. But House Speaker Dade Phelan hasn’t made school choice legislation a priority.
March 2023
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Environment
Biden designates Castner Range in El Paso a national monument
At a Tuesday summit, the president also declared Avi Kwa Ame, 500,000 acres of land in Nevada considered sacred to Native tribes, a national monument.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas lawmaker again tries to block discriminatory hairstyle bans in schools and workplaces
Texas lawmakers could prohibit race-based hair discrimination at schools and workplaces. At least 20 states have already passed similar legislation, according to a group that champions the laws.
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Environment
The EPA wants to limit how much soot you breathe. Here’s what it means for Texas and one of its historic Black towns.
Federal limits on particulate matter commonly known as soot could mean cleaner, safer air for Texans. But environmental experts worry Texas may snub rules.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate takes first step toward establishing billions for state’s water supply, infrastructure
Voters would have the final say on whether the state sets aside billions of dollars to acquire new water sources and invest in aging infrastructure.
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LGBTQ+ Texans
Texas Senate panel advances bill that would hinder transgender kids’ access to puberty blockers and hormone therapies
Senate Bill 14 would ban doctors from providing kids with transition-related treatments that medical groups recommend for children with gender dysphoria.
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TribCast
TribCast: Will the Texas Legislature pay Ken Paxton’s legal settlement?
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with James about lawmakers’ reluctance to spend $3.3 million on a whistleblower settlement for Attorney General Ken Paxton.
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Uvalde school shooting
“He has a battle rifle”: Police feared Uvalde gunman’s AR-15
In previously unreleased interviews, police who responded to the Robb Elementary shooting told investigators they were cowed by the shooter’s military-style rifle. This drove their decision to wait for a Border Patrol SWAT team to engage him, which took more than an hour.
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Texas Abortion Restrictions
How an old law found new life in lawsuit seeking to revoke approval of abortion pill
Anti-abortion advocates are trying to revive the long-dormant 1873 Comstock Act, which banned mailing of anything related to abortion or contraception, in a lawsuit about mifepristone, an abortion-inducing drug.
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Texas Legislature 2023
To tackle high housing costs, Texas lawmakers push to build more homes
Housing advocates, builders and real estate experts agree that the state simply isn’t building enough homes to keep up with its booming population and economic growth.