The fourth special legislative session this year ended without any increased funding for school safety — even though public schools have complained for months they don’t have enough money to meet new safety mandates approved this year.
Maia Pandey
Maia Pandey was a reporting fellow at The Tribune in 2023. Born and raised in Boston, she has worked for the breaking health news team at NBC News and at Block Club Chicago. Her reporting on health and homelessness has appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal, City & State New York and United Press International. She is fluent in Nepali and Hindi.
Posted in
Politics
Mary Nan Huffman declares victory over Tony Buzbee in Houston City Council race
Buzbee challenged Mary Nan Huffman, the incumbent, who was backed by the Texas GOP and local Republican officials.
Posted in
Politics
State Sen. John Whitmire elected Houston mayor, AP reports
Whitmire defeated U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to be the next mayor of Texas’ largest city and the fourth largest city in the U.S.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
After school voucher bill falls apart, supporters and opponents get ready for future fights
The Texas House’s vote to block education savings accounts disappointed voucher advocates and likely spelled doom for additional public school funding. Both bands say they’ll keep pushing for their priorities during next year’s primary elections and the 2025 legislative session.
Posted in
Politics
With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session Tuesday
The decision to end work Tuesday leaves long odds for bills to boost school safety funding and make sure that election challenges don’t delay the implementation of property tax cuts, teacher pension raises and infrastructure spending.
Posted in
Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott endorses Donald Trump during border trip
Abbott made the presidential endorsement after he and Trump served meals to service members deployed for Operation Lone Star, Abbott’s sprawling border security mission.
Posted in
Courts
Federal judge seems wary of Texas ban on TikTok at public universities
Last year, Texas joined more than 30 other states in banning TikTok on government-issued cell phones and computers. A nationwide coalition of professors are suing the state over the ban, arguing it has limited their ability to teach and research the social media app.
Posted in
Politics
Pope removes Tyler’s Bishop Joseph Strickland after opposition to church reforms
Bishop Strickland, a Pope Benedict XVI appointee, has been a fiercely vocal critic of Pope Francis’ efforts to reform the Catholic Church.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House committee moves school safety funding forward
The two new measure could bring $1.3 billion more to schools to pay for security systems, fencing and personnel training.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
School voucher critics remain largely unswayed during Texas House hearing
House Bill 1, which stagnated during the previous special session, finally received a hearing in the lower chamber, a crucial step that will decide whether the proposal gets a full vote.