Gov. Greg Abbott has signaled that he would sign the bill, which does not allow cities to opt out of enforcing a homeless encampment ban.
Reese Oxner
Reese Oxner was the product manager for The Texas Tribune. He oversaw the product development lifecycle and product operations across The Tribune’s product portfolio. He previously was the Tribune’s breaking news reporter. Before arriving at the Tribune, Reese interned on NPR’s news desk, was a summer reporting fellow at the Tribune and worked part-time covering Arlington for the Dallas Morning News. He was the editor in chief of The Shorthorn, the University of Texas at Arlington’s student-run newspaper, where he earned the 2019 editor of the year award from the Texas Collegiate Press Association. He studied web design in college and really, really likes Korean BBQ. (Photo: Tom Fox, The Dallas Morning News)
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s criminal case to be heard in Collin County, appeals court rules
The case was moved to Harris County from Collin County after prosecutors argued that having the trial there would be unfair because of Paxton’s political ties in that region.
Posted in
Politics
After Harris County was left out of latest round of Hurricane Harvey relief funds, George P. Bush asks feds for $750 million
Bush’s announcement comes after an outcry from Houston and Harris County leaders who requested $1.3 billion in federal funds for Harvey relief but were left off a list of recipients the General Land Office released.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
State lawmakers urge federal government to remove the term “Negro” from Texas place names
The federal government blocked an attempt to rename these places 30 years ago when Texas passed a law to eliminate the term. Now, lawmakers are once again pushing for the change.
Posted in
Environment
Houston, Harris County get nothing in latest round of $1 billion federal Hurricane Harvey relief funding
Houston and Harris County were denied funding over other Texas communities despite requesting $1.3 billion for ongoing relief efforts. Local officials are asking the federal government to intervene.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Statewide ban on homeless encampments approved by Texas Senate
The vote comes only weeks after Austin residents voted to reinstate a local public camping ban — two years after it was lifted.
Posted in
Foster Care in Texas
Texas officials knew foster children were illegally placed in an unsafe shelter. It didn’t end until a whistleblower came forward.
State officials knew children were being illegally housed in an unlicensed facility but did not notify the court, despite a mandate from a federal court judge that came as part of a decade-long class action lawsuit against the state on the behalf of foster children.
Posted in
Foster Care in Texas
“Serious, harmful consequences”: Texas continues placing foster children in harm’s way, court monitors find
A federal judge in 2015 found that Texas violates foster children’s constitutional rights. At a hearing this week, court monitors found some progress in reforming the foster care system — but also noted several concerns.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Army report finds Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillén reported being sexually harassed twice before she was killed
The investigation did not find evidence that Guillén’s alleged killer had sexually assaulted her.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas’ medical cannabis program could expand under bill OK’d by House
The program would be expanded for a number of conditions including chronic pain and PTSD — as well as allow for more potent levels of THC.
