At the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, the Texas House speaker also signaled willingness to consider exceptions to the state’s abortion ban.
Sneha Dey
Sneha Dey is an education reporter for The Texas Tribune, working in partnership with Open Campus. She covers pathways from education to employment and the accessibility of postsecondary education in Texas, with an eye on college readiness, community colleges and career and technical training. Prior to joining the Tribune, she had stints at NPR’s Education Desk and Chalkbeat. Sneha is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She grew up in New York and is based in Austin. Read Articles by Sneha Dey
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Uvalde school shooting
Texas DPS director says he wishes his agency had taken control over the police response to the Uvalde shooting
The state’s top law enforcement agency also told USA Today that seven officers have now been referred to its internal affairs division, including two who are command staff.
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Criminal Justice
Two constables, four police chiefs and over 3,000 other Texans were members of the Oath Keepers, report says
A recent analysis of Oath Keepers’ membership rolls leaked last year found that Texas had more members of the far-right extremist group than any other state — and the most who worked as elected officials, law enforcement officers or members of the military.
Posted in
Environment
Hemp was supposed to save Texas farmers during a drought. It hasn’t yet.
Hemp advocates promised the Texas Legislature the crop was drought resistant. The 2022 drought has proven otherwise. And farmers are abandoning the nascent market.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Two Republican foes of Dan Patrick support Democrat Mike Collier for lieutenant governor
Both Republicans have been at odds with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and neither of them are running for reelection.
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Texas 2022 Elections
Greg Abbott to launch television ad targeting Beto O’Rourke over police funding
The ad is based on O’Rourke’s 2020 comments that he appreciates protesters bringing up defunding certain line items “that have overmilitarized our police.” But at recent town hall meetings, O’Rourke has said he does not support defunding the police.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
Abbott says raising the age to buy an assault-style rifle is “unconstitutional” based on recent court rulings
The gunman in Uvalde bought two AR-15-style rifles days after he turned 18, the legal purchasing age in Texas, and used the weapons to kill 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary.
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LGBTQ+ Texans
Texas’ child welfare agency told staffers to keep quiet about gender-affirming care investigations, documents show
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services leaders instructed employees to avoid written communications about the cases and barred low-level employees from handling the investigations, according to internal agency communications.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Beto O’Rourke pauses campaign events while recovering from bacterial infection
O’Rourke said he is resting at home in El Paso and will be back on the road “as soon as I am able.”
Posted in
Environment
Flooding hits Dallas-Fort Worth as some areas receive more than 13 inches of rain
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins declared a state of disaster in the region, and Gov. Greg Abbott directed the state’s emergency operations center to be ready to support communities impacted by the flooding.
