Voter turnout in the 2018 Texas midterm elections increased by 18 percentage points compared with the previous midterms, according to data from the United States Elections Project.
2018
Posted inState Government
Analysis: It’s still a Republican Texas government, but it’s a new one
Between the general election results and the changing management of the Texas House — where Joe Straus is retiring and Dennis Bonnen is poised to be the next speaker — the state government is getting a reboot.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas police made more than $50 million in 2017 from seizing people’s property. Not everyone was guilty of a crime.
Law enforcement leaders say civil asset forfeiture is a necessary tool for fighting crime, but several lawmakers see it as a violation of Americans’ civil liberties. Texas legislators are poised to take up the issue once again in 2019.
Posted inState Government
Nearly 90 Texas children died in day care over the last decade, Statesman reports
More than 450 others were sexually abused, according to the Austin newspaper’s investigation of the state’s oversight of child care facilities. Gov. Greg Abbott’s spokesman said lawmakers should address the issue next year.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
Two Texas House Democrats from Houston lead 4-way race to replace state Sen. Sylvia Garcia
State Reps. Carol Alvarado and Ana Hernandez, both Democrats, are the most well-known candidates running to replace former state Sen. Sylvia Garcia in a district that Hillary Clinton won in 2016 by 46 percentage points.
Posted in
Energy
Fearing outages, Texas regulators consider controversial plan to boost power generation
The Public Utility Commission is considering measures to ensure Texans don’t lose power in the hot summer months. A plan generators are pushing could cost $4 billion — and lead to higher electric bills.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
National Democratic group was behind mysterious anti-Cruz super PAC
The super PAC, Texas Forever, was set up in a way so that it did not have to disclose its donor before Election Day.
Posted in
Politics
“Heaven was ready for him.” Texans say goodbye to George H.W. Bush
The 41st president was remembered at a funeral service in Houston on Thursday and was buried at his presidential library in College Station.
Posted in
Politics
Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos — the state’s chief elections officer — stepping down
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Pablos in January 2017. The secretary of state is Texas’ chief elections officer and a top adviser to the governor on issues related to the border.
Posted in
Politics
Can public officials block users on Facebook? This Texas case could help answer that
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments Thursday for Deanna Robinson’s First Amendment case against the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office. At issue is whether the sheriff’s office was allowed to block her from its Facebook page.
