Lawmakers and industry leaders gathered in Austin this week to discuss the future of the market. “We almost have to take it on,” a Republican state House member said.
2025 Legislative Recap
Texas’ Republican-controlled Legislature passed several top GOP initiatives during the regular 2025 legislative session. Lawmakers agreed to create a school voucher program, ban DEI initiatives in public schools, increase political appointees’ control of state universities, prohibit consumable THC products and let voters decide whether to improve the state’s water infrastructure. This is a look at what officials passed — or didn’t — on a number of fronts.
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2025 Legislative Recap
Texas is restricting the bathrooms trans people can use in government buildings. Here’s how the law works.
The “bathroom bill” doesn’t provide guidance for how government agencies, schools and universities should ensure people use facilities matching their sex assigned at birth.
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2025 Legislative Recap
Running water will finally reach West Odessa thanks to $17 million from state lawmakers
The Legislature approved $600 million for standalone water improvements, a dramatic increase over prior years.
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2025 Legislative Recap
As Texas’ “bathroom bill” becomes law, questions remain about how it will be enforced
Some trans Texans worry that the lack of specificity on how the law will be enforced will harm their safety and lives.
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2025 Legislative Recap
Texas hoped $100 million would help more families pay for child care. Here’s why it didn’t.
Increased costs in food and payroll at child care centers effectively wiped out the one-time investment state lawmakers approved earlier this year, a new report found.
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2025 Texas Elections
Voters OK property tax breaks for Texas homeowners, businesses
Tuesday’s vote is part of a push by Texas lawmakers to rein in the state’s high property taxes.
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Running Out: Texas’ Water Crisis
Texas sent $223 million to rural communities to fix water infrastructure after 2023 election
Texas voters will decide Tuesday whether the state should continue spending $1 billion a year to secure the state’s water supply. Part of that investment will be spent to find new water supply.
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2025 Legislative Recap
This West Texas town’s proof is in the banana pudding
More than 10,000 people met over Labor Day weekend in Slaton to sample the banana pudding — a major boost to the rural town’s economy.
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Texas’ housing crisis
Texas suburbs resist new state law allowing more apartments
Suburban officials in the Dallas-Fort Worth region have enacted rules aimed at curtailing a sweeping new state law to allow more apartments.
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2025 Legislative Recap
Texas bans the sale of THC vape pens
The law does not specifically ban the possession of THC vape pens, but those who sell them face up to a year in jail and a $4,000 penalty.