A bill to end annual vehicle inspections died during the regular legislative session — but might come back during next month’s special session.
Department of Public Safety
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Criminal Justice
After criticism, DPS restores extended hours at busiest driver’s license offices
The Texas Department of Public Safety surprised customers last week when the agency trimmed office hours to save money.
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Criminal Justice
Lawmakers say Driver Responsibility Program repeal unlikely this session
A measure to repeal the widely unpopular program made it out of the House but died before hitting the Senate floor.
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Criminal Justice
Even under Trump, state budget writers deliver big on border security funding
Texas budget writers plan to spend another $800 million for border security over the next two years, matching what lawmakers allocated in 2015.
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Criminal Justice
Texas Senate advances bill to crowdfund rape kit testing
Legislation that would crowdfund money from Texans to deal with a state backlog of thousands of untested rape kits has moved closer to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
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Criminal Justice
Bill to enforce reporting of police shootings stumbles, then passes
After failing by one vote on the House floor Wednesday night, a bill to penalize law enforcement agencies that don’t report police shootings to the state was reconsidered and passed.
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Public Education
Senate approves bill to require seat belts on school buses
Senate Bill 693 cleared the chamber in a 25-6 vote following strong pushback from one Republican who argued seat belts make buses less safe.
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State Government
Stolen after Super Bowl in Houston, Tom Brady’s jersey recovered in Mexico
After being stolen from the Patriots’ locker room at NRG Stadium in Houston last month after the Super Bowl, quarterback Tom Brady’s jersey was traced to Mexico, according to officials involved in the investigation.
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Criminal Justice
Federal judge sanctions Texas in voter registration lawsuit
The state’s “months-long delay” in producing documents “has been disruptive, time consuming, cost consuming” and has burdened plaintiffs in the voting rights lawsuit, the judge wrote. The order will run up Texas’ legal tab.
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Politics
Dan Patrick calls on Texas Rangers to locate Tom Brady’s missing Super Bowl jersey
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asked the Texas Rangers and Houston Police Department to team up in finding New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s football jersey, which was stolen Sunday night.
