A provision that would remove police officers’ legal shield against civil lawsuits has been pegged by multiple lawmakers as a sticking point in the Republican-led Legislature.
Courts
Stay up to date on Texas courts with in-depth coverage of major rulings, judicial elections, criminal justice, and the judges shaping state law from The Texas Tribune.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas lawmakers push bill to make it easier to sue abortion providers and harder for new anti-abortion laws to be blocked by courts
The provisions are packaged in one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority measures, dubbed the “heartbeat bill.” Senate Bill 8 would ban abortions as early as six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant.
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Energy
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Biden administration demanding reinstatement of Keystone XL Pipeline permit
Twenty-one states signed onto the multi-state lawsuit led by Texas and Montana.
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Winter Storm 2021
Griddy Energy customers may be off the hook for exorbitant energy bills after company files bankruptcy
If approved, former Griddy customers might not have to pay their outstanding bills, some of which cost more than $15,000. Still, many customers have already had their bank accounts drafted or credit cards charged for thousands of dollars.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Slate of Texas legislation limiting abortion, including so-called “heartbeat bill,” heads to Senate
The legislative session that began in January has been driven by the coronavirus pandemic and the response to last month’s power crisis. But abortion-related measures dominated a Senate State Affairs committee hearing Monday, and lawmakers advanced all of the proposals.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Austin can keep enforcing mask mandate for at least two weeks until trial, judge says
Austin and Travis County residents will be required to keep their masks on after a district judge delayed action on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request to end the mandates immediately.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton threatened to sue Austin over mask mandate. The city isn’t backing down.
Austin and Travis County officials said they would continue to require masks even after Gov. Greg Abbott ended his statewide mandate.
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Health care
Judge rejects bid by Planned Parenthood to stay in Medicaid, affecting health service for thousands of low-income Texans
Health officials had told Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid patients they had until early February to find new doctors, but the health provider filed an emergency lawsuit saying the state had not followed the proper procedures.
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Criminal Justice
Twitter sues Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, asks court to halt his investigation of the social media company
Beleaguered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who attended the pro-Donald Trump rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol siege, issued civil investigative demands to Twitter after the company banned the former president from its platform.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
A Texas lender sued thousands of low-income Latinos during the pandemic. Now the feds are investigating.
Oportun Inc., a small-dollar loan company, disclosed to investors that it is the subject of a probe by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau following reporting by The Texas Tribune and ProPublica.
