5 things for Houstonians to know for Thursday, June 17

Flanked by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan, Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference at the Capitol to provide more details on his plan for Texas to build its own border wall. June 16, 2021.

Here are things to know for Thursday, June 17:

1. Texans can carry handguns without a license or training starting Sept. 1, after Gov. Greg Abbott signs permitless carry bill into law

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Texans can carry handguns without a license or training starting Sept. 1, after Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday signed the permitless carry bill into law.

House Bill 1927 eliminates the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun. The signing was reported by the Texas Legislature’s official website, which tracks the progress of legislation. Abbott’s office has announced a ceremonial signing of the bill and other gun-related legislation at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Abbott’s signature seals a win to conservative activists who have long sought the measure without success. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other Republicans who were initially noncommittal about the bill were under immense political pressure this session from conservatives and gun rights advocates, who have long lobbied the Texas Legislature for permitless carry but historically struggled to win support.

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2. Gov. Greg Abbott announces Texas is providing initial $250 million ‘down payment’ for border wall

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott held a news conference Wednesday at 3 p.m. from the Capitol in Austin to address the Texas border wall.

Abbott announced last week that Texas would build its own border wall. Abbott has not shared details of the plan yet, but the Texas Tribune noted that in a podcast interview released Tuesday, that the state will be soliciting donations from across the country to help fund the wall.

“When I do make the announcement later on this week, I will also be providing a link that you can click on and go to for everybody in the United States — really everybody in the entire world — who wants to help Texas build the border wall, there will be a place on there where they can contribute,” the Texas Tribune cited Abbott as saying on the podcast, a show about Republican politics called “Ruthless.”

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3. Vice President Kamala Harris says Texas is key example of why a new federal elections law is needed

Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday pointed to Texas Republicans’ push for sweeping new voting restrictions as a key illustration of the need to restore federal oversight of elections.

While meeting at the White House with a group of Democratic members of the Texas Legislature, Harris pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling to nullify the lynchpin of the landmark Voting Rights Act that kept states like Texas under “preclearance” of its voting laws to safeguard the rights of voters of color — a measure Democrats are hoping to bring back with new federal legislation.

“We have seen exactly what we feared when that case came down in 2013. Because that case was an opening of a door to allow states to do what otherwise we have protected against, which is states putting in place laws that are designed, in many cases quite intentionally, to make it difficult for people to vote,” Harris said. “And so this is what we’ve seen over and over again, and what’s happening right now in Texas is, of course, a very clear and current example of that.”

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4. Suspect accused of killing man in front of daughter at Dave and Buster’s arrested, police say

Charges have been filed against a man accused of fatally shooting another man in front of his daughter at Dave and Buster’s on April 4, according to the Houston Police Department.

Nicholas Dwayne Thomas, 23, has been arrested and charged with murder for the death of 37-year-old Miguel Vasquez. Houston police said the shooting was reported at a Dave and Buster’s located at 7620 Katy Freeway.

“To know that we finally have somebody in custody, it’s like a weight off your chest,” Miguel’s niece said.

Police said Vasquez was with his family for several hours at the event place before leaving out with his daughter, police said. He was shot by Thomas during a robbery and his daughter witness the entire incident, police said.

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5. Search for missing man leads police to home where animals are living in squalor

The search for Ruben Sanchez enters day three. The 41-year-old father and husband was reported missing on Monday.

“It’s devastating it’s something that you can’t explain there are no words,” said Sanchez’s wife, Rubi Tamez.

Sanchez’s disappearance led South Houston police investigators and volunteers with Texas EquuSearch to his home where they discovered hundreds of animals in poor condition, according to Tim Miller, the founder of Texas Equusearch.

“There are birds. There are turtles. There are cats. There are dogs. There are ducks. There are chickens,” Miller said.

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