GREG ABBOTT

Parents, teachers and advocates traveled from across Texas on Tuesday to hear from Gov. Greg Abbott and make their case to lawmakers for expanding support for private schools.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has embraced Senate Bill 8, which will get its first committee hearing Wednesday. But House Speaker Dade Phelan hasn’t made school choice legislation a priority.

As the Texas governor touted expanding "school choice" options for Texas students, he also pledged to increase teacher pay raises and invest in public education

The center will be open at the John Phelps Courthouse Annex in Pasadena starting Tuesday, March 21 for businesses and residents to borrow up to 2 million dollars for repairs.

In previously unreleased interviews, police who responded to the Robb Elementary shooting told investigators they were cowed by the shooter’s military-style rifle. This drove their decision to wait for a Border Patrol SWAT team to engage him, which took more than an hour.

"I hope folks apply for this aid and spread the word," Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said.

Houston organization leaders say the takeover of the local school district is discriminatory and violates the Civil Rights Act.

After the Texas Education Agency announced taking over HISD Wednesday, parents and students say this takeover is

The governors of Florida and Texas are both weighing presidential runs. Both states have been debating strict legislation on border security in the past few weeks.

Texas and Florida are being led by tough-talking Republican governors weighing presidential runs as their state lawmakers debate especially strict legislation on border security.

Anti-border wall activists are racing to find landowners along the Rio Grande before they sign contracts with the state.

The Texas Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a key bill of the Legislature’s war on opioids that would increase the penalties related to the sale and production of fentanyl, by classifying overdoses from the drug as “poisonings.”[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

Law enforcement officers who serve on Operation Lone Star get a $500,000 death benefit for their survivors if they die on duty. But National Guard troops on the same mission don’t get a dime from the state for their families if they die.

Who’s got March Madness fever, y’all?

Governor Greg Abbott has officially appointed his former appointee for the 464th state District Court, Ysmael D. Fonseca Jr., to serve as the presiding judge of the new 476th state District Court in Hidalgo County.

The Greater Houston Coalition Justice has announced the filing of a lawsuit for discrimination Thursday against the Texas Education Agency on behalf of the Houston Independent School District following the agency’s decision to take over the school district, according to a news release.

As the Texas Legislature considers ‘school choice,’ the governor has promoted it at seven religious academies around the state. Why there?

The Texas Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would allow the state to take legal action against those who traffic or distribute fentanyl in fatal cases.

Editorial: PUC wants a risky overhaul of Texas electric grid. We’re not yet convinced.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] Opinions San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

In the state’s final brief to appeal a September injunction that halted the investigation into Texas parents of transgender children, Paxton argued that individual families must provide evidence of harm from the actions of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Houston ISD is the eighth-largest public school district in the United States.

Houston Senator Joan Huffman authored Senate Bill 645, which would make the manufacture and delivery of less than 1 gram of fentanyl a third degree felony. The crime would rise to a second degree felony if a person dies from an overdose.

Research shows some pharmacies catering to American tourists are selling medicine frequently laced with the opioid.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's education commissioner announced that the state is taking over Houston's public school district. Some Democrats in the state see the move as political.

Nelson’s former colleagues in the Senate gave her resounding approval, avoiding another embarrassment for Gov. Greg Abbott, whose last three nominations for secretary of state did not receive confirmation.

Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed the CEO of Performance Therapeutics to the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. Omar Palomin, of McAllen, will serve in that capacity until Jan. 31, 2029. Palomin is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the American Physical Therapy Private Practice Section and the Texas Physical Therapy Association. “Additionally, he is a member of the McAllen Independent School District School Health Advisory Council,” the release stated. The Board licenses and regulates physical therapy practice in the state.

Texas officials have announced a takeover of Houston’s nearly 200,000-student school district.

Texas officials on Wednesday announced a state takeover of Houston's nearly 200,000-student public school district, the eighth-largest in the country, acting on years of threats and angering Democrats who assailed the move as political. The announcement, made by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's education commissioner, Mike Morath, amounts to one of the largest school takeovers ever in the U.S. It also deepens a high-stakes rift between Texas' largest city, where Democrats wield control, and state Republican leaders, who have sought increased authority following election fumbles and COVID-19 restrictions.

Reaction to the news that the Texas Education Agency is moving forward with a takeover of the state’s largest school district are pouring in since the announcement on Wednesday.

The dearth of competitive down-ballot races could contrast with the last few election cycles in Texas, when multiple congressional seats and state legislative seats drew significant national investment.

Editorial: PUC wants a risky overhaul of Texas electric grid. We’re not yet convinced.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] Opinions San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

Presidential candidate Nikki Haley split with Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump Tuesday by claiming that aiding Ukraine is vital to U.S. interests.

Several current and soon-to-be GOP presidential candidates addressed questions posed by Fox News' Tucker Carlson about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine ware.

The study tracked coverage of 30 migrant caravans between 2017 and 2022 as well as the policies in place at the departure of each one.

The bill, which has the blessing of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, will create new rules on how gender and sexual orientation is taught.

House Bill 20 by state Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, would test the boundaries of the state’s ability to enforce immigration law, which courts have historically ruled falls under federal purview.

The bill, which has the blessing of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, will create new rules on how gender and sexual orientation is taught. It will face a tougher test in the House.

Gun policy reform is the best way to address school safety, according to experts on a panel in Austin on Thursday. They also cautioned against doubling down on surveillance technology.

Under Governor Greg Abbott and a Republican-dominated Legislature, Texas has experienced an unprecedented expansion of state power over municipalities.

Episode: 3216 World War II, the Los Angeles Art Students League, and Japanese American internment.  Today, art and survival.

Gov. Greg Abbott will deliver remarks Monday at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo First Responders of the Year Awards Ceremony, according to a release

Texas lawmakers this year will debate whether to block transgender kids’ access to transition-related health care, classify businesses that host drag shows as sexually oriented establishments and limit public school lessons on sexuality and gender identity.

The head coach is also being investigated for allegedly spitting on a player during a game earlier in the season.

UH is the latest among Texas schools to implement the change after Greg Abbott directed state agencies to stop diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practices.

Parents, teachers and retired HISD employees were among the many rallying Friday against an imminent midsemester district takeover by the Texas Education Agency.

The bill, introduced months after the Uvalde school shooting, also allocates more funds to the state’s school safety allotment, which is money given to districts to improve campus security.

House lawmakers have filed a bill to cut local property taxes for large businesses relocating to Texas. The bill would replace a program called Chapter 313, which expired at the end of last year.

The announcement from UH comes after Gov. Greg Abbott told state agencies last month to stop considering diversity when hiring.

The system is the latest to make changes after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop considering diversity in their hiring practices.

The measure, endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, originally would have banned citizens of China, Iran, Russia or North Korea from buying land in Texas. Under a new version considered Thursday, the ban wouldn’t apply to dual citizens or lawful permanent residents.

The measure, endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, originally would have banned citizens of China, Iran, Russia or North Korea from buying land in Texas. Under a new version considered Thursday, the ban wouldn’t apply to dual citizens or lawful permanent residents.

The Texas A&M, Texas State and University of Houston systems are the latest to make changes after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop considering diversity in their hiring practices.

The poll found a plurality of voters support redirecting tax revenue to help parents pay to school their kids outside the traditional public education system.

The poll from the University of Texas at Austin, released Thursday, found a plurality of voters support redirecting tax revenue to help parents pay to school their kids outside the traditional public education system.

Episode: 2886 Not Just Gadgets: The Science of Engineering Systems.  Today, beyond gadgets.

In 2021, the Texas Senate declined to consider a bill extending the program, which discounted local property taxes to lure big companies to the state. It had become plagued with bipartisan accusations of “corporate welfare.”

Why has the governor lasered in on teenagers doing donuts and causing a ruckus in the capital city?

Seventy-seven Texas House Republicans signed on as co-authors to state Rep. Valoree Swanson’s bill extending restrictions on transgender athletes to college sports. Gov. Greg Abbott has expressed support for the legislation, which is also a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Turner and Houston Council members said the state's potential decision is an overreach of local control.

Episode: 2944 The Father of Quantum Theory, The Perseverance of a Scientist Facing Multiple Tragedies.  Today, a scientist's triumphs and tragedies.

Dear Editor: I’ve been following the Texas school voucher story very closely and appreciate your front page piece about it in today’s (Feb. 24) San Marcos Daily Record. However, as enlightening as the article was, and despite everything else I’ve read about it, I’m still scratching my head, wondering just what problem Governor Greg Abbott’s proposed education savings accounts,

Gov. Greg Abbott will deliver remarks Tuesday evening at a Parent Empowerment Night in Conroe, according to a release.

DeSantis and Abbott often appear to be locked in an unspoken ideological arms race as they take turns leading and then following one another.

DeSantis and Abbott often appear to be locked in an unspoken ideological arms race as they take turns leading and then following one another, enacting policies and backing bills that push both states further to the right.

California's coronavirus emergency declaration has ended.

Street takeover spurs governor’s action Gov. Greg Abbott has created a statewide task force after several “street takeovers” recently took place in Austin in which motorists obstructed intersections, shot off fireworks and drove recklessly.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] Opinions San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

Texas DPS officers arrested a 66-year-old Mexican national for allegedly trafficking 46 migrants who were found inside a stash house last week in Laredo, Texas.

A Chinese crime operation bypassed the password clues of Texas.gov by using stolen identity information to fraudulently obtain replacement driver’s licenses.

Over a dozen bills have been filed by Republican and Democratic lawmakers after Gov. Abbott publicly supported lifting the ban.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office and Houston police arrested three people during a street takeover on Saturday, including one person who had a 13-year-old child in their car.

Sports betting legislation is awaiting action in both the Texas House and Senate. The Republican governor said he is not standing in the way of such measures.

The yearlong review also recommends increasing the funds schools get per student, a measure already favored by lawmakers looking how to spend a historic state budget surplus.

Two of Texas’ congressional representatives are calling on President Biden to take action on requests from the state for funding to address the repercussions of the ice storm that hit the state earlier this month.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

It’s early yet, but next year’s presidential race may feature something the political world hasn't seen in the last 50 years: no elected officials from Texas.

During a recent street racing incident, Austin residents faced long 911 wait times. City officials say they need to increase staffing for 911 call takers, but state license and background check requirements make it difficult to fill positions.

The leader of the state House also threw his support behind bills to crack down on how companies handle private data and to protect children from “addictive algorithms” by digital companies.

The Lone Star State's governor announced a new effort to crack down on organized street race takeovers such as the one that recently threw intersections in the state capital into chaos.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Thursday he is launching a task force in an effort to stop dangerous street takeovers across Texas.

The incident comes as lawmakers debate how to make schools safer after the Uvalde massacre and favor measures like arming more educators.

The package of bills by Republican state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst was given fast-track status by Gov. Greg Abbott for the 2023 legislative session.

The school choice revolution is going “pedal to the metal,” setting the stage for possibly the best year in U.S. history for educational empowerment.

Gov. Greg Abbott has made 'school choice' one of his highest priorities this year, highlighting it in his State of the State address and throwing his weight behind education savings accounts, which would allow parents to opt out of their local school districts and receive state money to school their children directly.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News,

If the request is approved, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide the impacted counties with grants to clean up debris, repair public infrastructure and more.

The system leaders’ decision comes weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop considering diversity in hiring. Texas A&M University also recently changed its hiring practices.

Abbott told business leaders in Arlington on Wednesday that Texas is already suffering from the end of the tax-break program, recently losing a “massive” computer chip factory to New York.

Texas is the latest state to pitch a version of the program, which lets parents who opt out of their local school districts use tax dollars to pay for private s

On Wednesday's show: In an interview with the Texas Tribune, Gov. Greg Abbott said he intends to be "heavily involved" in the effort to establish school vouchers this legislative session and backs criminalization of some health care treatments for transgender kids.

Texas is the latest state to pitch a version of the program, which lets parents who opt out of their local school districts use tax dollars to pay for private schooling.

In an interview with the Tribune, the governor also backed criminalizing some health care treatments for transgender kids and shrugged off the idea that he’s in a conservative policy rivalry with Ron DeSantis.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already short supply of therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers.

In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Texas Tribune politics reporters James Barragán and Patrick Svitek about Abbott’s prime-time address.

Abbott’s spending proposals also include spending $750 million on school safety and mental health services and expanding postpartum Medicaid to a year.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered no hints about whether he might run for president in a rare primetime address Thursday night, but used it to make a case that hard-line immigration measures, tougher criminal penalties and a humming economy are a model for the rest of the U.S.

During his biennial State of the State speech, the Republican governor named seven emergency items that lawmakers can vote on immediately.

At issue is whether Thomas, who gouged out his eyes after confessing the 2004 murders of his estranged wife, their son and her daughter, is competent to be executed in April.

“School districts, what they have to do if they lose a student, [is] be smart about how they allocate their resources and maybe that’s one less fourth grade teacher,” Steve Lecholop, a TEA deputy commissioner, said in a call with a parent that was secretly recorded.

The lawmakers called on major sports organizations to not host championship games in the state until the governor rescinds his guidance to agencies and universities.

Speaking in December, Patrick was less out front about conservative priorities like school book bans and restrictions to rights for transgender people. His priority bill list made clear those are a major part of his focus.

In 2021, Texas passed a law barring transgender student athletes from playing on K-12 school sports teams that align with their gender.

State officials have repeatedly had to move money from other departments to keep Gov. Greg Abbott’s multibillion-dollar border mission running this year.