
Cattle associations say ICE operations are disrupting Texas agriculture industry, will cause higher beef prices
Read full article: Cattle associations say ICE operations are disrupting Texas agriculture industry, will cause higher beef pricesThe beef industry has been under pressure recently from market disruptions, record high beef prices and small herd sizes. The groups say the ICE operations are another challenge for the industry.

Texas agriculture commissioner 2026: Who is running and what you need to know
Read full article: Texas agriculture commissioner 2026: Who is running and what you need to knowAgriculture is the state's second largest industry. Here’s a look at the 2026 midterm candidates to oversee the agriculture department and where they stand on the issues.

ICE officer was not wearing body camera during Austin shooting, reports say
Read full article: ICE officer was not wearing body camera during Austin shooting, reports sayThe recent ICE recruit was issued a body camera, reports said. It’s not clear why he was not using the device during the Sunday shooting.

James Talarico is moderating on gender, climate issues in his competitive Senate election
Read full article: James Talarico is moderating on gender, climate issues in his competitive Senate electionRepublicans have seized on his past votes and comments to argue he will revert to his most progressive positions if elected, while Talarico’s campaign insists he has remained consistent.

Despite state law, only eight of 160 utility companies have filed wildfire response plans
Read full article: Despite state law, only eight of 160 utility companies have filed wildfire response plansLawmakers recently learned of the slow progress made by the companies, which have four months to come under compliance with the law prompted by the 2024 Panhandle wildfires.

$12 billion in Medicaid funds restored to Texas hospitals, ending impasse with the feds
Read full article: $12 billion in Medicaid funds restored to Texas hospitals, ending impasse with the fedsThe announcement ends a nearly year-long dispute with the Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services over the funding to Texas hospitals, which were slated to lose $27 million a day.

Inmate convicted of triple murder in small Texas town set for execution
Read full article: Inmate convicted of triple murder in small Texas town set for executionLeJames Norman would become the fifth inmate put to death by the state this year barring a U.S. Supreme Court reprieve. His codefendant is scheduled for execution a week later.

Rep. Drew Darby tears into oil and gas commissioner for defying order to appear at Capitol
Read full article: Rep. Drew Darby tears into oil and gas commissioner for defying order to appear at CapitolWayne Christian said his agency’s meeting kept him from addressing lawmakers about eliminating some public comments at the Texas Railroad Commission.

Texas Supreme Court blocks Galveston County from using districts redrawn after the primaries
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court blocks Galveston County from using districts redrawn after the primariesRedrawing political boundaries between the primary and general election raises serious constitutional concerns, the court said.

Texas needs more foster care spending transparency, state report says
Read full article: Texas needs more foster care spending transparency, state report saysThe Department of Family and Protective Services has been slowly moving foster services to contractors who aren’t giving enough details on costs, the Legislative Budget Board said.

More than 200,000 Texans are waiting for Medicaid approval as enrollment declines
Read full article: More than 200,000 Texans are waiting for Medicaid approval as enrollment declinesOutdated technology and stricter requirements for Medicaid and SNAP food assistance have made it harder for Texas to give timely approval to applications, state officials and advocates say.

Cuellar and Tijerina spar over who delivers for a South Texas district redrawn to favor the GOP
Read full article: Cuellar and Tijerina spar over who delivers for a South Texas district redrawn to favor the GOPRep. Henry Cuellar and Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina are both courting crossover support in a region where voters have been willing to defy Democratic or Republican labels.

AG Ken Paxton hasn’t challenged the Trump administration over Texas’ $10-billion Medicaid cut even though he sued Biden
Read full article: AG Ken Paxton hasn’t challenged the Trump administration over Texas’ $10-billion Medicaid cut even though he sued BidenThe attorney general won a lawsuit against the feds for withholding a Medicaid funding stream three years ago. Texas faces the same cut, but Paxton has stayed quiet.

Corpus Christi, still in need of long-term water sources, again rejects desalination plant
Read full article: Corpus Christi, still in need of long-term water sources, again rejects desalination plantGov. Greg Abbott was quick to criticize a similar vote last year, when he said the state may need to “micromanage” the city to protect water availability in the region.

FEMA still hasn’t approved most disaster aid for Texans hit by this year’s July floods
Read full article: FEMA still hasn’t approved most disaster aid for Texans hit by this year’s July floodsThe six-week wait for approval fits a pattern: On average, the Trump White House is taking longer than previous administrations to approve major disaster assistance, research shows.

Austin races to regulate AI data centers before they strain city’s water and power
Read full article: Austin races to regulate AI data centers before they strain city’s water and powerAustin is considering new regulations for massive AI data centers amid growing concerns over their significant water and energy demands.

A new Texas law declaws neighborhood groups that oppose housing projects
Read full article: A new Texas law declaws neighborhood groups that oppose housing projectsLawmakers gutted an old state law that required a city council supermajority to approve a new housing development if neighbors petitioned the proposal.

ICE officer in Minnesota-Texas extradition fight is freed from jail
Read full article: ICE officer in Minnesota-Texas extradition fight is freed from jailChristian Castro was released a day after a federal judge rejected Minnesota’s bid to keep him jailed while Gov. Greg Abbott decides whether to sign extradition papers.

Texas to receive at least $7.5 billion from stalled border reimbursement fund, Cornyn says
Read full article: Texas to receive at least $7.5 billion from stalled border reimbursement fund, Cornyn saysThe state — which spent over $11 billion on Operation Lone Star — could receive more through a separate $3.5 billion reimbursement fund administered by the Department of Justice.

We investigated development rules after the deadly 2025 Hill Country flood. Then it flooded again.
Read full article: We investigated development rules after the deadly 2025 Hill Country flood. Then it flooded again.A Tribune-ProPublica investigation found Texas lawmakers repeatedly failed to take action that could have protected residents in flood-prone areas.

Colorado school district rejects controversial reading curriculum because of errors, Texas focus
Read full article: Colorado school district rejects controversial reading curriculum because of errors, Texas focusThe Colorado district scrapped plans to use Bluebonnet materials just days into the school year.

Longstanding limits on certain firearms, silencers lifted in Texas after judge’s order takes effect
Read full article: Longstanding limits on certain firearms, silencers lifted in Texas after judge’s order takes effectThe Trump administration declined to immediately appeal a ruling by a federal judge in Lubbock that invalidated parts of the 1934 National Firearms Act.

Ted Cruz’s college sports bill hangs in the balance as U.S. Senate scrambles ahead of August recess
Read full article: Ted Cruz’s college sports bill hangs in the balance as U.S. Senate scrambles ahead of August recessThe Protect College Sports Act gained a burst of momentum with last week’s support from the SEC and Big Ten, but the clocking is ticking as the Senate prepares to leave town.

National Democrats add former GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales’ district to Texas congressional target list
Read full article: National Democrats add former GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales’ district to Texas congressional target listThe sprawling district, vacated by former GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales earlier this year, went for President Trump by 15 points. But Democrats see an opening to win its Hispanic-majority electorate.

Hemp industry files new lawsuit over Texas THC ban claiming job losses, medical marijuana monopoly
Read full article: Hemp industry files new lawsuit over Texas THC ban claiming job losses, medical marijuana monopolyMembers of the hemp industry are suing Texas, claiming that the ban on hemp-derived THC products impose an unconstitutional burden on interstate commerce.

Ken Paxton unveils economic plan centered on tax breaks in U.S. Senate race
Read full article: Ken Paxton unveils economic plan centered on tax breaks in U.S. Senate raceThe Republican attorney general is starting a tour next week to promote the plan, which would create new housing and healthcare tax write-offs.

Texas businesses bracing for a financial hit from U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade limbo
Read full article: Texas businesses bracing for a financial hit from U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade limboRising uncertainty has led businesses that depend on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) pact to pull back on investment in Texas, experts say.

Texas is banning several THC products. Find out what will still be legal on July 31.
Read full article: Texas is banning several THC products. Find out what will still be legal on July 31.Although several synthetically derived cannabis products will be banned on July 31, delta-9 THC products will still remain legal.

John Cornyn’s unmet demands imperil Trump’s U.S. attorney general nomination
Read full article: John Cornyn’s unmet demands imperil Trump’s U.S. attorney general nominationTexas’ outgoing senator has insisted on written assurance that President Trump’s “anti-weaponization fund” is dead as a condition for voting to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination.

Energy agencies want more authority over Texas data centers
Read full article: Energy agencies want more authority over Texas data centersThe request comes after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and Electric Reliability Council of Texas to further regulate data centers’ use of the power grid.

Why lawmakers are concerned about where billions in broadband funding is going
Read full article: Why lawmakers are concerned about where billions in broadband funding is goingTexas lawmakers accuse the state broadband office of favoritism and sweetheart deals after satellite internet providers received most of the funding.

U.S. will begin limited imports of Mexican cattle as screwworm outbreak continues
Read full article: U.S. will begin limited imports of Mexican cattle as screwworm outbreak continuesThe limited resumption will allow a southern port of entry in Arizona to reopen in phases. The move comes after 41 of 42 cases of screwworm have been reported in Texas.

Texas faith leaders condemn ICE-related deaths, demand end to “terror campaign” against migrants
Read full article: Texas faith leaders condemn ICE-related deaths, demand end to “terror campaign” against migrantsChristian and Jewish leaders urged limits on using force as well as accountability for immigration agents who go too far.

Last year’s Hill Country floods traumatized Texas first responders. Then the skies opened again.
Read full article: Last year’s Hill Country floods traumatized Texas first responders. Then the skies opened again.“We were all thinking to ourselves, this is déjà vu. Is it really happening, and can I deal with it?” a Center Point Volunteer Fire Department chaplain said.

Anti-immigrant buoys that went adrift amid Rio Grande flooding force closure of key bridge to Mexico
Read full article: Anti-immigrant buoys that went adrift amid Rio Grande flooding force closure of key bridge to MexicoThe buoys had forced the closure of two bridges near Eagle Pass for about three hours on Thursday when Rio Grande levels rose.

Mexico relies heavily on Texas natural gas. The Trump administration could imperil that relationship.
Read full article: Mexico relies heavily on Texas natural gas. The Trump administration could imperil that relationship.Despite efforts to boost domestic energy production, Mexico will continue to depend on Texas for natural gas, experts said, undermining its stated goals of energy independence.

Houston protesters call on feds to release more information, and witnesses, to Tuesday’s ICE killing
Read full article: Houston protesters call on feds to release more information, and witnesses, to Tuesday’s ICE killingProtesters demanded feds release footage of the shooting and the three men who were in the van with Lorenzo Salgado Araujo before he was killed.

ICE activity in Texas continues to climb as agency increases focus on street arrests
Read full article: ICE activity in Texas continues to climb as agency increases focus on street arrestsICE’s shift from using jails to find undocumented immigrants to arresting people on the streets risks violent encounters, experts say, such as the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.

Stephen F. Austin State University to close child care center due to budget constraints
Read full article: Stephen F. Austin State University to close child care center due to budget constraintsThe Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center will close classrooms in phases over the next few years, beginning with infants in the 2027-28 academic year.

Aaron Reitz, former attorney general candidate, appointed U.S. attorney in Texas’ southern district
Read full article: Aaron Reitz, former attorney general candidate, appointed U.S. attorney in Texas’ southern districtReitz, a partisan firebrand who has vowed to “destroy the left,” previously served as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s top deputy.

Planned Texas data centers could emit more greenhouse gases than many countries
Read full article: Planned Texas data centers could emit more greenhouse gases than many countriesTexas regulators are allowing AI data centers across the state to start up hundreds of new pollution sources with no public notice or environmental reviews.

Four years after Dobbs, Texas abortion-rights advocates struggle to break through in Washington
Read full article: Four years after Dobbs, Texas abortion-rights advocates struggle to break through in WashingtonJust 2% of Texas voters call abortion the state’s most pressing problem. Advocates are reframing the issue as one of reproductive healthcare that affects families’ pocketbooks.

Texas Stock Exchange to launch trading on Monday in test of upstart’s challenge to Wall Street
Read full article: Texas Stock Exchange to launch trading on Monday in test of upstart’s challenge to Wall StreetThe exchange represents the most well-funded challenge to the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ duopoly of U.S. stock trading.

Rep. Nate Schatzline resigns from Texas House to lead “election integrity” policy in Gov. Abbott’s office
Read full article: Rep. Nate Schatzline resigns from Texas House to lead “election integrity” policy in Gov. Abbott’s officeThe Fort Worth Republican, one of the most hardline conservatives in the Texas House, had been floated for secretary of state in unconfirmed media reports ahead of his hire by the governor.

River authority’s budget woes are another blow to water-needy Corpus Christi
Read full article: River authority’s budget woes are another blow to water-needy Corpus ChristiCities and other water users have already paid $4.1 million to reserve water from a seawater desalination plant that is not close to construction.

On the upper Texas coast, many petrochemical facilities may not be prepared for fiercer storms
Read full article: On the upper Texas coast, many petrochemical facilities may not be prepared for fiercer stormsGalveston County alone is home to 22 refineries and chemical plants. Their level of emergency preparedness varies widely.

Catholic bishop seeks information on “wildly disturbing” ICE arrest of nun walking to South Texas church
Read full article: Catholic bishop seeks information on “wildly disturbing” ICE arrest of nun walking to South Texas churchICE detained the 56-year-old nun from Nigeria on Sunday but released her later that day after federal lawmakers intervened.

Texas cities forced to remove rainbow crosswalks are installing colorful alternatives
Read full article: Texas cities forced to remove rainbow crosswalks are installing colorful alternativesCities and advocates are channeling support for LGBTQ+ residents into murals, lighting and rainbow-decorated sidewalks and stairs.

Texas lawmakers want fixes to statewide voter registration system ahead of midterms
Read full article: Texas lawmakers want fixes to statewide voter registration system ahead of midtermsThe system has been riddled with problems since it was updated last year. Some lawmakers and election officials want it fixed by November.

Mandated Bible stories in reading lists, revamped history for Texas public schools approved
Read full article: Mandated Bible stories in reading lists, revamped history for Texas public schools approvedThe State Board of Education approved the reading lists and K-8 social studies changes after months of debates.

Texas Supreme Court rejects attempt to block beach closures for SpaceX launches
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court rejects attempt to block beach closures for SpaceX launchesThe state constitution preserves public access to Texas beaches, but it doesn't give private groups the right to sue to enforce that access, the court ruled.

Texas college watchdog received nearly 70 complaints, opened one investigation, records show
Read full article: Texas college watchdog received nearly 70 complaints, opened one investigation, records showAllegations filed in the first five months of the new ombudsman’s work challenged course content, DEI, academic freedom and employment disputes.

U.S. Supreme Court unanimously sides with Texas man, rules it’s not a crime for marijuana users to have guns
Read full article: U.S. Supreme Court unanimously sides with Texas man, rules it’s not a crime for marijuana users to have gunsAli Danial Hemani successfully challenged a federal law prohibiting people who illegally use drugs from owning guns. Justices said that ban is a Second Amendment violation.

James Talarico launches Spanish-language World Cup TV ad
Read full article: James Talarico launches Spanish-language World Cup TV adThe more than $800,000 ad buy — the first by either candidate in the general election — continues the Austin Democrat’s push to win Latino voters as his race against GOP nominee Ken Paxton ramps up.

Government watchdog says detention center wasted up to $11.5 million before detainees arrived
Read full article: Government watchdog says detention center wasted up to $11.5 million before detainees arrivedA U.S. General Accounting Office report found a host of problems at El Paso’s Camp East Montana, including a contractor losing a loaded gun on the property after it opened.

Balcones Canyonlands wildlife refuge, home to endangered songbird, adds more than 600 acres
Read full article: Balcones Canyonlands wildlife refuge, home to endangered songbird, adds more than 600 acresConservation groups purchased nearly 300 acres in Burnet County after adding a similar-sized tract last year, giving the golden-cheeked warbler more protected habitat.

Eight Senate Republicans broke ranks this week. John Cornyn, spurned by Trump in his primary, didn’t.
Read full article: Eight Senate Republicans broke ranks this week. John Cornyn, spurned by Trump in his primary, didn’t.The Texas senator’s defeat to Ken Paxton sparked talk he’d join the “YOLO Caucus” of Republicans defecting from Donald Trump. This week, he sided with Senate GOP leadership on every key vote.

Christian Menefee’s congressional win is a generational shift backed by cryptocurrency
Read full article: Christian Menefee’s congressional win is a generational shift backed by cryptocurrencyMenefee, 38, unseated U.S. Rep. Al Green, 78, to represent a redrawn Harris County congressional district. The men faced off after Republicans combined parts of their current districts into one.

New hearing denied in fight over Texas law that gave undocumented students in-state tuition
Read full article: New hearing denied in fight over Texas law that gave undocumented students in-state tuitionA federal judge blocked the Texas Dream Act in June after it was challenged by the Trump administration and state officials declined to defend it.

Corpus Christi delays decision on nearly billion-dollar water plant despite impending crisis
Read full article: Corpus Christi delays decision on nearly billion-dollar water plant despite impending crisisThe City Council rejected the treatment plant last year over cost and environmental concerns, but plans resurfaced as the city’s water woes continued.

New details released on Texas Children’s Hospital’s planned detransition clinic
Read full article: New details released on Texas Children’s Hospital’s planned detransition clinicThe Houston hospital must set up the facility within 90 days of the $10 million settlement it reached with the Texas attorney general and create a list of potential gender affirming patients.

Doctors say woman in El Paso ICE detention center urgently requires surgery that she is being denied
Read full article: Doctors say woman in El Paso ICE detention center urgently requires surgery that she is being deniedAndrea Pedro Francisco was scheduled to have surgery to remove an ovarian cyst in February but was detained by ICE, which has repeatedly denied her surgery. Nine doctors who reviewed her case said she’s at risk of a medical emergency.

Here are the donors bankrolling John Cornyn and Ken Paxton’s record-breaking Senate primary
Read full article: Here are the donors bankrolling John Cornyn and Ken Paxton’s record-breaking Senate primaryThe incumbent senator has dominated financially, thanks to an array of megadonors and dark money groups. The Tribune assembled a guide to the money behind the most expensive Senate primary ever.

Here are the megadonors and dark money groups boosting James Talarico’s anti-billionaire Senate bid
Read full article: Here are the megadonors and dark money groups boosting James Talarico’s anti-billionaire Senate bidAs the Austin Democrat campaigns against big money in politics, he is being supported by a super PAC bankrolled by several billionaires, as well as nonprofits that do not have to disclose their funders.

Christian Menefee, Alex Mealer lead Houston-area congressional runoffs, new poll finds
Read full article: Christian Menefee, Alex Mealer lead Houston-area congressional runoffs, new poll findsThe two contests are among the most closely watched U.S. House runoffs in Texas. Menefee, newly elected to Congress, faces longtime Democratic Rep. Al Green in a matchup spawned by GOP redistricting.

GOP hardliners aren’t buying into U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar’s bipartisan immigration bill
Read full article: GOP hardliners aren’t buying into U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar’s bipartisan immigration billThe latest version of the El Paso Democrat’s Dignity Act includes a key change to make it more palatable to Republicans. Some have gotten on board, but others are firmly opposed.

Texas’ 35th Congressional District primary runoffs: Who is running and what to know
Read full article: Texas’ 35th Congressional District primary runoffs: Who is running and what to knowTwo Democrats and two Republicans advanced to May runoffs for the open San Antonio-area seat, which was drawn to favor the GOP yet is considered winnable for Democrats in a wave year.

Texas’ 33rd Congressional District Democratic runoff: Who is running and what to know
Read full article: Texas’ 33rd Congressional District Democratic runoff: Who is running and what to knowThe primary between predecessor and successor arose from a combination of redistricting and Allred’s move to exit the U.S. Senate race to make way for Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

Texas’ 18th Congressional District Democratic runoff: Who is running and what to know
Read full article: Texas’ 18th Congressional District Democratic runoff: Who is running and what to knowThe Democratic runoff for the Houston-based seat — a longtime bastion of Black political power — pits the Texas delegation’s newest member, Christian Menefee, against one of its longest-tenured, Al Green.

Dan Patrick eyes closing “gambling loophole” for prediction markets. The feds stand in Texas’ way.
Read full article: Dan Patrick eyes closing “gambling loophole” for prediction markets. The feds stand in Texas’ way.A Trump administration agency has sued other states that sought to regulate Kalshi, Polymarket and other prediction operations under their gambling laws.

Texas inmate James Broadnax faces Thursday execution amid final appeal arguing he wasn’t the shooter
Read full article: Texas inmate James Broadnax faces Thursday execution amid final appeal arguing he wasn’t the shooterThe death row inmate has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt his execution, pointing to a codefendant’s confession in the shooting death of two people.

Texas wants to ban in-home ketamine and add more physician oversight during treatment
Read full article: Texas wants to ban in-home ketamine and add more physician oversight during treatmentKetamine industry leaders say Texas Medical Board’s proposal to require physician supervision or limit treatments to two people at a time will force clinics to close.

Texas agency finds Camp Mystic emergency plan insufficient
Read full article: Texas agency finds Camp Mystic emergency plan insufficientThe camp has 45 days to revise its plan as it aims to reopen for campers this summer. Other youth camps also had deficiencies to correct in their plans, according to the agency that must review them.

Texas AG runoff: Democrats Jaworski and Johnson on Trump battles, legal strategy, and office priorities
Read full article: Texas AG runoff: Democrats Jaworski and Johnson on Trump battles, legal strategy, and office prioritiesIn this updated Q&A, we asked Joe Jaworski and Nathan Johnson where they stand on the agency’s key issues as they seek a chance to reclaim the office that has become a GOP legal powerhouse.

Low-producing oil wells linger for years, causing headaches for Texas landowners
Read full article: Low-producing oil wells linger for years, causing headaches for Texas landownersJackie Chesnutt, who lives outside San Angelo, is tired of pollution from nearly inactive wells. Experts say Texas rules allow companies to defer plugging wells for far too long.

Trump taps Texas’ top public health official as CDC chief medical officer
Read full article: Trump taps Texas’ top public health official as CDC chief medical officerJennifer Shuford, an infectious disease physician who oversaw the country’s largest measles outbreak in 30 years, is among a slate of CDC nominations with no apparent ties to the anti-vaccine movement.























