Monthly Archives: April 2021

Poll shows opposition to the extreme anti-abortion bills in the Lege

From the inbox: Today, the Trust Respect Access coalition is releasing data from polling on abortion laws and anti-abortion bills in the Texas Legislature. The poll includes approval ratings as well as opinions on legislative priorities and House Bill 1515/Senate … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Houston police reform items announced

It’s a start. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Thursday unveiled a sweeping effort to reform policing in Houston by banning no-knock warrants for non-violent offenses, restructuring the police oversight board, publicly releasing body camera footage when officers injure or kill residents, … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston police reform items announced

No charges files in Capitol date rape drug incident

A not very satisfying resolution. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Travis County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday “that there is not enough evidence to support” an allegation that a lobbyist used a date rape drug on a Capitol … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Alcohol to go passes both chambers

Off to get a signature. The Texas Senate on Wednesday passed a measure to permanently allow Texans to purchase alcohol to-go from restaurants, advancing a shared goal of Gov. Greg Abbott and restaurateurs. House Bill 1024, which cleared the lower chamber last … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Alcohol to go passes both chambers

One more CD06 update

Some dude made an endorsement in the race. Former President Donald Trump has endorsed fellow Republican Susan Wright in the crowded Saturday special election to replace her late husband, U.S. Rep. Ron Wright, R-Arlington. The endorsement is a massive development … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

State finally releases most federal stimulus funds for schools

About damn time. Texas’s top state leaders announced Wednesday they are releasing $11.2 billion out of nearly $18 billion available in federal pandemic relief funding that has been dedicated for the state’s public schools. The announcement comes as education advocates … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on State finally releases most federal stimulus funds for schools

Yes, lobbyists need sexual harassment awareness training, too

Closing an obvious loophole. In the aftermath of the story that rocked the Capitol this weekend of a lobbyist using a date rape drug on a legislative staffer, the Legislature is starting to take action. Sen. José Menéndez (D-San Antonio) … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Yes, lobbyists need sexual harassment awareness training, too

Texas blog roundup for the week of April 26

The Texas Progressive Alliance calls for the passage of the George Floyd Act and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of April 26

We need to up our vaccination data game

As noted before, it gets harder from here. As the initial mad rush for COVID-19 vaccines wanes, Texas is shifting its distribution strategy to focus on smaller providers, setting up a crucial test for the state as it attempts not … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on We need to up our vaccination data game

Another nasty anti-trans bill passes the Senate

Just awful. The Texas Senate tentatively approved a bill Monday in an 18-13 vote that would classify providing gender affirming health care to transgender minors as child abuse — just one of the Legislature’s many attempts to prevent transgender children … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sheriff Gonzalez nominated to lead ICE

Wow. President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that he will nominate Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, a vocal skeptic of cooperating with federal immigration authorities in certain circumstances, to serve as director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As head of … Continue reading

Posted in La Migra, Local politics, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rep. Fletcher will push for Ike Dike in the infrastructure plan

A good thing to champion. As congressional Democrats hash out a plan to spend more than $2 trillion on the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, it’s unclear how much — if any — of that money would go toward a long-sought barrier … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rep. Fletcher will push for Ike Dike in the infrastructure plan

Pressure on the Greater Houston Partnership to oppose voter suppression

Good. A group of Greater Houston Partnership members is urging the region’s largest chamber of commerce to oppose voting bills in the Texas Legislature that critics say will make casting a ballot more difficult in Harris County, especially for residents … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More on the Capitol date rape drug allegation

Good for Speaker Dade Phelan for forthrightly calling this out, but the underlying issue is a matter of culture, it’s been this way for a long, long time, and it’s going to be a slog to change it. Texas House … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Census apportionment numbers are in

Texas will gain two seats in Congress, which is one fewer than had been expected based on population growth estimates. Texas will continue to see its political clout grow as it gains two additional congressional seats — the most of … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Houston Methodist tells its employees to get vaxxed or else

I’m okay with this. Four out of five Houston Methodist employees are vaccinated against COVID-19. The sliver who are not will be suspended or fired if they refuse the shot, according to company policy. The hospital required managers to be … Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Your driverless pizza delivery is finally on its way

Still not sure what the allure of this is. Autonomous cars will begin delivering Domino’s pizzas to Houstonians through a new partnership between the pizza chain and Nuro, a California startup, the companies announced Monday. Domino’s is rolling out Nuro’s … Continue reading

Posted in Food, glorious food, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

DPS investigating allegation that a lobbyist drugged a female Capitol staffer

That’s the headline on this story, and it’s disturbing. Texas Department of Public Safety investigators are looking into an allegation from at least one female Capitol staffer who believes a lobbyist used a date-rape drug on her during a meeting … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Big Lie

I was glad to see the Chron run a week-long series of editorials on The Big Lie of “voter fraud”, and how the Republican Party has been pushing it for a lot longer than 2020, and how it has been … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Now it gets harder to vaccinate people

We reached this point pretty quickly. The hill gets steeper from here. After months of not having enough COVID-19 vaccines to meet demand, Texas suddenly appears to have plenty of shots but not as many people lining up to receive … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Weekend link dump for April 25

The story of William Clarence Matthews, a Black baseball player (and many other things) who almost integrated the sport in 1905. “Having police interrogate you while showing you pictures of the weapons and bombs made *literally feet from where you … Continue reading

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

April 2021 campaign finance reports: CD06 special election

As noted in Friday’s post, here’s a look at the campaign finance reports for the candidates that have raised at least a few bucks in the CD06 special election. Brian Harrison (R) Jake Ellzey (R) Dan Rodimer (R) Shawn Lassiter … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

You will eventually need a COVID booster shot

Just get used to the idea. More than 28 percent of Texans 16 and older are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, having received either one shot of the Johnson & Johnson or two of Moderna or Pfizer. But as scientists … Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You will eventually need a COVID booster shot

What’s up with that Tesla autopilot crash?

I assume you’ve heard about this. Woodlands Fire department, Montgomery County Hospital District and Cypress Creek EMS were dispatched around 9 p.m. Saturday to a fire in the woods in the Carlton Woods Subdivision on Hammock Dunes Place. Several neighbors … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The plight of the city-owned gas utilities

It’s rough. In the wake of last month’s winter disaster, which nearly crashed the state’s power grid and killed more than 100 people, state lawmakers convened hearings to probe how a weeklong winter storm had crippled the state. They have … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

To Beto, or not to Beto

That is the question. Whether tis nobler…oh, screw it. That’s far enough. The midterm general election is more than a year away, but for O’Rourke, one of the most prominent Democrats in Texas, the grind of civic engagement never stops. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on To Beto, or not to Beto

House passes its budget

The rites of spring in Texas: The start of baseball season, the first 90-degree day, and in odd-numbered years, the House Budget Amendment-Palooza. The Texas House on Thursday night unanimously passed its proposed two-year, $246 billion state budget after members … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on House passes its budget

May election of interest: Spring Branch ISD

I haven’t paid a lot of attention to the May 2021 elections going on – for someone like me in the city of Houston and HISD, there generally isn’t anything for me on the ballot, and there’s been plenty of … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Checking in on CD06

Wingnuts attack! State Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Waxahachie, is suddenly under intense fire from his right flank as he has emerged as a leading candidate in the special election to replace the late U.S. Rep. Ron Wright, R-Arlington. The Club for … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Anti-trans sports bill will not make it out of committee

Good, but hardly enough. A bill that would dictate on which sports teams transgender athletes can compete in public schools was declared all but dead on Wednesday by Rep. Harold Dutton, the Public Education Committee chair who presided over an … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Today is not the day we expand Medicaid

Tomorrow isn’t looking so good either. The Texas House on Thursday rejected an attempt to direct the governor and state health officials to use billions in federal dollars to expand health care coverage for uninsured Texans, including working poor who … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Making voting worse

I’ve spent a lot of time this year writing about how Republicans in the Legislature want to make it harder to vote. That’s undeniably true, but it doesn’t fully capture what’s going on. Voting is a thing that most of … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The guilty verdicts in the George Floyd murder trial

I didn’t comment on this yesterday because I didn’t have anything original to say. Today I want to echo what so many others are saying in the wake of the guilty verdicts for the police officer who murdered George Floyd. … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The guilty verdicts in the George Floyd murder trial

Medicaid expansion by any means necessary

Whatever it takes. But I’ll believe it when I see it, and I have a very hard time believing that the current cast of characters will do anything to make it happen. Texas Republicans have been swift to condemn the … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Medicaid expansion by any means necessary