Tag Archives: The Lege

There were fewer voting sites with paper issues than we thought

Posted on April 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

That’s my takeaway from this. On Election Day last year, an unusual problem occurred around 6 p.m. — the polling place at El Lago City Hall ran out of paper ballots. Republican presiding judge Chris Russo, the election worker running … Continue reading →

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On vying for the 2028 RNC

Posted on April 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I get competing for this, but that doesn’t make me enthusiastic about it. As part of Houston’s push to win the Republican National Convention in 2028, the George R. Brown Convention Center could be expanding. State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, … Continue reading →

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Least-surprising headline of the week

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron: “GOP donor tied to Clarence Thomas has given Texas lawmakers $19M”. The Texas billionaire in the middle of the controversy around U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has a long history in Texas politics, donating more than … Continue reading →

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House passes bill to outlaw cities

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

That’s not literally what this does, but it may as well be. In a major escalation of Republicans’ efforts to weaken the state’s bluer cities and counties, lawmakers in the Texas Legislature are advancing a pair of bills that would … Continue reading →

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Lege may fix one particularly dumb aspect of its omnibus voter suppression law

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A small bit of progress. Texas lawmakers are trying to undo an expensive election problem they didn’t realize they had created in the first place. In 2021, they passed a law that is set to require counties to purchase vote-counting … Continue reading →

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We wait to see how much harm the House will do to LGBTQ+ people

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a very scary time. Chants of “Protect trans kids” echoed across the Capitol as hundreds of LGBTQ Texans and their supporters gathered Saturday afternoon to express anger and fear over a slate of rapidly moving bills targeting queer people. … Continue reading →

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Staffer alleges that Slaton had sex with an intern

Posted on April 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Really gross and inappropriate if true. A Capitol staffer alleged in an internal complaint that state Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, had “sexual relations” with an intern two weeks ago. The new details of the allegation come from the complaint … Continue reading →

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House General Investigations Committee issues subpoenas

Posted on April 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll keep an eye on this. The Texas House Committee on General Investigating issued four subpoenas Friday, though it did not say to whom or for what purpose. It was this legislative session’s first meeting of the committee, which investigates … Continue reading →

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The doctors involved in the lawsuit to clarify Texas’ draconian forced birth law

Posted on April 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good stuff. Last spring, Dr. Judy Levison started to give her routine answer when a patient, who was 15 weeks pregnant, asked why she should receive a blood test that picks up certain fetal defects. Some women simply want to … Continue reading →

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Could we get an expansion of medical marijuana?

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe, but I have my usual doubts for the usual reasons. Texans who suffer from chronic pain and potentially other debilitating conditions would be able to access the state’s medical marijuana program under a bill advanced by the Texas House … Continue reading →

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This is definitely a “root for the meteor” situation

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Also a “pop some corn” situation. Two state lawmakers have called for the resignation of Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, after The Texas Tribune reported that he is being investigated after allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a Capitol intern. … Continue reading →

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So what will we do to protect our kids from predatory youth pastors?

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Like this guy. An internal complaint filed against state Rep. Bryan Slaton, R-Royse City, alleges that he was engaging in a potentially “inappropriate relationship” with an intern. The complaint came after an incident in which Slaton and the staffer allegedly … Continue reading →

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Looking ahead to the inevitable litigation over a trans sports ban

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The feds have weighed in. The Department of Education on Thursday formally proposed a rule change to Title IX, the federal civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination in schools, that would be at odds with anti-trans bills being signed into … Continue reading →

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Rep. Jones responds to her former staffers’ complaint

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Houston state Rep. Jolanda Jones criticized her former staffers in a new statement Wednesday for publicizing the name of an intern who they alleged was having an inappropriate relationship with Jones’ son and for making assumptions about his … Continue reading →

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A brief but dismal legislative update

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Just a few recent news stories, to give you an idea of what’s happening in the Legislative session, and why I have been avoiding it. Item 1: Republican Texas senators on Monday reversed themselves and voted against allowing transgender kids currently being treated with puberty … Continue reading →

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Harris County felony bail bond lawsuit ruling coming

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Definitely something to look forward to. Lawyers on both sides of a lawsuit accusing Harris County of unfair bail practices that unjustly imprison lower-income inmates are pressing for a swift resolution, and a judge says a ruling in the four-year … Continue reading →

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Senate re-passes its redistricting map

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly political theater, as there’s little reason to believe they actually need to cover their butts at this point. A year and half after it was first approved, the Texas Senate on Monday voted to rubber-stamp a map setting the … Continue reading →

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There’s nothing like ERIC

Posted on April 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Be careful what you seek to destroy, Republicans. With some Texas Republicans pushing the state to abandon one its best tools for preventing voter fraud — a coalition of states that share voting roll data to weed out duplicate and … Continue reading →

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The Observer on the effect that banning abortion has had on Texas doctors

Posted on April 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad this won’t end up being one of their last stories. Doctors have a code, a set of principles meant to guide their practice: Give care. Act justly. Respect patients. Do no harm. But for Texas doctors, especially obstetrician-gynecologists, … Continue reading →

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Some turmoil at Rep. Jones’ office

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Hoo boy. Three staff members of state Rep. Jolanda Jones have resigned, alleging the Houston Democrat created an “abusive and hostile” work environment. Chief of staff Kory Haywood, legislative director Catherine Mouer and district director Yesenia Wences alleged in a … Continue reading →

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So what happens with CD18 now?

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This story is a very basic explainer about Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s just-announced Mayoral campaign. There’s only so much it can tell us as she has not yet talked about what her top campaign priorities are, and most of the … Continue reading →

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Another “future doctor shortage” article

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Third in the series. This one covers our future nurse shortage, too. More than a year and a half after Texas implemented its six-week abortion ban, and months after Dobbs, medical providers say they are facing impossible situations that pit their … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Looking back at the 2012 landscape

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: State House 2022 We’ve had our first look at the way the new State House districts performed, and while we can expect the 2024 election to be a little different, it’s clear at this time that there aren’t many … Continue reading →

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Abortion funds go back to work

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to see it, but I’m waiting for another shoe to drop. Some abortion advocacy nonprofit groups have resumed paying for Texans to get abortions out of state after a court ruling last month. These groups, called abortion funds, stopped … Continue reading →

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The upcoming week in legislative gay-bashing

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, from Equality Texas: Monday, 3/27 Action Alerts & Upcoming Hearings HB 1686, the companion bill to SB 14, would ban trans youth from access to health care. We cannot let this pass. The hearing for HB 1686 begins … Continue reading →

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Watch out for your electric bill

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Noting this for the record. As Texans continue paying off the costs of the deadly 2021 winter storm, state lawmakers are considering a Republican-backed proposal that would allow for more frequent rate hikes and prevent cities from challenging the increases. Supporters of Senate … Continue reading →

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We finally have a reason for the timid police response in Uvalde

Posted on March 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It was because the shooter was using an AR-15, and the cops didn’t want to get slaughtered. Almost a year after Texas’ deadliest school shooting killed 19 children and two teachers, there is still confusion among investigators, law enforcement leaders … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: State House 2022

Posted on March 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We have data. Texas Democrats and Republicans are beginning to gear up for a presidential election cycle in which opportunities to flip seats for Congress and the Legislature appear limited. It’s a natural outcome after Republicans redrew legislative and congressional … Continue reading →

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More on the Denton experience with marijuana decriminalization

Posted on March 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A long story from the Dallas Observer. Nick Stevens stood before the Denton City Council looking equally frustrated and determined. The activist had helped to lead the grassroots charge to decriminalize marijuana in the North Texas college town. Now he … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court supplements Public Defender budget and supports adding more courts

Posted on March 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good moves. Harris County Commissioners Court this week approved a package of public safety measures to support state legislation to create additional district courts, expand the county’s holistic assistance response team program and look at enlarging the public defender’s office. The measures are … Continue reading →

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SCOTx denies pre-election challenge to San Antonio marijuana reform referendum

Posted on March 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

First the voters will vote, then as needed the lawsuits will happen. The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday that any legal challenges to a proposed charter amendment on policing reforms must wait until after voters weigh in on the measure … Continue reading →

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So now we start processing what happened and what will happen with the TEA takeover

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorial board points to three key items. Still, if this takeover must happen — and Texas Education Agency announced Wednesday that it is indeed happening — we want it to work. Houston’s schoolchildren don’t have time for another … Continue reading →

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Appealing the injunction that halted DFPS investigations of trans kids’ families

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Just keeping you informed. Attorney General Ken Paxton, in an appeal, is asking the courts to lift an injunction that stopped the state from conducting child abuse investigations over transition-related medical care for transgender youth. Paxton argued that the families … Continue reading →

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More on the lawsuit that seeks to clarify exceptions to Texas’ forced birth laws

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A couple of interesting articles to read to enhance our understanding of the lawsuit filed by five women who claim that Texas’ anti-abortion laws have harmed them. From Vox: In theory, even after the Supreme Court’s anti-abortion decision in Dobbs v. … Continue reading →

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