Search Results for: class size limits

Paxton sues over emergency guidance to doctors

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This is what “leaving it to the states” looks like. Texas is suing the Biden administration over guidance released Monday telling the nation’s doctors they’re protected by federal law to terminate a pregnancy as part of emergency treatment — and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harris County implements a burn ban

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Surely this is a thing we can all comply with. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday enacted a countywide burn ban due to drought conditions and an increased threat of wildfires across unincorporated Harris County, but fireworks will remain legal … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County implements a burn ban

Is there one last twist in the West 11th Street saga?

Posted on June 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This was posted as an update to the change.org petition in support of the West 11th Street project: The opposition to making 11th street safer is asking TXDOT to stop the project-we need your help! The group that has organized … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Maybe this is finally the end of that zombie same sex employee lawsuit

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I dream a dream. The Texas Supreme Court has declined to consider a challenge aimed at preventing the city of Houston from offering benefits to employees’ same-sex spouses. The ruling is the latest blow to two Houston residents’ prolonged fight … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Maybe this is finally the end of that zombie same sex employee lawsuit

The coming fight over medical abortion

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Sure is a good thing SCOTUS will leave this up to the states, isn’t it? Republican-led states are moving swiftly to restrict access to medication abortion. The efforts so far have focused on regulations around the pills, such as banning … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The coming fight over medical abortion

On reporting election night results faster

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure about this. Ahead of next week’s primary runoff elections, Harris County officials are recruiting county staffers to help speed up the results by picking up ballots at polling locations and driving them to the county’s central count location. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Houston updates its noise ordinance

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This was probably inevitable, though it sure took a long time. Houston bars, nightclubs and restaurants must obtain new permits to play amplified music within 120 days under a revised ordinance aimed at cracking down on disruptive late-night noise without … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

May 2022 special election Day Four EV report: Checking in on the mail ballots

Posted on April 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

In my first look at early voting for the May special election, I noted the fairly large number of mail ballots that had been cast so far in Harris County and wondered if we would hear about mail ballot rejections … Continue reading →

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

The UH wildlife cameras

Posted on April 18, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I love stories like this. A duck waddled between the trees of Glenwood Cemetery, not far from where four University of Houston students tied their camera to a trunk. If the bird came closer to the lens, the device would … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The UH wildlife cameras

Texas drone law ruled unconstitutional

Posted on April 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I love coming across a story like this and then realizing it’s an update to something I had blogged about a couple of years ago. A Texas law that limits the use of remotely piloted drones to capture images is … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Amanda Edwards to run for Mayor

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The field is now at three. Amanda Edwards, a former at-large member of Houston City Council and candidate for U.S. Senate, announced Wednesday she is running for mayor of Houston in 2023. Edwards’ return to politics comes two years after … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Amanda Edwards to run for Mayor

Keep your hands off of the Harvey money, H-GAC

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Seriously. You’ve done enough already. First, a regional council of government officials left Harris County and most of its cities out of a plan to distribute $488 million in federal flood mitigation funds stemming from Hurricane Harvey. As justification, the Houston-Galveston Area Council … Continue reading →

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

More on the 11th Street project

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorial board mostly approves of the city’s plans for 11th Street in the Heights. Ever since Mayor Sylvester Turner unveiled his Vision Zero Action Plan — an ambitious program to end traffic fatalities by 2030 — the city … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the 11th Street project

Turns out it’s not great debuting a transit service in a pandemic

Posted on March 14, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

What are you gonna do? The future of Houston transportation is not moving many people, even as traffic rebounds to pre-pandemic levels and ridership returns to many Metropolitan Transit Authority lines. The Silver Line, billed as a viable alternative to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Turns out it’s not great debuting a transit service in a pandemic

Metro electric bus update

Posted on March 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Some new details here. Within the next year or so, you’ll see electric-powered buses buzzing around Bayou City. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) recently awarded a $22 million contract to Saint-Eustache, Canada-based Nova Bus for the production … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro electric bus update

January 2022 campaign finance reports: City of Houston

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

January finance reports are always worth a look, if only as a ritual to start the new year. We’re a year out from election season truly beginning for Houston, but as we now have two brand name contenders for Mayor … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on January 2022 campaign finance reports: City of Houston

Hey, remember when disability rights advocates were worried about the voter suppression bill?

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

They were right to be worried. Because of course they were. As polls opened up for early voting this week, disability advocates say they still do not have adequate guidance from the state about new voter assistance rules and worry … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Yet another State Bar complaint filed against Paxton

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Put it on his tab. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton might have crossed an ethical line after inciting members of the public to pressure The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals into issuing a ruling in his favor. Micheal Shirk, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Yet another State Bar complaint filed against Paxton

Chris Hollins to run for Mayor

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Chris Hollins, the former Harris County elections chief who pushed measures aimed at expanding ballot access during the November 2020 election, announced Monday that he’s running for Houston mayor in 2023. “The challenges that we’re facing as Houstonians are … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Does Houston get its fair share from Harris County?

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s complicated. Do property taxpayers inside the City of Houston subsidize Harris County services? It’s a question that comes up a lot, given the fact that city residents—like their counterparts in the county—pay separate property taxes to the county, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Third Court of Appeals upholds Harris County mask mandate

Posted on January 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Savor the win, for it’s off to SCOTx next. A state appeals court on Thursday upheld a lower-court injunction that allowed Harris County to impose mask requirements despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order banning such mandates. The Austin-based 3rd Court … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paxton still wants to be supreme prosecutor

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Please hold firm, CCA. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked the state’s highest criminal court to reconsider a recent decision that stripped his agency of the power to prosecute election law violations. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton still wants to be supreme prosecutor

Justice Department sues Texas over the voter suppression law

Posted on November 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Specifically, they are challenging a couple of specific provisions of the law. The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday sued Texas over its new voting law, expanding its effort to challenge Republican-backed measures passed in state legislatures. The lawsuit, brought by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Justice Department sues Texas over the voter suppression law

Comings and goings

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Lloyd Doggett will run in a new district again. Longtime U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, has decided to run for reelection in Texas’ 37th Congressional District, opting to vie for one of Texas’ two new congressional districts — a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Comings and goings

House passes anti-trans sports bill

Posted on October 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Disgraceful. The Texas House approved legislation on Thursday that would restrict transgender student athlete participation in school sports, clearing a notable hurdle for supporters of the measure after similar legislation sailed through the Senate and stalled in the House three … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Constitutional amendments

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember how in odd numbered years there are some number of constitutional amendments to vote on in November? This is the one thing that guarantees you have a reason to turn out regardless of what your city or school … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Endorsement watch: Vote No on Prop 3

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, there are Constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall. Most of them are pretty innocuous, but one of them is not, and you should vote No on it. Proposition 3, on this year’s ballot, would enact a constitutional amendment … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Commissioners Court avoids quorum break

Posted on September 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County Commissioners Court this week unanimously agreed on a proposal to cut the overall property tax rate for the coming year, a compromise that avoids a potential quorum break by Republicans that would have forced an even deeper … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Commissioners Court avoids quorum break

Republican County Commissioners ponder another quorum break

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a thing they can do, and have done in recent times. They shouldn’t, not for this, but they can. The three Democrats on Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday proposed cutting the overall property tax rate for the third … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Three more lawsuits filed against the voter suppression law

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a law now, and the legal machines are humming to do something about it. Though delayed by Democratic quorum breaks, Texas has officially joined the slate of Republican states that have enacted new voting restrictions following the 2020 election. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

No Roe roundup

Posted on September 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t have a good title for this post, but I do have a collection of stories. Planned Parenthood files restraining order against Texas Right to Life. Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas and its affiliates filed a temporary restraining order … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Killing Roe softly

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Honestly, there’s not a whole lot to add here from yesterday. As of this writing, SCOTUS has still not acted on the emergency petition from Texas abortion providers over SB8. SCOTUS will issue a response to that request, but they … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Voter suppression bill passes the House

Posted on August 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It was always to be, it was just a matter of when. After months of drama and political resistance, the curtain has lowered on Democratic attempts to stave off a far-reaching rewrite of the state’s voting laws coveted by Republicans … Continue reading →

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

The nursing home vaccination mandate

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This just seems obvious to me. President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that he is directing all nursing homes to require their staff be vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to continue receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding. Biden said he is directing the Department … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments