Tag Archives: The Lege

Colony Ridge developers settle with the state

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This more or less wraps up the story. The owners of Colony Ridge, a Houston-area developer accused of running a predatory lending scheme that deceived Latinos, agreed to a sweeping legal settlement that will require them to invest in law … Continue reading →

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Texas Medical Board provides useless training on how not to get arrested for performing an abortion

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

They keep missing the point. For the first time since Texas criminalized abortion, the state’s medical regulator is instructing doctors on when they can legally terminate a pregnancy to protect the life of the patient — guidance physicians have long … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Menefee and more

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s another batch of Chron endorsements to run down. Don’t just vote for him because he’s young. Christian Menefee wins more fights than Al Green. Normally, newly elected members of Congress get sworn in as part of a cohort, a … Continue reading →

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Fifth lawsuit filed against Camp Mystic

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This one goes a little farther. The family of an 8-year-old girl who remains missing after being swept away by Hill Country flooding that struck Camp Mystic last summer is suing its owners and demanding a judge prevent its reopening. … Continue reading →

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Anti-fossil fuel boycott law ruled unconstitutional

Posted on February 8, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal district judge on Wednesday declared a 2021 law restricting state investments in companies boycotting the fossil fuel industry unconstitutional, calling it “facially overbroad” and citing First and Fourteenth Amendment concerns. Legislators passed Senate Bill 13 as a … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit against out of state mifepristone provider amended to include latest bounty hunter law

Posted on February 7, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. A Galveston County man has filed a lawsuit against a California doctor he accuses of providing abortion-inducing pills to his partner, leveraging for the first time a new Texas law that allows private citizens to sue abortion providers for up … Continue reading →

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Interview with Danny Norris

Posted on February 6, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

And here’s that bonus interview I mentioned yesterday. If you’ve been frustrated by the state takeover of HISD, you’ve probably hoped someone would run against the architect of the bill that allowed for the takeover, longtime Rep. Harold Dutton. Danny … Continue reading →

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Interview with Lawrence Allen

Posted on February 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

For our third and final candidate in HD131, we have once again a familiar name. Lawrence Allen is the previous member of the SBOE in District 4, serving multiple terms beginning in 2004 where he succeeded his mother, Rep. Alma … Continue reading →

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Interview with Staci Childs

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

We continue on in HD131, and the theme will be one of familiar names. Staci Childs is currently serving as the State Board of Education member in district 4, where Rep. Alma Allen had served before becoming the incumbent State … Continue reading →

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Interview with Erik Wilson

Posted on February 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

We move on to the Legislature this week, where Democrats will be picking a successor to long-term Rep. Alma Allen in HD131. I have three candidate interviews for you from this race, starting with attorney Erik Wilson. Wilson spent five … Continue reading →

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Full Fifth Circuit hears SB4 appeal

Posted on January 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As always, brace yourselves. Three years ago, Texas lawmakers passed a landmark law that would let state police arrest people suspected of having entered the country illegally by crossing the border. Such authority has long been the sole responsibility of the federal … Continue reading →

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SCOTx to hear cable franchise fees appeal

Posted on January 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This is a big deal, with direct impacts on the finances of multiple cities. Texas Supreme Court justices will decide whether two state laws are giving unlawful discounts to cable and telecommunication service providers, resulting in millions in lost revenue … Continue reading →

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Former Uvalde officer acquitted

Posted on January 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. A former police officer was acquitted Wednesday evening of charges he failed in his duties to confront the gunman at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school during the critical opening minutes of what would become one of the deadliest school … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit hears Ten Commandments appeal

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Brace yourselves…From the inbox: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, sitting en banc, heard oral arguments in two cases challenging state laws in Texas and Louisiana that require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. … Continue reading →

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Put Spring ISD on the TEA takeover watch

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t see this coming. Dekaney High School is one failing accountability grade away from a state takeover of Spring ISD, and district leaders told trustees Tuesday that they are pursuing aggressive turnaround efforts at the north Harris County campus. The … Continue reading →

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Three abortion stories

Posted on January 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Two of them at least have the potential to be positive. That’s good, right? Texas court clears path for Planned Parenthood lawsuit challenging state abortion law A Texas appeals court has allowed three Texas Planned Parenthood affiliates to move forward … Continue reading →

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We sure have a lot of mass shooting memorials

Posted on January 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good Lord. This is some upsetting stuff, so stop reading now if this is not something you want to face today. On May 18, 2018, a student entered Santa Fe High School, between Houston and Galveston, and opened fire with … Continue reading →

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That’s a lot of ballot challenges

Posted on January 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

First there was this. Tarrant County Republican Chairman Tim Davis wants seven Democratic judicial candidates running in the March 3 primary election removed from the ballot, saying their candidate filings had several errors. Davis formally challenged the ballot applications and … Continue reading →

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Dallas and Williamson forced to abandon voting centers for Primary Day

Posted on January 10, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. In an about-face, Dallas County Republicans last week decided against hand-counting ballots in Texas’ March primary, saying they weren’t able to line up enough workers, among other hurdles. That leaves just two … Continue reading →

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First trial over Uvalde law enforcement response to begin

Posted on January 7, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

First of two, assuming no plea deals or late-in-the-day dismissals. Former Uvalde schools police Officer Adrian Gonzales was among the first officers to arrive at Robb Elementary in 2022 after a gunman opened fire on students and teachers. Gonzales’ criminal … Continue reading →

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Council proposal to limit HPD cooperation with ICE fails

Posted on January 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m annoyed by this, but it’s not the end of the line. A City Council proposal that would have given Houston police officers discretion over calling federal immigration officials during traffic stops has officially met its demise. The policy change … Continue reading →

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An opening statement on the 2026 elections

Posted on January 4, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This is going to be a somewhat long post about the upcoming elections and my coverage of candidates in the primaries. I’ve got some ground to cover, so settle in. At this time, we have the following elections on the … Continue reading →

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Appeals court upholds restraining order on prosecutor reporting requirements

Posted on January 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The newly created 15th Court of Appeals has upheld a temporary injunction blocking Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to force local district attorneys to give him sweeping access to their prosecutorial data, marking the second time … Continue reading →

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Feds settle lawsuit with Colony Ridge developers

Posted on December 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Federal authorities and the Houston-area developer Colony Ridge have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which the government accused the company of duping Latino homebuyers into seller-financed mortgages that many defaulted on in a scheme that … Continue reading →

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App store age verification law blocked

Posted on December 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

For now, at least. A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new Texas law adding restrictions on children’s use of app stores. Senate Bill 2420, which was supposed to activate on Jan. 1, establishes age verification requirements and mandates parental … Continue reading →

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Help track the book bans

Posted on December 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Are you looking for a way to Do Something in the new year? Here’s a good option for you. Dozens of parents and community members have signed up to help track book bans across the state, by learning how to … Continue reading →

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Hearing for the school DEI ban lawsuit

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s legitimately hard to keep track of all the crappy laws our Legislature passes and the lawsuits filed to block them. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas asked a federal judge Thursday to put a preliminary injunction on a … Continue reading →

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The full slate

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

In case you hadn’t heard. A Democrat is running in every state and federal race on the Texas ballot next year, the first time in modern state history that either party has fielded a full slate of candidates, according to … Continue reading →

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San Antonio will move its elections to November

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good move. San Antonians will cast ballots for municipal elections in November of odd-numbered years — instead of May — beginning in 2029 after a fractured City Council approved the calendar change, a move championed by Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones. … Continue reading →

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A bathroom bill workaround

Posted on December 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I like this approach. One week after the state’s controversial “bathroom bill” took effect, Austin City Council voted Thursday to begin crafting a plan to make city-owned restrooms gender inclusive. The Texas Legislature enacted Senate Bill 8, formally titled the … Continue reading →

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App store age verification lawsuit heard

Posted on December 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Might get a quick ruling on this one. On Tuesday morning, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pitman heard arguments for and against blocking a new law requiring parental consent for children under 18 to use their mobile device’s app store. … Continue reading →

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Time for another Lone Star Rail update

Posted on December 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Because I will always write about Lone Star Rail updates. As Travis County Judge Andy Brown runs for reelection, one of his top campaign priorities is building a train between Austin and San Antonio. “You want trains; I want to … Continue reading →

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Camp Mystic wants the lawsuits against it moved to Kerr County

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Attorneys for Camp Mystic, the Texas Hill Country retreat where 25 children and two counselors were killed in a flash flood on July 4, are trying to move four lawsuits against the camp from Travis County to Kerr County, … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit upholds dismissal of land ownership ban lawsuit

Posted on December 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. On Thursday, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit against Senate Bill 17, a new law that restricts people with citizenship, permanent residence or political ties to China, Russia, … Continue reading →

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