Tag Archives: The Lege

House passes Abbott’s voucher bill

Posted on April 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. The Texas House gave initial approval early Thursday to a bill that would create a $1 billion private school voucher program, crossing a historic milestone and bringing Gov. Greg Abbott’s top legislative priority closer than ever to reaching his … Continue reading →

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A possible wrench in the voucher engine

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I approve. House Democrats are threatening to kill all constitutional amendments for the rest of session unless the House votes to put school vouchers before voters in November. They appear to have the numbers to make good on that special … Continue reading →

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A high school transfer portal

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Almost certainly not going to happen, at least this session, but an interesting thought experiment. House Bill 619 is a straightforward two-page document. But the ramifications of its potential passing would drastically alter the landscape of high school sports in … Continue reading →

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Taking from Harris to give to Houston

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This story from Tuesday perplexed me a little at first. Harris County would have to turn over tens of millions in toll road dollars to the city of Houston for use on public safety and emergency services under a bill … Continue reading →

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Can we make HPD more efficient?

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

You’d think that would be a thing we’d all want. Mayor John Whitmire has made clear he intends to boost salaries and benefits for Houston police officers in their new union contract, but those increases will not be tied to … Continue reading →

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Paxton whistleblowers get what they asked for

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them, and good in general. A Travis County district court judge on Friday awarded $6.6 million to four former senior aides to Attorney General Ken Paxton who said they were improperly fired after reporting Paxton to the FBI. … Continue reading →

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TEA can release 2023 A-F accountability ratings

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. A judge ruled Thursday that the Texas Education Agency can release its 2023 A-F school accountability ratings for the state’s public school districts, overturning a previous injunction issued in response to a lawsuit from more than 120 districts. The … Continue reading →

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A win for protecting the right to travel

Posted on April 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, but the legal fight is far from over. The state of Alabama cannot prosecute groups that help people leave the state for an abortion, a federal judge ruled late Monday. The decision — one of the first to … Continue reading →

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Some plaintiffs drop out of redistricting litigation

Posted on March 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunate but not unexpected. Two months before a scheduled trial, a coalition of voting rights groups is withdrawing from a long-running challenge to the political maps Texas drew after the 2020 U.S. census, which the groups said diluted the voting power of … Continue reading →

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Beware the trojan “abortion exceptions” bill

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Jessica Valenti warns us. Texas Republicans are poised to pull a fast one: They’ve convinced Democrats and doctors to support a bill they claim will protect life-saving abortion care and ‘clarify’ the state’s ban. But the rapidly advancing “Life of … Continue reading →

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Yeah, we won’t get the CD18 election until November

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the conclusion to draw from this Trib story. Three weeks after U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s death and just over a month before the state’s next uniform election, Gov. Greg Abbott has not yet called a special election to fill … Continue reading →

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Draggieland unbanned

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked Texas A&M University System from enforcing a ban on drag shows being held at its special event venues. This means Draggieland will go on as planned on Thursday at the flagship university’s … Continue reading →

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El Paso’s wastewater recycling plant

Posted on March 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Dealing with our state’s water needs will require lots of different types of solutions. By 2028, El Pasoans will begin receiving water from a $295 million advanced water purification plant that will convert treated wastewater into drinking water, the first … Continue reading →

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Yet another part of the omnibus vote suppression law struck down

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s taken awhile, but I can’t argue with the outcome. A federal judge in San Antonio has ruled that the state of Texas’ ID requirements for mail ballot applications are unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez on Thursday found that … Continue reading →

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The uncertified teacher boom

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Lege creates problems for the Lege to try to fix. Lawmakers want to turn the tide on the growing number of unprepared and uncertified teachers by restricting who can lead Texas classrooms. But school leaders worry those limits will … Continue reading →

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Senate passes Dan Patrick’s THC ban bill

Posted on March 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

You may want to stock up now if this would affect you. The Texas Senate on Wednesday passed a state ban on all forms of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, advancing a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to crack down on … Continue reading →

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Bill to ban cellphones at schools proposed

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s got a lot of support early on. Lawmakers want Texas to join a growing number of states in restricting public school students from using their cellphones during the school day, answering calls from educators who say the state needs … Continue reading →

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And here comes the voluntary retirement plan

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like the obvious move. In a letter sent to city employees Thursday, [Mayor John] Whitmire wrote that the city will be offering a “one-time Voluntary Municipal Retirement Payout Option” to employees who are eligible for retirement. The plan will … Continue reading →

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An overview of our state water situation

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s pretty bad. Texas officials fear the state is gravely close to running out of water. Towns and cities could be on a path toward a severe shortage of water by 2030, data compiled in the state’s 2022 water plan … Continue reading →

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Paxton opines against birth certificate and drivers license changes

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This fuckin’ guy… State agencies should not honor court orders to change the sex on someone’s driver’s license or birth certificate, according to an opinion filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Friday. He also said state agencies should retroactively … Continue reading →

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Measles update: Hello, Oklahoma

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas count tops 250 and keeps on climbing. The measles outbreak that began in the South Plains region of Texas grew to 259 cases and spread to two more counties on Friday, health officials said. The latest update from … Continue reading →

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Get rid of the delinquent tax collectors

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad Harris County is out of this business. Texas has the seventh-highest property taxes in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation, an unwelcome distinction state officials have for years tried to shed as they have repeatedly promised to … Continue reading →

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Justice Department drops Texas redistricting lawsuit

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. The U.S. Justice Department withdrew from a lawsuit alleging that Texas’ legislative and congressional district maps drawn after the 2020 U.S. census discriminated against Latino and Black voters by denying them an equal opportunity to participate … Continue reading →

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Of course some companies will make bank on school vouchers

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

That’s just how this works. In August 2024, the business magazine Inc. released its annual list of the top 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States. At 815th, a burgeoning upstart called ClassWallet cracked the list’s top 20 percent for the third straight … Continue reading →

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Once again, don’t bet on expanded gambling

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the safest wager out there. A dozen Texas House Republicans who replaced pro-gambling lawmakers said this week they would oppose “any attempt to expand gambling” this session — a setback for efforts to legalize casinos and sports betting in … Continue reading →

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Texas measles case count up to 223

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Just a brief update this time. Texas’ measles outbreak has grown to 223 cases, the state reported Tuesday morning. The outbreak began in Gaines County, near the New Mexico border. The reported cases have not spread outside of West Texas and the Panhandle, according … Continue reading →

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Rural Texas’ scramble to respond to the measles outbreak

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have a lot of sympathy during these trying times, but there’s a reason for all this, and we should be clear about it. Five years ago, Melanie Richburg used a roll of duct tape, a HEPA filter and a … Continue reading →

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Bill to fix joint primary problem introduced

Posted on March 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Worth watching. What happened? Texas state senators Thursday held a public hearing on legislation crafted to update a 2023 law requiring certain counties to drastically increase the number of polling locations if they use vote centers for countywide voting. Last … Continue reading →

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Measles case count tops 200

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And still going strong. The measles outbreak in West Texas has soared to 198 cases, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported Friday. In New Mexico, 30 cases have been reported in Lea County, which borders Gaines County, of as Friday. Twenty-three … Continue reading →

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Uvalde legislator files bill to improve police response to the next Uvalde situations

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. State Rep. Don McLaughlin, who was mayor of Uvalde when a gunman tore through the town’s peace and killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school, has filed a bill aimed at addressing some of the … Continue reading →

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Here comes the CDC

Posted on March 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good to know we still have one of those. A measles outbreak in Texas has grown to 159 cases, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is now on the ground in that state to respond. … Continue reading →

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Time for a measles update

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

One forty-six. And counting. The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in western Texas has grown to 146, according to new data released Friday. Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or individuals whose vaccination status … Continue reading →

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Turning office space into coliving space

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Definitely worth considering. Nationwide, commercial vacancies are becoming increasingly noteworthy as the gulf between residential rental rates and stagnant wages widens. Low-income earners, folks making between $20,000 and $30,000 annually (typically minimum wage employees, students and seniors living on Social … Continue reading →

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HISD’s looming school closures

Posted on February 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Boy is this going to be fun. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles plans in the coming months to propose closing an undisclosed number of schools in the summer of 2026, as the district faces a tight budget and enrollment losses. … Continue reading →

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