Topics
Raising the Bars
Texans Could Soon Be Jailed for Flying Drones over Oil Facilities, Animal Factory Farms
“It’s taking a law that’s already unconstitutional and making it worse,” said one media attorney.
Texans caught flying drones over oil and gas well pads, cell towers and large animal feeding operations could face jail time starting September 1. Critics of th...Read More
Texas Bill Could Send People to Jail for Driving a Woman to an Abortion, Lawmaker Says
A sweeping anti-abortion bill leaves prosecutors wide discretion over who is charged for unlawful abortions.
Representative Joe Moody, a former prosecutor, was sure there’d been a mistake. The sweeping anti-abortion bill that passed the Texas House May 19 could allow...Read More
Endangered Science
Can Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar oversee objective scientific research into rare species? Or is he rigging the process to keep them off the endangered list, as his critics charge?
Lars Letaru From the looks of them, it’s hard to imagine that the smooth pimpleback, the Texas fawnsfoot or the Texas fatmucket could threaten the Texas econo...Read More
Bathroom Wars Prove Dan Patrick’s Dominance over Texas Legislature
More than ever, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is pulling the strings at the Capitol.
There was something very peculiar about the proceedings of the Texas House Sunday night, even amid a session that has scored high in casual cruelty and procedur...Read More
After Freedom Caucus Kills Her Legislation, Lawmaker Announces Anti-‘Lunch Shaming’ Campaign
Feeding Texas is now collecting donations to help pay off school lunch debts and encourage schools to adopt more generous meal policies.
Feeding Texas is now collecting donations to help pay off school lunch debts and encourage schools to adopt more generous meal policies....Read More
Two Blatant Lies from Governor Greg Abbott’s ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Op-Ed
The governor published a counterfactual editorial Friday about the anti-“sanctuary cities” bill.
Governor Greg Abbott published an editorial in the San Antonio Express-News Friday defending Senate Bill 4 — the anti-“sanctuary cities” law that critics ...Read More
Two North Texas Evangelicals Ask: Who Would Jesus Deport?
While white evangelicals remain the main religious supporters of draconian anti-immigrant measures, two prominent North Texas evangelicals are pushing back.
While white evangelicals remain the main religious supporters of draconian anti-immigrant measures, two prominent North Texas evangelicals are pushing back....Read More
In Passing ‘Bathroom Bill,’ Joe Straus’ House ‘Rolled’ By Dan Patrick
“We are being rolled by the Senate, and trans children are part of that bargain,” said Representative Celia Israel.
In the final days of the 85th Texas Legislature, the House bent to the will of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick by approving a version of the anti-transgender ba...Read More
This Week: As Legislature Hits Home Stretch, Dan Patrick Focuses on Bathrooms
A "Donald Trump-style temper tantrum" is how one Democrat described Patrick's stunt.
Keep up with the Observer’s sharp reporting on the Legislature and throughout Texas with this weekly newsletter. Lieutenant Governor and Chief of Bathroom...Read More