A Caucus, if You Can Keep It
How small must their influence grow before House Democrats break with their collaborationist tradition?
Politics
Texas House Passes Raft of Dan Patrick Priorities Imposing Conservative Mandates on Public Ed
In the final days of session, the lower chamber voted to further advance the classroom culture wars.
Texas Set to Create State Bitcoin Reserve
The latest version of the bill includes a previously nixed provision to allow Texans to donate crypto to the fund.
Texas Already Gives Public Ed Dollars to Private Operators. Here’s How That Worked Out.
The state created “Texas Partnership” charter schools to turn around struggling public campuses, but an Observer investigation has uncovered numerous academic and financial issues.
Harrison the Huckster
The right-wing state rep has led an army of one on a self-righteous crusade in the Texas House.
Will Dan Patrick’s Senate Stymie Fentanyl Test Strip Legalization (Again)?
Legislation to allow some forms of drug checking has reached the same Senate committee where a similar bill died last session—two years and at least 3,200 Texas overdose deaths ago.
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The High Cost of Texas’ Property Tax Cut-and-Run Politics
Biennial promises of “relief” are just window dressing on a broken taxation system.
The Crypto Racket
Public officials at all levels are propping up a Texas Bitcoin mining boom that’s threatening water and energy systems while afflicting locals with noise pollution.
The Lege’s ‘Big Government Intrusion’ into University Academics
Expanding on last session's anti-DEI campus crackdown, Republicans are now going after gender and ethnic studies programs and faculty independence.