Progress Texas Podcasts

Governor Abbott, so far, has held true to his threat to keep the Texas Legislature in Austin - in many cases, hundreds of miles away from their homes, families, jobs and businesses - until they finally cave on multiple decades of resistance to school vouchers. We're proud to be joined by two lawmakers with a front row seat to Abbott's charade: Senator Sarah Eckhardt of Austin and Rep. Jame...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: A national energy analysis shows that ERCOT remains vulnerable to natural gas-related outages in freezing weather as winter approaches: https://www.kvue.com/article/weather/texas-grid-conditions-this-winter/269-d0171aff-35e8-44b9-b259-10b69c8e9153#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16998983290299&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.googl...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: A bill including private school vouchers was approved in committee on Friday and is likely to see a full vote on the House floor: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/10/texas-house-vote-committee-school-vouchers/ Abbott's stubbornness on vouchers is related to his national political ambitions: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: "Texas Republican Civil War" continues into the fourth "special" session: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/texas-republican-civil-war-in-new-phase-with-fourth-special-session-17847543 ...While private school voucher opponents, for now, are unswayed: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/09/texas-house-vouchers-educat...

Here in Texas, we watch from afar as state after state after state embraces the therapeutic and financial benefits of marijuana decriminalization. Many of us have resigned ourselves to the idea that the Lone Star State is simply and probably permanently a no-fun zone - but, medical cannabis IS a reality here, though most of us don't realize the opportunity exists. We welcome Terrence Baugh of...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: The fourth special session this year is stretching the patience of Texas lawmakers to the brink: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/08/texas-legislature-fourth-special-session/ Voter turnout was strong for an off-year election: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/about/newsreleases/2023/110823.shtml ...Especially in North Texas: https://www.dal...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Last night's election results yielded both great and not-so-great news regarding those 14 constitutional amendment propositions: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/11/07/us/elections/results-texas.html Both of our endorsed candidates in Houston's local elections go to runoffs on December 9, including mayoral candidate Sheila...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Voter turnout is up for this off-cycle election in North Texas: https://www.keranews.org/government/2023-11-06/early-voting-doubled-in-north-texas-for-this-years-constitutional-amendment-election-heres-why ...But across the state, it's pretty typically dismal: https://www.kxan.com/news/your-local-election-hq/why-texas-constitutional-a...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: As the end of the current special session looms tomorrow, Texas Republicans are continuing their press for private school vouchers: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/03/texas-house-school-vouchers-funding/ ...While odious immigration reform bills appear to be on hold for the NEXT special session: https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/202...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: A dark money operation funded by Tim Dunn of Defend Texas Liberty is pushing against a desperately-needed school bond proposal in Midland: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/02/tim-dunn-move-midland-school-bond/ Moves made two decades ago to make certification to teach elementary school in Texas had the side effect of driving down wages...

Running for office is a daunting decision - even more so for progressives in a state like Texas, where via gerrymandering and other tactics, Republicans have entrenched their power despite (and because of) their ever-dwindling popularity. Two North Texas Democrats - Francine Ly and Sam Eppler - have both risen to that challenge by running against U.S. House Rep. Beth Van Duyne, one of the worst MA...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: That monumental deal on school vouchers announced a couple of days ago by Governor Greg Abbott has thus far failed to materialize at the Capitol: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/01/texas-house-dade-phelan-school-vouchers-greg-abbott/ While a timely op-ed by D/FW spiritual leaders gives even more insight on why vouchers are a bad idea...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: An announcement yesterday by Governor Greg Abbott on a voucher breakthrough is news to voucher opponents, whose positions have not changed, at least publicly: https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/abbott-school-voucher-deal-18459828.php ...Meanwhile a ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by Texas business owners heads to Abbott's d...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: After an eight-year delay, a trial date is set for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, indicted on securities fraud charges - April 15, 2024: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/10/30/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxtons-criminal-trial-set-for-april-15/ A federal judge has ordered federal border agents to stop cutting razor wire -...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: As a new week begins, the line against vouchers at the special session is holding...for now: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/san-angelo-republican-school-voucher-program-doa-texas-house-without-major-increase-public-school-funding/287-75354955-4380-41dc-af8e-3c77a6906c4b ...While religious schools...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: New immigration bills, which will pave the way for regular harassment of Texas Latinos, continue towards the Governor's desk: https://www.axios.com/2023/10/26/texas-migrants-border-arrest-bill ...While Houston Representative Armando Walle becomes a touchstone of his community's frustration: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/texa...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Houston Rep. Armando Walle had strong words for House Republicans after debate over harsh new immigration laws was cut short: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/25/texas-legislature-house-immigration-bills/ ...While GOP efforts for vouchers appear to have made little progress: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/25/texas-vouchers-house...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Both Republican U.S. Reps Pete Sessions and Roger Williams have seen their aspirations to become Speaker of the House dashed: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/10/24/pete-sessions-us-speaker-race-texas/ Ken Paxton sues the Biden administration, this time for removing deadly razor wire from the border: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/24/politi...

Progress Texas is proud to endorse former Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins in his run for Houston City Controller - a somewhat low-profile but pivotal position in the government of our state's biggest and most diverse city. His performance during the pandemic election of 2020 was outstanding - so much so, that Republicans have been doing all they can to undermine the voters of Houston ever si...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: The state's lawsuit will go to trial in April, following a ruling by anti-abortion activist judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo: https://news.yahoo.com/planned-parenthood-must-face-trial-005536520.html ...While Lubbock County becomes the fourth, and largest so far, Texas county to establish a so-called "abortion travel ban":...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Early voting on 14 constitutional amendment propositions and a variety of local matters begins today! Learn all about voting in Texas at https://govotetexas.org/ , and grab our handy guide to those 14 amendments at https://progresstexas.org/2023-texas-statewide-ballot-guide . The special session nears its third week - the lower amount of...

Who's ready to VOTE? We sure are - and with early voting starting Monday, with tons on the line - key funding for Texas' retired teachers and state parks, a big oil money grab to block, major races in Houston and elsewhere across Texas - we figured it was a great time to host a guest episode of Pod Bless Texas, hosted by our pal and fresh-faced groom Kendall Scuddar, and featuring our own...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Democrats in the Texas House present a solid school funding package, which of course is near-guaranteed to be ignored by the GOP majority: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/10/19/texas-legislature-house-democrats-unveil-school-funding-bill-hb117/71240474007/ ...While Republican House members present another iteratio...

Next month's election - early voting actually starts on Monday, October 23 - is what we like to call a "low-turnout/high impact" election. Meaning, since few Texans (unfortunately) are likely to show up, YOUR vote carries a LOT more weight than it would in a higher-turnout situation. Ironically, these quieter elections are frequently the most significant opportunities Texans have to...

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: A coalition of progressive groups gathered at the Capitol for a news conference stating opposition to school vouchers yesterday: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2023/10/18/our-taxes-shouldnt-be-paying-for-discrimination-activists-speak-to-equity-support-concerns-in-school/71232595007/ Jim Jordan is even further short o...