Texas Standard

Redistricting seems like the entire political conversation in Texas right now, so it’s probably no surprise it’s influencing the U.S. Senate race. Texas received millions in federal funding for adult education programs, but it was uncertain and came several weeks late. What are the impacts of programs that give money, with no strings attached, to people and […] The post Why polic...

Gov. Greg Abbott threatens a concurrent second special session with a Democratic walkout still underway. Is there any end in sight? Details from a new release of materials withheld by Uvalde County and the Uvalde school district in the wake of the 2022 Robb Elementary school shooting. What’s behind a massive growth in virtual schooling in Texas? W.F. […] The post Virtual public school...

Undocumented college students in Texas are no longer eligible for in-state tuition. As the new semester starts, many are in limbo. As we keep an eye on the special session where Texas Democrats broke quorum, a look at another state – Oregon – where Republican lawmakers staged a walkout. A new state law that bans cell phones, […] The post No phones, devices in classrooms as Texas students ret...

Just one more full week is left in the Texas Legislature’s special session, and with House Democrats away, what happens next? Some of those Democrats have decamped to California, which is now mulling a possible redistricting effort to offset potential Republican gains in the midterms. The IRS says churches can now endorse candidates, a move that could […] The post Dinosaur tracks uncov...

Texas’ redistricting fight is has spread past state lines. New federal legislation aims to ban mid-decade congressional redistricting, and the brawl looks likely to impact upcoming elections and the 2028 presidential race. San Antonio is planning a massive sports and entertainment district, including a new arena for the Spurs, a convention center expansion and more – […] The post Charley Cro...

While the Texas House remains stalled due to a quorum break, the Senate continues its work, advancing a key education bill that could eliminate STAAR testing statewide. Texas is seeing a boom in data centers driven by AI and crypto – but the growth comes with major energy and water demands. Thanks to a $1 billion voter-approved […] The post State parks are getting bigger and better appeared...

Texas Democrats are facing legal threats and potential action from the FBI for fleeing the state during the special session. Concerns about artificial intelligence are coming to a head with the most recent round of college graduates. How it’s disrupting the job market. A proposed expansion for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in the Panhandle had been […] The post Muleshoe Refuge...

The high-stakes battle over redistricting continues. Why Democratic Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins took the risk and left the state. Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to remove Democratic lawmakers from their seats for leaving during a special session, but can he legally do that? The history of partisan gerrymandering in the Lone Star State. Why Texas has become a professional […] The post A cent...

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers have left the state so the Texas House would not have a quorum, trying to derail a redistricting plan that could add five more congressional seats for Republicans in the midterms. Harvest season is arriving in South Texas, but many cotton farmers are still reeling from drought, inflation, and weakened […] The post Texas Democrats flee state, break quorum ove...

Why weren’t Hill Country communities alerted as a deadly wall of water roared down the Guadalupe on the weekend of July 4th? In their first public testimony on the floods, top emergency officials in Kerr County said they were away or asleep. Voting the old-fashioned way? A return to hand-marked ballots in Collin County is […] The post Kerr County emergency officials were sleeping when...

What we’re now learning about what happened – and what didn’t – before the Hill Country floods. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy has the details. Plus: Flood survivors are asking lawmakers meeting in special session right now to tap the state’s $24 billion rainy day fund to help them meet their immediate needs. Even without a […] The post Food banks struggle to meet r...

Are Democratic lawmakers on the verge of a walkout to stop Republicans from redistricting during the special session? We’ll have the latest. We’re also tracking possible federal funding cuts to legal aid organizations that could leave thousands of Texans who can’t afford a lawyer without the help they need. Going beyond armed security guards, some […] The post Why ‘Don’t Ca...

The Trump administration releases billions of dollars in education grants it previously withheld. What it means as students head back to school. How the U.S. military is responding to a new kind of warfare that uses small, inexpensive drones. The story of a Cuban man who raised a family in Texas and spent years working […] The post Houston archaeologists uncover tomb of ancient Maya ruler ap...

A peek into the week ahead for the Texas Legislature’s special session: We’ll hear the latest on a much-talked-about possible walkout by Democrats. A plan to relieve congestion in Austin was approved by voters years ago – but so far, there’s not much to show for it. Is Project Connect off the rails? The rollback […] The post Black farmers in East Texas feel the sting of DEI...

As Texas lawmakers move to consider regulations on THC products, what’s legal, and what’s not? KUT News reporter Nathan Bernier joins us to break it down. As many see the future of energy as cleaner renewables, why many in the city of Port Arthur are pinning their hopes for a comeback – on oil. At […] The post Ben Kweller on grief, music and ‘Cover the Mirrors’ appeared first on...

Texas lawmakers hear 12 hours of testimony as they take up what happened before during and after the devastating Hill Country floods. Repeated plans to improve flood warning systems were repeatedly scuttled in the years leading up to the July 4th weekend. Neena Satija of the Houston Chronicle with what she’s learning about why. As the Americans […] The post The ADA turns 35: What true...

The Epstein controversy has federal lawmakers taking an early recess, putting off important business. Summer heat means some Texans have to choose between paying for air conditioning or basic necessities. Is a violent protest at an ICE facility in North Texas the new normal as the country copes with a rise in extremism? What’s happening in Harris County […] The post Families are cuttin...

Over the weekend, the number of missing in the Texas Hill Country dropped drastically. What happened? Checking in with those whose livelihood is at stake after the flood, including farmers and ranchers in the region. Why so many Texans don’t have flood insurance. The governor ordered an end to remote work for state employees, but now he’s backtracking. […] The post Ag commissione...

Lawmakers recently ended a regular session of the Texas Legislature, but on this Monday, they’re back. They call it a special session: 30 days to complete a long list of action items including a response to the Hill Country flooding, the regulation of THC consumables, and a rare mid-decade push for redistricting that has some […] The post Texas lawmakers begin special session focused o...

As lawmakers return to Austin for a special session, who got the most accomplished in the regular? Why the numbers don’t tell the whole story. With state legislators set to take up flood relief and related matters, we’ll hear how the region’s fairing two weeks after those deadly flash floods, and we’ll hear about efforts concentrated […] The post The rise of Maren Mor...

As lawmakers get ready to return to the Capitol in a special session, a new report shows billions more are needed to address flooding. Who are the most productive lawmakers in the Legislature? The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey takes a closer look. Remember when there were growing concerns about a population explosion? In a new book, UT […] The post Who really got things done at the Le...

Online rumors are blaming cloud seeding for the deadly Texas floods, even though the science doesn’t support it. Along with flood recovery and THC regulation, Texas lawmakers are tasked with redrawing congressional districts in their special session. The connection to racial gerrymandering. Volunteers and rescue workers have descended on the Hill Country to help with flood recovery […] The p...

With the Hill Country devastated by deadly floods, many are asking: What’s a 100-year or 1,000-year flood, and are these terms outdated? A closer look at how first responders from Mexico are helping in Kerr County. A new report from the University of Texas at El Paso warns of growing job losses in Juárez’s maquiladora industry. The health […] The post Climatologist explains what ‘1,000-year...

More rain pummels the waterlogged Hill Country, putting a pause on search efforts and bringing a new wave of weather warnings to the region. We’ll talk with James Hartley of KERA, who’s been in Kerrville this weekend. Stuffed animals are strewn across flood-ravaged Texas. People are trying to get them to their owners. The Trump administration is […] The post Trucking industry fac...

A week after the Hill Country floods, the president and first lady will visit Kerr County as the search for the missing continues and storms are in the forecast for the weekend. Talking to kids about tragedy: A Dallas-based pediatric psychologist on how to deal with their questions and their anxieties. Gov. Greg Abbott has added flood […] The post In wake of Hill Country floods, how to talk...