Paxton’s investigation builds upon a probe into Character AI’s data privacy and safety practices announced in December. view article

The state isn’t providing schools with guidance and advocates say students who still qualify for lower rates are being asked to pay thousands more. view article

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Federal funding cuts to immunization efforts and a new law that allows exemption forms to be downloaded, instead of mailed, could drive up exemptions in the future.  Texas school districts are coming back from summer with a rising number of parents asking for vaccine exemption forms and a new law that will make those documents even easier to obtain.  Combined with funding cuts to public vaccination programs, chilling effects of immigration policies on health care, and the wearying battle by school nurses to balance parental consent and overall student body health, Texas schools are on track to have the lowest vaccination rates in decades if exemption rates continue to climb. view article

Speaker Dustin Burrows adds over-the-counter ivermectin as a priority for the House. view article

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a contract to build and run a 5,000-bed tent camp at the Army base in El Paso.  The federal government plans to spend $1.26 billion to build the country's largest immigration detention center at Fort Bliss, an army base in El Paso, according to a contract announced in July.  The U.S. Department of Defense announced that Virginia-based company Acquisition Logistics LLC was given nearly $232 million up front to build and run the 5,000-bed tent camp. The federal agency said work on the facility is expected to be completed by September 2027. According to the ACLU, the Trump administration started to detain people there on Aug. 17. view article

Texas school districts are coming back from summer with a rising number of parents asking for vaccine exemption forms and a new law that will make those documents even easier to obtain.  Combined with funding cuts to public vaccination programs, chilling effects of immigration policies on health care, and the wearying battle by school nurses to balance parental consent and overall student body health, Texas schools are on track to have the lowest vaccination rates in decades if exemption rates continue to climb.  “I do think that there is a problem — period — that is worse than we have known about previously,” said Terri Burke, executive director of The Immunization Partnership, which advocates for public policies that support increased access to vaccines. view article

A second special session that has made approving the map a priority started Friday, shortly after the first one ended.  A Texas Senate panel again cleared a congressional map that aims to create five new Republican districts ahead of the 2026 election, despite hearing overwhelming pushback during a Sunday hearing.  The chamber’s redistricting committee voted 6-3 to advance Senate Bill 4 after more than 40 people told lawmakers that the process was being rushed and that it would dilute people of color’s voting power. One person registered in favor of the bill.  The Texas GOP introduced the rare mid-decade redistricting effort following a push from President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 elections. The legislation now goes to the Senate floor for a full vote.  The proposal approved Sunday offers a similar redrawn map that the committee considered in the first special session. view article

Lawmakers also approved new teacher raises, banned DEI initiatives and gave schools more flexibility to discipline students. view article

Even though the 30-day clock is not set to expire until Tuesday, the House and Senate are expected to adjourn out of the special session today. They will, however, be called immediately by the governor into a second special session that restarts the legislative process.   The Senate has completed all of the work set forth by the governor in the original special session call. In contrast, nothing was accomplished in the House because Democrats—rather than fight—fled out of the state to disrupt the quorum requirements for conducting legislative business.  The governor has said this second special session will have the same agenda, including congressional redistricting.  Speaking at an event in Williamson County yesterday, State Sen. Charles Schwertner said he expects his chamber to move quickly to re-file and pass all the legislation again within the first few days. Constitutionally, the legislative process must start anew with each special session. view article

We break down what new Texas laws are going into effect Sept. 1, 2025. view article

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — U.S. Senator John Cornyn visited El Paso on Monday for a tour of the new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) migrant processing and detention facility at Fort Bliss.  The facility, known as Camp East Montana, or "Lone Star Lockup" as Cornyn called it, branding it in a similar way that the immigration detention facility in Florida was branded the "Alligator Alcatraz," is set to open later in August.  During his visit, Sen. Cornyn reportedly received a briefing on the facility's operations from ICE officials and an update on Fort Bliss operations from General Curtis Taylor.  Cornyn said this new facility is for migrants with criminal convictions or under criminal charges who have no legal basis to being in the country and are under final order of deportation.  Cornyn added that this facility will be for single migrants and no families or children will be kept here. view article

In apparent defiance of state law, an internet platform is providing an avenue for Texans to participate in online sports betting. While other states have been quick to take the company to court, Texas has not.  Kalshi is a platform that allows individuals to purchase event contracts, a highly liquid investment asset, on a Designated Contract Market (DCM). Users can bet on political, economic, and cultural outcomes, among others.  On the website, event contracts are presented as binary options for individuals to wager on their prediction of the outcome of an event, including sports events. The winning prediction receives a payout upon the expiration date. view article

With the first special session winding down and the Texas House still without a quorum, ABC13 in Houston is reporting that House Democrats may soon return to Austin.  The outlet says multiple sources confirmed Democrats plan to come back to the state, though the exact date remains unclear. According to the report, Democrats believe they’ve “accomplished their mission” by stalling the first special session and drawing national attention to Republicans’ mid-decade congressional redistricting effort.  While the exact timing of their return remains uncertain, sources have indicated it could happen as soon as this weekend. view article

The state's top three elected officials — Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows — said Tuesday the Legislature will adjourn its current overtime session on Friday, and the governor will immediately call another special session with an agenda that could include more conservative items.  Lawmakers are poised to finish the session without passing any new laws after Texas House Democrats left the state last week to stop the passage of a new congressional map drawn with an aim of netting five more GOP seats in the U.S. House. view article

Texas Senate advances congressional map on a vote of 19 to 2  - 9 were absent because most Senate Democrats left the chamber before the vote in protest. On the floor, Sen. Zaffirini said she would postpone asking questions about the map until the next special session. Patrick said "hopefully we won't have another special."

The tests would be administered at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. But the proposal’s fate is unclear with the House in limbo over a redistricting fight. view article

Since Democratic lawmakers left Texas to delay Republicans’ new map, state leaders have challenged the limits of traditional democratic norms to break the impasse.  For Jim Dunnam, the last few weeks have felt like déjà vu. The Waco attorney led the Texas House Democrats in 2003 when they walked out over Republicans’ mid-decade redraw of the state’s congressional map. Then, it was U.S. House Majority Leader Tom Delay pushing Texas legislators to eke out a few more seats for the Republicans.  “This is exactly the same fundamental issue,” Dunnam said. “It’s got nothing to do with Texas, or helping Texans. This is pure strong arm from Washington.” view article

Republicans who are censured by their county party leaders may be blocked from the primary ballot under a new party rule passed last year, that is expected to be tested by the courts. view article

Republicans who are censured by their county party leaders may be blocked from the primary ballot under a new party rule passed last year, that is expected to be tested by the courts. view article

Today, members of the Legislature representing majority communities of color have fled the state utilizing a legislative tool called quorum breaking.  How it works: The Texas Constitution requires two-thirds of members to be present to conduct legislative work. It also deems special sessions to run for 30 days, so on August 20 the special session will end — whether or not any bills have passed or not.  Why it matters: The state constitution requires a quorum, and allows for quorum breaks as a legitimate legislative tactic to preserve the integrity of the institution against outsized influence.  Historically, House and Senate members have used this tool of last resort to prevent legislative actions deemed egregiously unfair. Quorum breaks have been used before to protect voting rights and ensure fair representation when both were under threat.  In 2003, House and Senate members broke quorum to oppose mid-decade redistricting and in 2021, House members broke quorum to oppose restrictive voting proposals. In both cases, members returned and the legislation passed.  What's next: The governor may call another 30-day special session. At that point the process would start all over. view article

Texas Sands has been sitting on more than $9 million in cash ahead of the elections.  After dumping millions into the 2024 election cycle and coming up short, Las Vegas Sands appears ready to roll the dice again.  New financial disclosures show that Texas Sands PAC, the Texas-based political arm of the casino giant, has more than $9 million in cash on hand heading into the upcoming election season. That money comes almost entirely from Miriam Adelson, the billionaire owner of Las Vegas Sands and majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks. view article

The office will facilitate grants for nuclear ventures. view article

The proposal would put tighter limits on how much property tax revenue cities and counties of a certain size can collect each year.  The Texas Senate advanced a proposal Wednesday aimed at gut-checking city and county property tax bills as Republican lawmakers seek ways to rein in the state’s high property taxes.  But the bill faces an uncertain future in the state House, where lawmaking has stalled as Democratic House members have booked it out of the state to thwart a GOP-led redistricting push sought by President Donald Trump. The redrawing of congressional lines is meant to shore up the number of Republican seats and stave off any potential losses in next year’s midterm elections.  Texas senators voted 18-3 to approve Senate Bill 9, which would tighten state limits on how much more in property tax revenue cities and counties can collect each year without asking voters. That limit stands at 3.5% right now. The bill would further limit that growth to 2.5% — though only for cities and counties with at least 75,000 residents. view article

The Texas Senate advanced a proposal Wednesday aimed at gut-checking city and county property tax bills as Republican lawmakers seek ways to rein in the state’s high property taxes.  But the bill faces an uncertain future in the state House, where lawmaking has stalled as Democratic House members have booked it out of the state to thwart a GOP-led redistricting push sought by President Donald Trump. The redrawing of congressional lines is meant to shore up the number of Republican seats and stave off any potential losses in next year’s midterm elections.  Texas senators voted 18-3 to approve Senate Bill 9, which would tighten state limits on how much more in property tax revenue cities and counties can collect each year without asking voters. That limit stands at 3.5% right now. The bill would further limit that growth to 2.5% — though only for cities and counties with at least 75,000 residents. view article

Over the next two years, Texas’ nearly 9,000 public schools will receive about $8.4 billion in new funding after Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 2 into law in June.  The overview: Nearly half of that funding will be spent on raises for educators and support staff, such as bus drivers, janitors and librarians. State lawmakers estimated in May that schools will receive “north of $17,700” per student under the long-negotiated school funding package—up from about $15,502 in the 2022-23 school year, according to Texas Education Agency data.  The funding increase comes as some school Texas districts across Community Impact’s coverage areas grapple with growing budget shortfalls, leading some districts to consider closing campuses, cutting staff and slashing elective courses. view article

The Texas Supreme Court said in 2021 the Constitution allows members to thwart legislation by leaving the state. Abbott wants them to reconsider. Texas Democrats had been out of state for less than 48 hours when Gov. Greg Abbott moved to have their seats declared vacant. The emergency legal filing represents an unprecedented escalation of Abbott’s effort to pass a new congressional map that adds additional GOP seats, as demanded by President Donald Trump. It flies in the face of Texas’ own founding documents, centuries of legal precedent and a recent Supreme Court of Texas ruling, legal experts say. Even Attorney General Ken Paxton, a fellow Republican, threw cold water on Abbott’s strategy, filing his own brief saying that while he “appreciates the Governor’s passion,” he does not have the authority to bring this type of case. view article

Texas House Democrats have fled the state to block Republicans from redrawing congressional districts in a bid to flip five U.S. House seats held by Democrats. Their departure deprives the Texas Legislature’s lower chamber from the number of members needed to pass legislation and leaves the current special legislative session in limbo. view article

In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor speak with state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, about her and her colleagues’ decision to flee the state, the potential financial and criminal penalties and her opposition to the state’s proposed new congressional map. view article

The situation is an opportunity for the speaker to bolster his credibility with the right, but he has limited tools to combat a prolonged Democratic absence. view article

House Bill 1481 is a new state law that requires public and charter schools to adopt policies restricting personal device use during instructional time. Students at all Texas campuses are banned from using personal electronic devices—including cellphones, smartwatches, tablets, earbuds and headphones—from when they arrive until the last bell rings. The bill does provide some flexibility for school districts, allowing them to decide whether to allow cellphone use during extracurricular activities. Schools can also decide whether to restrict cell phone use by prohibiting students from bringing their devices to school or designating a “secure storage” space. view article

At least six Texas House Democrats are in Austin, as sergeants fan out to bring truant members back to the Capitol.  Speaker Pro Tempore Joe Moody, D-El Paso, checked in at the quorum call. So did Democratic Reps. Terry Canales of Edinburg, Oscar Longoria of Mission, Armando Martinez of Weslaco and Richard Raymond of Laredo. Sergio Muñoz of Mission failed to register present but was on the floor. Multiple members say Bobby Guerra of Mission was also in the Capitol.  Canales and at least two other Democrats have met with Speaker Dustin Burrows “to talk about what sort of changes we could institute to the maps,” Canales told The Blast. During his press conference later, Burrows declined to comment on his conversations with Democrats, and the speaker’s office did not confirm Canales’ claim. view article

While the Democrats could technically derail the GOP’s redistricting map, such efforts have been largely symbolic and had limited success blocking past legislation, experts say. view article

Under district guidelines, students must keep devices powered off and out of sight from campus arrival until dismissal, including during lunch and transitions. Houston Independent School District has unveiled a comprehensive cell phone policy prohibiting student use of personal devices during the entire school day, aligning with a new Texas law to curb electronic interruptions in public schools.  The policy, effective for the 2025-2026 school year, comes as districts statewide grapple with implementing the legislation passed during the 89th Legislative Session, which mandates bans on cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, and similar devices to enhance focus and academic performance.  Under Houston ISD’s guidelines, students must keep devices powered off and out of sight from campus arrival until dismissal, including during lunch and transitions.  view article

The tests would be administered at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. But the proposal’s fate is unclear with the House in limbo over a redistricting fight.  Lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate introduced Monday similar bills to scrap the state’s standardized test, signaling newfound agreement between chamber leaders to finish a task they left incomplete earlier this year.  This year’s special legislative session is legislators’ second chance to revamp the test after negotiations between chambers on STAAR broke down in the final hours of the regular session.  But whether they’ll succeed remains uncertain. The proposal — like every other bill under consideration during the special session — is in limbo after Texas House Democrats fled the state over redistricting, depriving the chamber of the number of members required to advance any legislation. view article