Long-awaited raise for Texas judges in limbo over legislative pension clash

Latest News

• Effort to curb personal injury lawsuit payouts dies in the Texas Legislature

  By Sameea Kamal Updated: 3 minutes ago

  The goal of the bill, according to the author, was to curb “nuclear verdicts” — ones that award victims $10 million or more. Full Story 

• Texas lawmakers to allow smaller homes on smaller lots

  By Joshua Fechter 45 minutes ago

  State legislators passed an array of bills this year aimed at reining in the state’s high home prices and rents. Full Story 

• Bill to scrap STAAR test dies in the Texas Legislature

  By Sneha Dey 1 hour ago

  The state standardized test has long been criticized for taking instructional time away from teachers and putting unnecessary pressure on students. Full Story 

• Democrats lash out as Legislature bans school clubs that support gay teens

  By Sofia Sorochinskaia May 31, 2025

  Tensions flared and the debate turned personal as Republicans said their bill empowered parents and denied predictions that the ban will endanger children. Full Story 

• Bill giving Texas parents, school boards more control over library books heads to Gov. Greg Abbott

  By Ayden Runnels Updated: May 31, 2025

  Senate Bill 13 would require school boards or advisory councils to approve new books and review complaints. In most cases only 50 parents’ approval would be needed to create the oversight councils. Full Story 

• Bill to give political appointees more oversight over Texas universities wins final passage

  By Jessica Priest and Sneha Dey Updated: May 31, 2025

  The latest version of the proposal eliminates language that would have required university curricula not to advocate that “any race, sex, ethnicity or religious belief is inherently superior to another.” Full Story 

• Texas’ DEI ban on public schools heads back to lawmakers for one last test

  By Sofia Sorochinskaia Updated: May 30, 2025

  Senate Bill 12’s supporters say DEI programs use class time and public funds to promote political agendas. The proposal could soon go to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Full Story 

• Legislature clears the way for Texas Lottery to continue under a different state agency

  By Ayden Runnels Updated: May 30, 2025

  SB 3070, which awaits Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature, would move the lottery game to Texas’ Department of Licensing and Regulation and includes new restrictions on ticket purchases. Full Story 

• Bill that would ban cellphones in Texas public schools heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk

  By Sofia Sorochinskaia May 30, 2025

  Research shows cellphones interfere with students' ability to focus in class. Texas would join at least nine other states that ban students from using their phones during the school day. Full Story 

• Starbase, Texas' newest city, has liftoff; seeks $1.5 million loan from Elon Musk’s SpaceX

  By Berenice Garcia May 30, 2025

  City leaders held their first public meetings this week since voters approved the South Texas city’s incorporation. Full Story 

• UT-Dallas’ new president will be Prabhas Moghe, regents say

  By Sofia Sorochinskaia Updated: May 30, 2025

  Moghe, Rutgers University’s chief academic officer, is a biochemical and biomedical engineer and a former international student. He is expected to start in his new role later this year. Full Story 

• Texas moves close to ban on some land sales to foreigners

  By Sameea Kamal Updated: May 30, 2025

  The Legislature has approved a conference committee report that lists sales to certain people from China, North Korea, Russia and Iran as threats to national security. Full Story 

• 10 more measles cases reported in the Texas outbreak

  By Terri Langford, Yuriko Schumacher and Stephen Simpson Updated: May 30, 2025

  Of the 10 new cases reported this week, eight of them were in McLennan County. Full Story 

• Texas Supreme Court gives initial win to Paxton in migrant shelter case

  By Alejandro Serrano and Eleanor Klibanoff Updated: May 30, 2025

  The high court did not rule on the merits of the case, but allows Paxton to continue his investigation of Annunciation House. Full Story 

• Trump administration knew most Venezuelans deported from Texas to a Salvadoran prison had no U.S. convictions

  By Mica Rosenberg, ProPublica, Perla Trevizo, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, Melissa Sanchez and Gabriel Sandoval, ProPublica, Ronna Rísquez, Alianza Rebelde Investiga, and Adrián González, Cazadores de Fake News May 30, 2025

  Homeland Security records reveal that officials knew that more than half of the 238 deportees to El Salvador were labeled as having no criminal record in the U.S. and had only violated immigration laws. Full Story 

• Legislature to work out differences on bill limiting protests at public universities

  By Jessica Priest Updated: May 29, 2025

  The Senate on Thursday refused to agree to changes the House made to Senate Bill 2972 that made it less restrictive, prompting a conference committee. Full Story