AT THE CAPITOL
House Bill 1024, signed into law May 12, allows restaurants and bars to permanently sell alcoholic beverages to-go. (Courtesy Pexels)
Cocktails to-go are here to stay in Texas: Gov. Greg Abbott signs change into law May 12
Federal funding is set aside for public schools to address effects of the pandemic. (Courtesy Adobe Stock)
Why Texas has not yet distributed $18 billion in federal funds intended for public schools
The Texas Senate passed a bill March 29 aimed at overhauling the state's energy market. (Jack Flagler/Community Impact Newspaper)
Texas Senate passes bill mandating changes to state energy market in wake of winter storm
Lawmakers have returned to the Capitol for the 87th Texas Legislature. (Jack Flagler/Community Impact Newspaper)
Proposed curriculum, funding changes: 14 public education bills filed in the 87th Texas Legislature
House Bill 3580 would establish a minimum teacher salary of $70,000 annually and would account for an inflation adjustment and increase. (Ali Linan/Community Impact Newspaper)
Minimum teacher compensation bill filed in Texas Legislature
While not all of the bills announced have been filed as of March 9, according to the Texas Legislature Online, legislators have until March 12 to file bills for consideration in the 2021 session. (Ali Linan/Community Impact Newspaper)
After winter storm, electricity reform dominates House, Senate priorities for 87th Texas Legislature
Snow covers I-45 in Houston during a winter storm that hit Texas the night of Feb. 14. (Shawn Arrajj/Community Impact Newspaper)
Legislators probe energy officials over power failures, lack of preparation heading into winter storm
If approved, the bill would also establish goals for emissions reductions by 2030, 2040 and 2050. (Courtesy James Talarico)
After Winter Storm Uri, Rep. James Talarico files climate action plan in Texas House
After every decennial census, states and local jurisdictions must go through a process known as redistricting: redrawing the boundaries for representation. (Ali Linan/Community Impact Newspaper)
More congressional seats, equal populations: What redistricting means for Texas in 2021
House Bill 332 would provide millions in state aid funds and authorize schools to use compensatory education allotment funds to hire counselors for social-emotional needs, train teachers through trauma-informed care methods and create social-emotional programs. (Jack Flagler/Community Impact Newspaper)
State Rep. James Talarico files house bill to implement social-emotional learning programs in Texas schools
Gov. Greg Abbott announced a proposal Aug. 18 to keep cities from increasing property tax revenue if they decrease police department funding. (Screenshot of April 17 press conference)
Gov. Greg Abbott says he will freeze cities' abilities to increase property tax revenue if they cut police funding
Texas schools reopening
Gov. Greg Abbott: Texas students will return to school campuses this fall
State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez announced March 7 he is officially seeking election for the state Senate District 14 seat. (Courtesy Eddie Rodriguez)
State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez officially jumps into race for Kirk Watson’s Senate seat
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
Gov. Greg Abbott announces plan for state-sanctioned homeless encampment off US 183 near Montopolis
Texasu2019 Hispanic residents are hard to count: About 66 percent of the state's residents u2014 and 85 percent of Texas Hispanics u2014 live in census tracts that exceed the national average for low response scores. All of the stateu2019s 5,265 tracts are shown as dots in the chart below, along with the percentage of Hispanics in each tract. An analysis of the data shows that the higher the percentage of Hispanics in a census tract, the more likely the tract is to be hard to count.n
State news: Ahead of 2020 census, Texans are becoming even harder to count
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, speaks against SB 4 outside the San Marcos City Council Chamber in August 2017.
Federal appeals court's ruling upholds most of Texas' 'sanctuary cities' law
'Redefining Sanctuary Cities': City data collection could put some Austin residents at risk, according to SXSW panel
DREAMers in South Austin await outcome of DACA
See who is on the ballot for the 2018 primary election