Legislative marathon delays criminal trial for North Texas House member charged with felony

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• Texas drought has deepened amid this year’s brutal heat

  by Kevin Vu, The Texas Tribune 11 hours ago

  After a long summer of extreme heat, Texas has been battered by a lingering drought that’s damaging crops, drying up water supplies and causing wildfires. Full Story 

• Can John Sharp protect his maroon empire?

  by Kate McGee 11 hours ago

  The savvy ex-lawmaker has expanded the Texas A&M University System and mollified state leaders. Some faculty, alumni and students say that accommodation has come at a cost. Full Story 

• Congress averts government shutdown with last-minute scramble

  by Tyler Pager, The Washington Post Sept. 30, 2023

  Lawmakers avoided closing the government for now, but funding for Ukraine — and Kevin McCarthy’s speakership — face further hurdles. Full Story 

• Body camera footage shows February drunk-driving arrest of Sen. Charles Schwertner

  by Patrick Svitek Sept. 30, 2023

  Newly released body camera footage shows state Sen. Charles Schwertner’s February arrest for suspicion of drunk driving. Travis County prosecutors dropped the charge in July. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott says special lawmaking session will begin on Oct. 9, likely on school vouchers

  by Brian Lopez and William Melhado Sept. 29, 2023

  The session comes as a rift between the Texas House and the Senate grew following Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial, raising questions about the chambers’ ability to compromise on education issues. The governor has threatened to call for more special sessions if lawmakers fail to pass a “school choice” proposal. Full Story 

• Federal judge throws out hiring discrimination lawsuit against Texas A&M

  by Kate McGee Sept. 29, 2023

  The judge tossed the suit after the university argued a new state law that will go into effect in January, Senate Bill 17, already prohibits preferential treatment in hiring at public universities. Full Story 

• 4 Texas Republicans join ultraconservatives to sink GOP attempt to keep federal government open

  by Matthew Choi Sept. 29, 2023

  The funding bill was a long shot, but far-right U.S. representatives said it didn’t go far enough in promoting their priorities, including border security and defunding investigations into Donald Trump. Full Story 

• Texas A&M System’s guidance on the state’s DEI ban shows compliance might be a hard needle to thread

  by Caroline Wilburn Updated: Sept. 29, 2023

  The guidance asks universities in the system to avoid using the acronym DEI on their websites and walk a fine line between organizing events that “support diversity in a general way” but don’t “promote preferential treatment of any particular group.” Full Story 

• Houston-area development has become a right-wing lightning rod on immigration

  by Patrick Svitek and Uriel J. García Sept. 29, 2023

  After conservative media portrayed the Colony Ridge development north of Houston as a haven for illegal immigrants, Gov. Greg Abbott said the upcoming special legislative session will look into the issue. Full Story 

• Lawsuit by Attorney General Ken Paxton’s accusers can continue, Texas Supreme Court rules

  by Patrick Svitek Updated: Sept. 29, 2023

  The whistleblower lawsuit, which argues that four senior staffers were improperly fired in retaliation for reporting Paxton to the FBI, returns to a Travis County trial court for action. Full Story 

• U.S. Supreme Court to rule on Texas law limiting social media content removal

  by Ann E. Marimow and Cat Zakrzewski, The Washington Post Sept. 29, 2023

  The high court previously blocked the state law from going into effect while the case plays out. It will also consider a similar Florida case that revolves around the First Amendment Full Story 

• No water, roads or emergency services: How climate change left a rural neighborhood nearly uninhabitable

  by Erin Douglas Sept. 29, 2023

  In Liberty County, one neighborhood has been slowly abandoned as years of flooding and intense rains prompted a spiral of decline. A struggling buyout program shows the complexities and limitations of “managed retreat” from disaster-prone areas. Full Story 

• Texas’ open records law is 50 years old — and routinely flouted

  by Sewell Chan Sept. 28, 2023

  At the annual conference of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, two Republican lawmakers described how government officials fail to meet transparency requirements. Full Story 

• Texas “Ike Dike” coastal barrier project could cost $57 billion with inflation, Army Corps says

  by Erin Douglas and Emily Foxhall Sept. 28, 2023

  The latest figure is 68% higher than an earlier estimate of $34 billion, and it’s unclear when — or whether — Congress will appropriate the money to build the massive system of gates intended to protect the Houston region from storm surge. Full Story 

• With no opposition in the room, a rural Texas county makes traveling for an abortion on its roads illegal

  by Jayme Lozano Carver Sept. 28, 2023

  Cochran County, which borders New Mexico, joins a small group of other rural Texas counties that have passed these ordinances. Abortion-rights supporters say the new policies are not legal. Full Story 

• U.S. Sen. John Cornyn accepts Paxton impeachment acquittal, notes pending legal issues

  by Patrick Svitek Sept. 28, 2023

  With the attorney general mentioned as a possible primary opponent, the senator says of his fellow Republican: “I don’t think the story is over yet.” Full Story