Tag Archives: The Lege

Flock responds

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Reporting gets results. Or at least a response. The CEO for Flock cameras has pushed back on recent reporting, including a Chronicle investigation, about the surveillance technology used by Houston police, saying it’s up to local law enforcement to decide … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS upholds Texas’ anti-porn law

Posted on June 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. Texas’ law requiring Pornhub and other adult websites to verify users’ ages is constitutional and can remain in effect, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday. The case stems from a 2023 law, HB 1181, that required websites to verify … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over Ten Commandments law

Posted on June 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Expect there to be a lot of litigation over bills passed this session(s). Six parents and religious leaders have filed a lawsuit seeking to block a newly signed law set to require the Ten Commandments in Texas public school classrooms. Leaders … Continue reading →

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ACLU and other interest groups seek to intervene in Texas Dream Act lawsuit

Posted on June 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Democracy Forward, National Immigration Law Center, and the Dallas-based firm of Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann filed a motion to intervene today in ongoing federal court litigation — on … Continue reading →

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Abbott vetoes THC bill and calls special session

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Waited till the last minute because he’s such a drama queen. Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday vetoed a contentious state ban on THC products and shortly after called a special legislative session asking lawmakers to instead strictly regulate the substance. … Continue reading →

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Tesla launches its robotaxi service in Austin

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not quite as they wanted, but it is going. After driverless Tesla Model Ys were spotted traversing Austin, Texas streets on Sunday morning, CEO Elon Musk posted on his social platform X that Tesla’s “robotaxi launch” would start this afternoon … Continue reading →

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No one knows what Greg Abbott will do, special session edition

Posted on June 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll probably know something by the end of the day today, but beyond that who knows. Gov. Greg Abbott seemed to get everything he wanted out of the Texas Legislature this year. “Without a doubt, this is the best session … Continue reading →

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The other redistricting matter

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a story from the Fort Worth Report on the redistricting trial going on in El Paso, with a focus on the effect in Tarrant County. Federal judges in El Paso are reviewing a lawsuit that alleges Texas redistricting architects … Continue reading →

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A “home rule school district” inside HISD?

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Today I Learned there is such a thing as a “home rule school district”, and some HISD parents want to form one. A small West Houston group wants to create its own charter-governed district within the state’s largest school district, … Continue reading →

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Counties get temporary restraining order on prosecutor reporting requirements

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but we’ll see how long it lasts. A Travis County Judge temporarily blocked the enforcement of a new rule requiring prosecutors in counties with 400,000 or more residents to turn over data on active and closed criminal cases to … Continue reading →

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Beware of Flock

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It started with this. Flock, the automatic license plate reader (ALPR) company whose cameras are installed in more than 5,000 communities in the U.S., is building a product that will use people lookup tools, data brokers, and data breaches to “jump from … Continue reading →

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Dan Patrick shilling for his THC ban

Posted on June 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

He’s working for it. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick isn’t giving an inch on his push to ban THC products in Texas. Despite polls showing middling support for the ban from GOP primary voters and backlash by conservative talk radio hosts who are … Continue reading →

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Measles update: Maybe I should call this the “RFK Rampage update”

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Wednesday eight new members to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s independent vaccine advisory committee, some of whom have been critics of shots — especially during the … Continue reading →

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Undocumented students want to challenge that ridiculous settlement

Posted on June 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Seems clear to me that they should be allowed to intervene, but the same judge that allowed the settlement has to allow this as well. A group of undocumented students on Wednesday asked a judge to let them intervene in … Continue reading →

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Some people are big mad at Dan Patrick

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s fun to watch. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was clear from the start. Weeks before this year’s legislative session began, and before he announced any other priorities, the Republican Senate leader said he wanted lawmakers to ban, at any cost, … Continue reading →

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The beer and liquor difference on THC

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

My head is spinning. As Gov. Greg Abbott weighs Texas’ proposed THC ban, one industry is working overtime to influence his decision: the alcohol lobby. Amid plunging alcohol sales, some groups representing liquor stores are opposing the ban as they … Continue reading →

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A former Board Manager speaks

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Who knows why he and three others were streeted. But we can speculate. Adam Rivon, one of the four recently ousted members of the Houston ISD Board of Managers, won’t speculate on why he was suddenly removed from his role … Continue reading →

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You’ll get to vote on some unsustainable tax cuts this November

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Get out your figurative credit card, we’re about to put a big charge on it for our future selves to pay. Voters will be asked to approve property tax cuts for Texas homeowners and businesses in November. If voters agree, … Continue reading →

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The THC ban and the Houston retail market

Posted on June 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The bright lights of Bahama Mama’s flagship store along Lower Westheimer turned on a year ago, welcoming passersby into a hemp shop unlike anything else in Houston. A red carpet rolled into a mirrored showroom stocked with nearly every … Continue reading →

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Measles update: There’s nowhere to go but down

Posted on June 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What a depressing headline. Amid a widespread decline in childhood measles vaccination rates since before the COVID-19 pandemic across the United States, a study published Monday found that coverage can vary substantially within a state. Looking at county-level data in 33 states, researchers at … Continue reading →

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A change in when we vote early

Posted on June 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. Texas will no longer have a three-day gap between the end of early voting and Election Day under a bill passed by the Texas Legislature that is heading to Gov. Greg Abbott. Currently, Texas ends in-person early voting … Continue reading →

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Texas DREAM Act suddenly killed by activist judge

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is some bullshit. Undocumented students in Texas are no longer eligible for in-state tuition after Texas agreed Wednesday with the federal government’s demand to stop the practice. The abrupt end to Texas’ 24-year-old law came hours after the U.S. … Continue reading →

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Rep. Jolanda Jones announces for CD18

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. State Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, on Monday jumped into the race for the congressional seat left open by the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, the former Houston mayor. “The simple fact is no one will fight … Continue reading →

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Why are we messing with pension reform?

Posted on June 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I do not understand this. The Texas Legislature, with Mayor John Whitmire’s support, is on the cusp of rolling back reforms to Houston’s police and firefighter pensions, worrying experts who call the changes premature, ill-considered, even “stupid.” The proposal comes … Continue reading →

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Time to bury the 2025 Legislature

Posted on June 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good riddance. Texas lawmakers gaveled out of their 140-day legislative session on Monday after passing a raft of conservative policies, from private school vouchers to tighter bail laws, that furthered the state’s march to the right. The Legislature wrapped up … Continue reading →

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Still on the “what will Greg Abbott do with the THC ban” question

Posted on June 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

He’s going to take his sweet time, that much is for sure. Gov. Greg Abbott is facing intense political pressure over a bill that would ban products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, as hemp industry leaders mount a full-court press urging … Continue reading →

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The THC ban and hemp farmers

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Obviously bad for them. Six years ago, Texas lawmakers opened a door to a new lifeline for farmers: growing hemp. Farmers invested time, money and land into growing the drought-resistant crop and developing the state’s budding hemp industry. The same … Continue reading →

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From the “Time has no meaning” department

Posted on June 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is so stupid. Texas lawmakers have disagreed for years over whether and how to abolish the unpopular semiannual clock change in the state, but a bill that is on its way to the governor will finally bring an end … Continue reading →

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Yes, the omnibus voter suppression law suppressed voting by mail

Posted on June 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Cause, meet effect. Some county election officials across Texas say the number of people voting by mail has dropped since 2020, but they’re not sure why. New research suggests that the recent overhaul of state election laws could explain some … Continue reading →

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Measles update: Never forget who RFK Jr is

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

He’s a liar. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says his “Make America Healthy Again” Commission report harnesses “gold-standard” science, citing more than 500 studies and other sources to back up its claims. Those citations, though, are rife with errors, from broken links to misstated … Continue reading →

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The death of bad bills is always worth celebrating

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good, good, good. A handful of bills that would have stopped local governments from enacting their transportation priorities and hamstrung local transit efforts are likely dead. The measures failed to pass before key deadlines as the legislative session draws to … Continue reading →

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Abbott’s decision and Patrick’s tantrum

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A brief roundup of some THC stories… What will Greg Abbott do? Gov. Greg Abbott has been tight-lipped about whether he’ll sign the bill on his desk that would ban THC in Texas. I don’t envy him. There’s really no … Continue reading →

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Film incentive bill passes

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Probably won’t be that big a deal, but we’ll see. The Texas House gave final approval to a bill increasing the amount of money the state spends to attract film and television productions. Senate Bill 22, filed by Houston Republican … Continue reading →

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Bill targeting abortion pills appears to be dead

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Three cheers for the end of session death-by-calendar watch. A major Texas bill that was poised to offer a blueprint for abortion restrictions has likely died in the state legislature. Senate Bill 2880, a top priority for the state’s abortion … Continue reading →

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