Did you know there’s a slew of new laws going into effect in January?

New laws include:

💰 Businesses can have up to $125,000 of inventory exempted from being taxed by entities, including counties, cities, and school districts

👮 Counties that operate a jail will now be required to have their sheriffs cooperate with ICE

🏠 The eviction process for squatters will now be even faster

You can learn more about what these new laws entail here. Let me know which one interests you the most! Maybe we’ll dig into some coverage on it in the new year.

One more thing: With the upcoming holidays, I’ll only be in your inbox today, Monday, and Dec. 29. We’ll be back to our scheduled programming Jan. 5!

As the year winds to a close, it’s time to look forward to the future. With midterms just around the corner, Texas is sure to see a lot of change.

With that in mind:

What’s your New Year’s wish for Houston in 2026?

🍾 From fancy galas to family fun, there’s plenty to do this New Year’s Eve in Houston. Here are the best parties and celebrations to ring in 2026.

🎄 Need to grab lunch on Christmas or just don’t feel like cooking dinner? Here are some Houston restaurants that will be open Dec. 25. (CultureMap Houston)

⚽ After pricey World Cup tickets sparked outrage from fans, FIFA opted to sell tickets for $60—but not without a catch. Houston is set to host five group stage matches next year. (NPR)

✈️ If you’ll be passing through IAH for holiday travel, be ready to spend a pretty penny in the airport. Houston’s IAH ranked as one of the most expensive airports in the country. (Chron)

🚕 Big news for taxi riders: Houston City Council approved a fare increase, allowing taxi drivers to charge about 65 cents more per mile. (Community Impact)

🛤 Just one year after a student died from being struck by a train, new legislation by US Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston) would penalize railroad companies for repeated blocked crossings. (Houston Chronicle)

By Katie Serrano

On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas asked a federal judge for a preliminary injunction over Senate Bill 12, a new state law that went into effect on Sept. 1 that bans all diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in public schools.

In a news conference after Thursday’s hearing, students and education advocates voiced their concerns over the new law.

“ If the state of Texas takes our education serious, it will stop holding students hostage and pushing us out of the state of Texas,” Safara Malone, Board Member of the GSA Network, said.

The organization filed a lawsuit in August to block the new law from taking effect, and is now asking a judge to block four provisions of SB 12—including a ban on Gay-Straight Alliance clubs—to “prevent further harm to students” while their case makes its way through court. The judge has not yet made a ruling on the injunction.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Sierra Rozen, featuring reporting by Katie Serrano. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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