TEXAS LEGISLATURE
Greg Abbott targets redistricting, abortion pills, trans people in special session
| July 23, 2025
Texas Democrats criticized Gov. Greg Abbott’s special legislative session as “cruel” for including redistricting, seeking to ban abortion pills, and targeting trans people.
Central Texas officials asked the state for flood alarm funding. It never came.
| July 17, 2025
EXCO-Player | natural disaster | old texas | politics | SAFETY | TEXAS | TEXAS LEGISLATURE | weather | youtube
Over the last decade, state officials repeatedly refused to fund a flood warning system in Central Texas.
Dallas lawmaker speaks about deadly floods
| July 15, 2025
CLIMATE CHANGE | EXCO-Player | flood | old texas | politics | state legislature | TEXAS | TEXAS LEGISLATURE | weather | youtube
Rep. Mihaela Plesa (D-Dallas) urges state lawmakers to focus on “proactive” solutions to natural disasters when the special session starts on July 21.
Gov. Greg Abbott said the state’s response to natural disasters will be a top priority during the session. The floods that surged through Central Texas during the Fourth of July weekend killed over 120 people.
Is Texas prepared for natural disasters?
| July 15, 2025
Local and statewide officials have come under scrutiny over their preparedness and response to the deadly flash flood in Central Texas.
As lawmakers prepare for a special session that starts July 21, Gov. Greg Abbott said the state’s response to natural disasters will be a top priority.
How to fight Texas’ ‘trash’ school library censorship policies
| July 3, 2025
bannedbooks | EXCO-Player | old texas | public education | public school | TEXAS | TEXAS LEGISLATURE | TEXAS POLITICS | TEXAS SENATE | youtube
Senate Bill 13, which literacy advocates say will destroy public school libraries and make book banning easier in Texas, takes power away from public school librarians and gives it to school boards and parents instead.
But local advocates like Laney Hawes, co-director of the Texas Freedom to Read Project, are fighting back.
SB 13 creates an advisory committee made up of parents that school boards can delegate decision making to, but there’s an option in the new law that allows districts to not adopt the council.
“ Our recommendation is, to districts, do not approve the library council in your school districts because it doesn't work,” Hawes told COURIER Texas. “It wasn't written to work. Don't do it. It's too many steps, and it’s going to destroy your school library.”