“Texans know bullshit when we see it. This bill is a political stunt designed to distract us from the damage the state’s #abortion ban continues to cause.” texasobserver.org/legislature-…

#news #politics #USpol #health #healthcare #TXlege #HumanRights #women #Texas

This Session’s Worst Anti-Abortion Bill Died, but Pro-Choice Advocates Aren’t Celebrating

Following mixed results for both sides, the far right says it won’t give up on targeting what little abortion access remains in Texas.

^{Mary Tuma (The Texas Observer)}

“Who loves this the most are criminals and the cartels, because all the profit just got put right into their pockets.”

New from Kit @oconnell: Texas is renewing its commitment to a draconian state tradition— marijuana prohibition— with a new law that will cost 10,000s of jobs if it goes into effect. texasobserver.org/dan-patrick-…

#cannabis #drugs #law #TXlege #Texas #news #politics #USpol #health #economy

Reefer Madness Returns to Texas with Dan Patrick’s THC Ban

If the governor signs SB 3 into law, thousands of jobs and billions in revenue could soon disappear.

^{Kit O'Connell (The Texas Observer)}

The Texas legislature passed a dozen anti-#LGBTQIA+ laws in 2025, which threaten to negatively impact queer Texans with restrictions targeting public schools and #healthcare and new legal standards that could create unsafe environments for queer people, particularly children. texasobserver.org/texas-lege-2…

#Texas #TXlege #news #politics #USpol #homophobia #trans #transphobia

Here Are the New Anti-LGBTQ Bills Texas Passed into Law

This session, the Legislature filed more anti-LGBTQ+ bills than ever before. The dozen that passed threaten to negatively impact queer Texans.

^{Joelle DiPaolo (The Texas Observer)}

New from Michelle Pitcher: “Bills in this package are going to swell the Texas pretrial population. That’s going to impact counties first. Local jails, which are already having to send people out of county or out of state in order to keep their populations manageable are going to find they have an even worse problem on their hands.” texasobserver.org/abbott-house…

#prison #TXlege #Texas #politics #USpol #Law #news #GregAbbott

Abbott's Bail Crackdown Meets Mixed Fate in Texas House

The lower chamber approves key pieces—but only pieces—of the governor's pretrial incarceration agenda.

^{Michelle Pitcher (The Texas Observer)}

“If biological sex were as obvious as lawmakers keep insisting that biological sex is, we wouldn’t be here. You wouldn’t have to try so hard to legislate the gender binary into existence.” texasobserver.org/texas-lege-p…

#trans #LGBTQIA+ #TXlege #transphobia #news #politics #USpol #transgender #Texas #law #gender

Texas Republicans Push to Define Biological Sex in Statute

“If biological sex were as obvious as lawmakers keep insisting that biological sex is, we wouldn’t be here.”

^{Joelle DiPaolo (The Texas Observer)}

New from Joelle DiPaolo: Republicans are at it again, trying to mandate the gender binary by law. Despite claiming to have science on their side, these legislators often eschew scientific facts, leaving intersex, transgender, and non-binary people in limbo when they do not fit into neatly legislated boxes. texasobserver.org/texas-lege-p…

#politics #USpol #TXlege #law #Texas #LGBTQIA+ #transphobia #news

Texas Republicans Push to Define Biological Sex in Statute

“If biological sex were as obvious as lawmakers keep insisting that biological sex is, we wouldn’t be here.”

^{Joelle DiPaolo (The Texas Observer)}

Featured story, from @josephinelee: The Observer carried out a wide-ranging investigation into whether Texas Partnerships, state-backed charter arrangements. have actually benefited Lone Star State kids in struggling schools. The results were troubling. texasobserver.org/texas-partne…

#education #schools #vouchers #Texas #politics #USpol #news #TXlege

Texas Already Gives Public Ed Dollars to Private Operators. Here's How That Worked Out.

The state created “Texas Partnership” charter schools to turn around struggling public campuses, but an Observer investigation has uncovered numerous academic and financial issues.

^{Josephine Lee (The Texas Observer)}