Government and Politics

The state agency said it could collect information from more than 400 large and medium-sized energy consumers.

Texas families are challenging the state’s new law calling for the 10 Commandments to be posted in every public schoolroom. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports families want to take it to the nation’s High Court. The criminal case against the former head of the Texas Lottery Commission returns to court today. The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports Gary Grief faces a felony charge tied to a controversial 2023 jackpot. In Lubbock, Hub City Comic Con returns to the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center this weekend, and on Monday at 7 a.m. at Citizens Tower, Coffee with the Mayor will give citizens a chance to sit down one-on-one with city staff.

The state's power grid operator had already planned on auditing several data center proposals, but Abbott's directive reworks the timeline and adds new requirements.

Granbury residents are asking a Fort Worth appeals court to order recall elections after the city rejected petitions targeting the mayor and four council members over the Project Patriot data center.

Texas public schools saw modest improvement in the state’s latest accountability ratings. The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports about 85 percent of Texas public school campuses earned a passing grade this year. Nominations are now being accepted statewide for the 2027 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards Program. Texas Public Radio's Brian Kirkpatrick reports educators and their schools can receive awards up to $1 million. Nominations can be made at HEBLovesTeachers.com through Sept. 30. Meanwhile child advocates are pushing back against proposed changes to the federal Head Start program.

A federal judge recently blocked a second attempt by the Trump administration to overhaul a homeless response program that critics say would put over 5,000 Texans at risk for reentering homelessness.

At the base of Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park, protestors gathered Wednesday to rally against what they have called an attack on the sprawling West Texas park.

Activists gathered nearly 13,000 signatures on a petition to levy fees on chemical plants and refineries during drought.

Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas says local leaders, landowners and park advocates should have a chance to weigh in before additional construction moves forward.

The spray can be used for prevention but not for treatment of wounds affected by the New World screwworm.