Texas Legislature

Senate Bill 2 would create an education savings account program and has been Abbott's top priority.

This week, the Texas Legislature advanced a controversial bill to create Education Savings Accounts, or school choice vouchers. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey has more on the House's discussion and the preliminary approval of the program. Our Bishop Van Buren report's on Texas Tech Football’s annual Spring Game, which kicks off at 2 P.M. tomorrow at the Jones AT&T Stadium.

After hours of debate — and years of pushing from Gov. Greg Abbott — the Texas House approved to a bill to create an Education Savings Account plan. The school voucher program would allow parents to use public funds toward private school costs.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting an increase of 20 measles cases since Friday. Our Samantha Larned reports that as cases continue to rise across the region, federal funding cuts are hindering response from public health departments. Today, the Texas House is expected to take up a controversial measure that would create a school voucher program for the state. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey says eyes are on rural Republicans and how they vote.

The Lubbock Police Department is investigating an incident involving a police K-9 that escaped its handler's backyard and left two with injuries on Saturday. Our reporter Bishop Van Buren has more on the attack. A bill in the state Legislature could make it harder to protest zoning changes in Texas. If passed, KERA’s Megan Cardona reports it would raise the threshold for a city council to vote on rezoning from 20-percent of property owners protesting, to 60-percent. Tonight, the Groves Branch Library is continuing its Medicare Education program 6-8 P.M. at 5520 19th Street.

A 4-year-old child in Lubbock died from a gunshot wound Wednesday evening. In a press conference yesterday, Lubbock's police chief raised the issue of responsible gun ownership, especially around children. At the Texas House, bills that would restrict or ban the sale of THC products in Texas are up for a hearing before a key committee. Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider says the main House bill is drawing stiff opposition from both opponents and supporters of THC consumables.

Some Texas legislators may be done questioning the merits of education savings accounts as it moves to a vote in the State House, but voters aren’t. Model programs in other states are showing rural voters could stand to lose the most, and they’re preparing to do the math on election day.

The Texas House of Representatives was offered a resolution to have house speaker Dustin Burrows vacated from his position. The resolution was swiftly tabled by an overwhelming Meanwhile, our Bishop Van Buren reports the leading scorer with Texas Tech University men’s basketball team J.T. Toppin will return next season, bypassing the NBA Draft process and squashing rumors about possibly entering the transfer portal.

Since the 89th Legislature kicked off in January, the Texas Senate has passed nearly 200 bills. But as of Wednesday morning, their counterparts in the House have only passed 8. Why is that?

The City of Lubbock Water Utilities identified customers with galvanized steel pipes as part of its service line inventory. Our Samantha Larned reports that these pipes can increase the likelihood of lead entering the water supply. Texas lawmakers heard testimony yesterday from ranchers affected by last year’s historic wildfire in the Panhandle as they consider a proposal placing more requirements on oil and gas operators to reduce wildfire risk.