Senate Bill 29, a bill banning transgender students from competing in sports teams of their gender, failed to receive the votes to make it out of the Texas House Public Education Committee. The bill was sent to the public education committee after it passed the...
Policy
back to archiveCan Texas harness energy from the ocean?
As the world looks for new ways of generating power to combat climate change, one energy source more people are looking toward is the ocean. The ocean is home to terawatts of clean, renewable energy, yet so far it is largely untapped. Texas could play a major role in...
Biden’s ICE Director nominee could turn a new leaf for immigration reform
On Tuesday, the White House nominated Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez as director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This position oversees day-to-day operations in ICE detention centers and facilities along the U.S. border. In Harris County,...
Religious extremism takes center stage in passage of anti-trans youth bill
This week, the Texas Senate voted in favor of a bill that would classify transgender youth healthcare as child abuse, making it illegal for parents and doctors to consent or administer transition-related care to children. When bill author Charles Perry introduced the...
Briscoe Cain succeeds on his second try to pass voter suppression bill out of committee
If at first you don’t succeed, try again. House Election Chair Briscoe Cain took that mantra to heart in his second attempt to pass the voter suppression bill Senate Bill 7 in his committee. And it worked. Last night, Cain brought SB 7 up for a vote in his committee...
Austin’s Prop B isn’t just a battle over homelessness. It’s a referendum on our society’s ability to act decisively, rationally, and compassionately
In June 2019, Austin leadership voted to roll back ordinances that prohibited camping and panhandling across town. The move, which came as a shock to many at the time, represented a key shift in the city’s desire to take on deep-seated, systemic issues with bold,...
Gina Ortiz Jones nominated for Under Secretary of the Air Force
On Tuesday, the White House announced that President Joe Biden has nominated Gina Ortiz Jones for Under Secretary of the Air Force. The position is the second highest ranking civilian leader in the Department of the Air Force, which oversees both the Air Force and the...
A year on, Vanessa Guillén’s death continues to impact Texas and the nation
Since her death last year, the name Vanessa Guillén has become a rallying cry to demand justice in a system that has failed far too many. Last weekend around the state of Texans and throughout the country, thousands of mourners gathered at vigils to commemorate the...
Anti-puppy mill bill passes Texas house
Texas House lawmakers on Tuesday voted in favor of a bill that would only allow pet stores to obtain cats and dogs from animal shelters, animal rescue organizations, or animal control agencies. The bill aims to crack down on puppy mills and prevent widespread...