Businesses speak out against voter suppression bills
A large number of businesses, ranging from large corporations to local businesses, are criticizing the GOP’s voter suppression proposals in Texas. Two letters have been released this week urging the Texas legislature to stop efforts aimed at making voting more...
HPD adopts police reform policies
Two weeks after the guilty verdict of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin who killed Houstonian George Floyd, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston Police Chief Troy Finner announced policy adoptions that will reform policing in Harris County. ...
Texas Democrats blast House Bill 6 ahead of vote
Ahead of an expected vote on House Bill 6, Democratic lawmakers gathered in front of the Texas State Capitol to denounce the voter suppression legislation. House Bill 6 would restrict voting in Texas in a number of ways, including limiting voting hours and polling...
Permitless carry passes Texas Senate
A Texas House bill legalizing permitless carry of handguns in the state passed 18-12 in the Texas Senate on Wednesday. House Bill 1927 is close to reaching Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, who has promised to sign it into law. The legislation will return to the state...
Op-Ed: Greater Houston Partnership must support Democracy by opposing HB6 & SB7
Traditionally, the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) hasn’t shied away from its powerful role and significant responsibilities in Texas politics. It bills its policy team as “advocates for strong public policy at all levels of government.“ In 2017, the organization...
Texas House passes bill banning abortion after 5-6 weeks of pregnancy
On Wednesday, lawmakers in the Texas House voted 81-63 to preliminarily pass a bill that would ban abortion after several weeks of pregnancy. If passed into law, Senate Bill 8 would prevent a doctor from performing an abortion if they can detect a heartbeat in a...
Op-Ed: A school district takeover at any cost
A pair of bills approaching a vote in the Texas House will significantly expand state power over local school districts. The bills, authored by Senator Bettencourt and Representative Dutton, are aimed at Houston ISD but will impact all public school districts in the...
The harsh truths I learned managing a race at 17
After last year’s general election, everyone in my life begged me to take a break. Partly because they were tired of me harassing them to volunteer and to vote and partly because campaign Bella is a little scary. In 2020, I worked on congressional races in TN-07...
Texas legislature considers the CROWN Act
On Thursday, the Texas House of Representatives left HB 392 or the CROWN Act pending in the Senate Affairs committee. If passed, the bill would ban discrimination on the basis of texture or protective styles like twists, locs, braids and knots. The CROWN...
What comes next after Lubbock voted to become a “sanctuary city for the unborn”
On Saturday, voters in Lubbock overwhelmingly cast their ballots in favor of Proposition A, which would officially establish the city as “sanctuary city for the unborn” and ban abortion. In the aftermath of the vote, Lubbock has turned into ground zero in the battle...
Anti-trans sports bill dies in Texas House
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...
Lina Hidalgo wins national award from EMILY’s List
On Tuesday EMILY’s List, a major Democratic fundraiser for women in politics, announced Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo as the winner of its Gabby Giffords Rising Star award. The award is named after the former congresswoman and gun control advocate Gabby Giffords...
Can 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...
LGBTQ activist Ash Hall is doubling down
Tuesday, August 15, 2017 is a night Ash Hall will never forget. For nearly seven months, the Clear Lake, Texas, native had spearheaded advocacy efforts to combat the state legislature’s now-infamous “bathroom bill” — an undertaking that was as ceaseless as it was...
A surprise resignation in the Dallas County Democratic Party
In a surprise move Carol Donovan, the Chairwoman of the Dallas County Democratic Party, announced she was resigning. Donovan had been the party leader in Dallas County since 2015. In her resignation letter, Donovan mentioned her family as the reason for her departure....