Politics
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VIDEO: How a Texas lawmaker wants to regulate AI
A Texas lawmaker is hoping to pass legislation that would regulate artificial intelligence use throughout the state. Rep. Giovanni Capriglione filed House Bill 1709, a comprehensive AI proposal that regulates development and deployment of AI systems in Texas.
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Texas Legislature 101: How bills become laws — and how you can participate in the process
Here’s a rundown of how legislation moves through the Capitol, the ways lawmakers operate and who the power players are. Editor’s note: This is an updated version of Texas Tribune’s 2023 guide to the Texas Legislature. Texas’ 2025 legislative session runs from Jan. 14 to June 2. Lawmakers will debate a bevy of issues and…
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VIDEO: Texas lawmaker wants to overturn gun ban at State Fair
Firearms were banned at the State Fair of Texas in 2024, but now a Republican lawmaker wants to overturn that decision by preventing gun bans on government property. Rep. Briscoe Cain’s House Bill 1715 requires private entities to agree not to ban firearms when they lease land from the government. The State Fair of Texas,…
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VIDEO: This Texas Republican is coming for your sex toys
State Rep. Hillary Hickland is coming for your dildos. The right-wing Republican won a seat in the Texas House in November. Now she wants to expand the GOP’s culture wars. Why? She’s apparently triggered by sex toys. Not all of them. Just ones, including dildos, sold in big box stores like Target, Walmart, CVS and…
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Gov. Greg Abbott: Texas is ready for Winter Storm Cora
From brine on roadways to a power grid with more capacity, Gov. Greg Abbott said Texas is ready for Winter Storm Cora.
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Medical debt will no longer appear on credit reports for all Americans
This new rule will erase an estimated $49 billion in unpaid medical bills from the credit reports of roughly 15 million Americans, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The agency estimates that the new federal rule could help boost consumer credit scores by an average of 20 points.
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Weed, wages, reproductive rights: 15 bills facing Texas lawmakers in 2025
More than 2,200 bills — from cannabis reform and public education to housing affordability — have been filed ahead of the start of the 89th Texas Legislature, which opens on Jan. 14. Here’s a recap of some of the proposed bills making headlines ahead of the legislature and how they could impact you. Legalizing recreational…
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Texas has a housing affordability crisis. Here’s how state lawmakers may tackle it in 2025.
A likely fight over how much power to take away from local governments may dominate the debate. DALLAS — Buying or renting a home in Texas used to be relatively cheap. Amid the state’s economic boom, its once-celebrated housing affordability has slipped. Texas renters now spend more on keeping a roof over their head than…
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VIDEO: Will Texans get to vote on legalizing casinos and sports betting?
Thirty-eight states have legalized sports betting, but Texas isn’t one of them. Sen. Carol Alvarado, a Democrat from Houston, is hoping to change that during the upcoming legislative session. Her proposal would allow Texas voters to decide whether to amend the state constitution to allow sports betting and build seven casinos across the state.
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VIDEO: Dallas could get sued over homeless encampments
Dallas is facing the consequences of voters approving Proposition S in November. Dallas HERO, the GOP-back organization that helped get the new ordinance on the ballot, is now threatening to sue the city for allegedly failing to enforce a state law that forbids homeless encampments on public property. Prop S allows residents to sue the…
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New study finds that air pollution could be threatening the success of IVF treatment
Researchers looked at the air pollution levels while the donor eggs were developing and the 72 days when the sperm was developing and found a link between an increase in exposure to air pollution and lower embryo quality and egg survival in both cases.
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VIDEO: Vapes get snuffed: Dallas adds vaping to city’s smoking bans
Dallas residents won’t be able to vape anywhere in the city where smoking is already prohibited — which includes outside of building entrances and parks — starting in December 2025. The new ban comes as the city hopes to enhance air quality and safeguard the health of residents.
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Sick of hidden fees on concert tickets and hotel stays? A new federal rule bans them.
Now, live event businesses and hotels must clearly list their prices in both their advertising and pricing information.
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Misinformation about birth control is rampant on social media, alarming doctors
Doctors are concerned that misinformation about birth control might make some women get off it at a time when there are fewer options available for unintended pregnancies in the US.
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These 3 bills could impact Dallas’ affordable housing crisis
Dallas housing advocates are hopeful about legislation that would allow workforce housing, small dwellings on single-family lots.
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VIDEO: Dallas welcomes 30 new citizens
Thirty Dallas residents from 19 different countries officially became US citizens during the city’s fourth naturalization ceremony on Dec. 6. Dallas Assistant City Manager Liz Cedillo-Pereira spoke at the ceremony, emphasizing the work of the Welcoming Dallas Strategic Plan. The effort promotes civic engagement and increases access to naturalization so that more Dallas residents can…
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Crisis pregnancy centers give questionable advice on unproven ‘abortion pill reversal,’ study finds
A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that 30% of these anti-abortion ‘fake clinics’ promote “abortion pill reversal,” a treatment that’s not backed by science and does not meet clinical standards.
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VIDEO: Book banning in Texas schools could get a whole lot easier
A North Texas lawmaker wants to make book banning in Texas schools even easier. Rep. Jared Patterson’s House Bill 183 would allow any Texas parent to be able to dictate what books are allowed in public schools — anywhere in the state.
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A North Texas lawmaker wants to make book banning easier in schools
Rep. Jared Patterson’s House Bill 183 would allow parents to request that the Texas State Board of Education review materials in public school libraries, challenging a book to be removed if they believe it to be inappropriate for the grade level or if it has “sexually explicit material.”
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Texas’ new top cop pledges to secure southern border with Mexico
Col. Freeman Martin was sworn in as the state’s top cop on Monday, becoming the 14th director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
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VIDEO: Finding affordable housing in Dallas is only getting tougher
Affordable housing options in Dallas are shrinking. More than half of renters in Dallas are cost burdened, and the city is the least affordable housing market across North Texas. These issues are likely to be top-of-mind for lawmakers when the Texas Legislature convenes in January. So, here’s a snapshot of the current state of affordable…
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Texas approves Bluebonnet, its new Bible-infused curriculum for schools
The Texas Board of Education narrowly approved controversial new learning materials for schools after Gov. Greg Abbott rigged the vote.
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Texas bill would reclassify abortion drugs as controlled substances
A Louisiana law that reclassified abortion-inducing drugs as controlled substances has made it more difficult for doctors to treat a wide range of gynecological conditions, doctors say. Now, a similar proposal has been filed in Texas. Texas Rep. Pat Curry, a freshman Republican from Waco, said the intent of House Bill 1339 is to make…
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Meet Bluebonnet Learning, Texas’ Bible-infused curriculum for schools
The Texas Board of Education is poised to approve Bluebonnet Learning, a Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools despite criticism that it’s factually inaccurate.
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Trump’s AG pick Matt Gaetz withdraws as more sex with minors details emerge
Gaetz’ quick withdrawal suggests that he realized he likely wouldn’t win the votes necessary to be confirmed by the Senate following Trump’s inauguration.
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Ken Paxton sues to block voter-approved weed measure in Dallas
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Dallas to try and block a weed decriminalization measure that voters approved on Nov. 5.
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Trump nominates former WWE head, private school voucher advocate for Education secretary
McMahon is relatively unknown in education circles, although she has expressed support for charter schools and private school vouchers.
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Dallas mayor, 2 council members try to stall weed decriminalization
During a meeting on Tuesday to certify the Nov. 5 election results, Council Member Cara Mendelsohn tried to add language to Proposition R — which passed with 66.82% of the vote — to stall implementation until the state legalizes recreational weed.
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Fort Worth business owners to design toolkit to aid with homelessness issues
Fort Worth businesses will soon have a new tool to address issues involving homeless people. Business owners have told the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce that homelessness is a daily concern that impacts their operations — whether it’s trespassing, disruptions or other incidents. To help, the chamber launched a Homelessness Task Force to develop a…
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Why people are so concerned about Trump picking RFK Jr. to lead US public health
Trump’s pick for health secretary wants to increase access to raw milk, remove fluoride from drinking water, and has said that vaccines cause autism and that WiFi causes cancer.
