Latest news with #TexasLegislation
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Effort to curb personal injury lawsuit payouts dies in the Texas Legislature
Legislation that started as a priority bill to place substantial limits on the personal injury lawsuit industry — those representing accident victims and their families — died this weekend after lawmakers failed to agree on a final version ahead of the deadline. The bill's end came after it had already been pared down to an unrecognizable version that only required disclosure of referrals between lawyers and health care providers. The failure to pass the bill marked a significant defeat for Texans for Lawsuit Reform, a major business-friendly lobbying group in the Texas Legislature. Senate Bill 30, by Sen. Charles Schwertner, sought to limit the amount of damages accident victims could claim by creating specific guidelines around what evidence juries were allowed to consider, and tied the amount of money juries could award to certain thresholds, such as a 150% of what Medicare paid for that service, among others. The goal of the bill, according to the author, was to curb 'nuclear verdicts' — ones that award victims $10 million or more. Company owners testified at an April committee hearing that such lawsuits drive up the cost of doing business in Texas. Lee Parsley, president of Texans for Lawsuit Reform, said the group was disappointed the Legislature did not pass a bill they see as 'necessary to stop this well-documented, barely hidden abuse of our legal system.' 'Today, a kind of fraud is occurring in courtrooms across Texas, as personal injury attorneys and collaborative doctors manufacture medical bills and present them to jurors as if they are legitimate,' he said in a statement. 'This unethical activity is increasing insurance premiums for every business operating in our state. Ultimately, the increased cost of doing business is paid by every Texan. The bill passed the Senate 20-11 in mid-April. The House also passed the bill 87-51 in late May, but with significant changes that the Senate refused to agree on. The House version also added an amendment by Reps. Mitch Little, a Republican from Lewisville, and Joe Moody, a Democrat from El Paso that gave juries discretion to decide what evidence was relevant — a change that House sponsor Greg Bonnen argued defeated the purpose of the bill. For the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, which opposed the bill, that was a win: 'This moment serves as an important reminder that protecting our civil justice system requires ongoing care and attention,' Jack Walker, president of the group, said. The bill failed despite being one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's priorities, alongside Senate Bill 39, which was specific to curbing payouts from lawsuits against commercial vehicle owners, including trucking companies. SB 30 made it to the final legislative stages despite strong opposition from some conservative activists who previously supported the group's efforts on restricting medical malpractice lawsuits. But the group's influence has waned, especially after backing a rival candidate to Attorney General Ken Paxton. One of Paxton's lawyers in his impeachment trial was Little, who was appointed to the conference committee. Cody Dishon, a trial lawyer who says the bill spurred him to begin paying attention to the Legislature, was glad to see the bill outcome: 'People from all walks of life have voiced strong opposition to the controversial SB 30, including a former trial judge with 16 years on the bench, medical doctors and healthcare professionals, survivors of sexual assault, conservatives and democrats, defense attorneys, and families who have lost loved ones due to corporate negligence.' First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State of Texas: Battle over THC ban intensifies as bill advances to Gov. Abbott
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Texas lawmakers sent legislation to ban non-medical THC products to Gov. Greg Abbott for approval. Passage of Senate Bill 3, has sparked intense backlash, with opponents across the political spectrum pushing for a veto. Amid the opposition, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick held a news conference on the legislation he calls 'the most important bill this session,' to call for more media coverage on the harms of unregulated THC. Tuesday evening, Patrick sent out a memo announcing his news conference. 'Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will hold a media briefing, along with end-of-session beverages and snacks,' the one-sentence release said. Reporters shuffled into the crowded press conference room. In the center stood a table with a cloth hiding objects underneath. 'I told you we'd have snacks today. Want to lift the snacks?' Patrick asked his staffers. The removed cloth revealed THC and CBD products, including cereal bites, gummies, lollipops and drinks. 'This is everything you can buy at a smoke shop and a vape shop that will either cause potentially paranoia, schizophrenia (or) tremendous health issues,' Patrick said. 'Why have I called you here today? Because I don't think the media has taken this issue seriously. I don't think the story has been told. You talk about jobs being lost, you talk about a big industry, a big industry selling all of this to kids.' Texas House bans THC products, reduces criminal penalty for possessing intoxicating hemp Patrick then started going through the products one by one. 'It's all sold for kids — designed for kids and adults. This one, this little bag of jellies — mango, peach — for $90 a bag. Send you sky high,' he said. 'Sour bells. Slices. How about gummy worms? Gummy worms? This is what parents — you need to tell this story so that parents understand.' The Lieutenant Governor then explained how these products emerged due to a loophole in a law passed in 2019. 'We heard this horrendous testimony of one 22-year-old who bought this. I don't know what product it was, I think she said wedding cake. He stepped in front of a train and got run over and killed,' Patrick said. 'This is serious business. This is not Dan's folly. This is not Dan's priority. This is to save an entire generation of being hooked on drugs.' Patrick then proceeded to ask the room of reporters if anyone would want to buy an unknown substance that could 'change your whole mental state for the rest of your life?' Then he proceeded to gently toss a bag of 'cereal bites' to the pool of reporters. Texas Lt. Gov. announces compassionate use expansion amid THC ban 'Anybody want this bag? Okay, you want it,' Patrick said before tossing the THC snack. A reporter promptly put it back on the table. 'I don't think you want it. You wouldn't dare buy it. You wouldn't let your children, your grandchildren buy it. And by the way, come September, all this will be illegal anyway, so I'll be turning this over to the police before I leave here.' The THC snacks Patrick tossed to reporters were made by Hometown Hero, an Austin-based consumable hemp company. Cynthia Cabrera, the company's Chief Strategy Officer, took exception to Patrick's assertion that their customers cannot find out what is in their product. 'Flip it around and look at the ingredients, QR code, look at the test results. It's all there,' Cabrera said. 'I mean, that seemed like a lot of show, because everybody knows that the law requires including the law that he saw, you know, he voted for, requires that you test and you provide test results to consumers.' Jocelyn's Law fails to earn enough votes in Texas House Millions of people use our products every single day, and there has never been a death. Adverse effects are, I mean, that's not even an issue,' Cabrera said. Patrick said that the products put Texas children at risk. During the news conference, he invited Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis to share his perspective. 'They are targeting our kids, not adults, not patients but our kids,' Willis said. 'In Collin County, we see the results of it. We see the psychotic episodes. We see the suicide attempts. We sit down with parents who are heartbroken and devastated after something has happened with their child, after they consume something that everybody thought was safe.' When Houston Chronicle reporter Jeremy Wallace asked Patrick if there was a way to protect children while still giving adults access, Patrick passionately said he doesn't want adults to have access either. 'What are you crazy? You want to go home and eat a bag of this tonight, see if you're here tomorrow? We focus on kids because that's where they built the shops, but adults are buying this stuff too,' Patrick said. 'That's crazy talk. That's the kind of talk — the reason why we're here. Media that would say something as stupid as that. I'm sorry, that's just true.' The final hurdle for SB 3 — and a total THC ban — is a potential veto from Abbott. He has stayed very tight-lipped about anything regarding hemp and THC this session. Cabrera said she's hopeful that the Governor will reject the ban. 'The Governor is a very big proponent of person freedom and liberty,' Cabrera said. 'He's also a big, you know, Texas is open for business fan,' she continued, noting that Hometown Hero located in Texas because of the welcoming business climate. 'Hopefully the Governor is still of the business mind that Texas is a good place to do business, because the next question you have to ask yourself is, if they're willing to take down one industry, because somebody feels like it, what industry is next? And that will have a chilling effect on businesses coming into the state and staying in the state, because they'll no longer have any kind of security,' Cabrera said. When initially asked if he was worried about the possibility of a veto, Patrick deflected. 'I pass bills, the Governor signs or vetoes them,' Patrick said. 'I know the Governor, I know where his heart is, and I know where he wants to be to protect children and adults.' State of Texas: THC ban approved amid push to expand medical cannabis program He was then asked why he called the press conference if the bill had already passed both chambers of the legislature. 'Because there's a tremendous onslaught of pressure from an $8 billion industry that has unlimited money, and they're trying to poison the story, to stop this from happening, that's why,' Patrick said. 'I can tell you how effective they are, because most of you in this room — no criticism — personally, most of you in this room have bought into a lot of their story… I'm not worried about the Governor. I'm worried about the pressure on the media and the general public to try to keep this going in some way.' The question of Abbott's intentions then came up a third time, when a reporter asked if Patrick had spoken with him. 'I speak to the Governor every day,' Patrick said. 'About this?' another reporter asked. 'Look, I'm not going to speak for the Governor, okay?' Patrick said. 'He will do what he's going to do. I have total confidence in the Governor. You will know his decision when he makes it. The reason I'm here today is for you to tell the story. I'm not worried about the Governor understanding it. I'm worried about you all understanding it.' After the press conference, Abbott's Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris wrote, 'Governor Abbott will thoughtfully review any legislation sent to his desk.' Legislation to bolster our state's water supply is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. But the final decision on the multi-billion dollar plan rests in the hands of Texas voters. Friday night, the Texas Senate accepted House amendments to Senate Bill 7. The bill would dedicate $1 billion in sales tax revenue toward the Texas Water Fund each year for the next 20 years. Those funds could be used for a variety of water infrastructure projects, such as fixing aging systems, building desalination plants, and expanding water supplies in our drought-prone state. Nonprofit organization Texas 2036 estimates that the state will need more than $150 billion over the next 50 years to support growing demand. Their report was cited by supporters of the legislation, who noted the potential economic impact of inaction on water policy. 'If Texas doesn't have enough water, or if we continue to suffer from the problems associated with aging, deteriorating drinking water and wastewater systems, we're looking at a multi billion dollar hit to the state's economy,' said Jeremy Mazur, Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy for Texas 2036. Mazur said the report estimated $165 billion per year in lost GDP and economic damages due to insufficient water infrastructure. Abbott made investing in water one of his priorities for the 89th Legislative Session. He is expected to sign the legislation, but there is one more step to make the plan a reality. The legislation proposes to amend the Texas Constitution, meaning Texas voters must approve a proposition in an election this coming November for the funding to take effect. Mazur is optimistic that Texas voters will say yes. He noted strong support that passed a 2023 proposition to create the Texas Water Fund. 'What we find at Texas 2036 is that water, in political terms, is a winner,' Mazur said. 'Our polling shows that there are strong majorities between both Republicans and Democrats that are overwhelmingly supportive of state investment in water infrastructure. So we're optimistic of what this proposition will be, what the outcome of this proposition will be in November.' A proposal aimed at establishing more medical examiner offices sooner in Texas died amid a flurry of bills considered on the House floor late Tuesday night, though the lawmaker who carried Senate Bill 1370 in the lower chamber plans to keep the topic alive ahead of the next legislative session in 2027. 'I think we should have an interim charge to look at this issue to bring more medical examiners to the state,' Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, told KXAN earlier this month. Anchia also filed an identical House companion to SB 1370, which did not progress this session. The idea for the interim charge came after Anchia fielded questions during a House subcommittee hearing about the availability of physicians with forensic science training who could fill the state's need for medical examiners. Experts have said there is a shortage of such doctors actively practicing, with the National Association of Medical Examiners recently telling KXAN the number was around 750 nationwide. Explore 'A Hanging on Backbone Creek,' the project that sparked SB 1370 'We just need more people who are specialized in this work, and creating an incentive program makes total sense,' Anchia said. A difference in death investigations Texas has 254 counties. Medical examiner offices are used in 14 of them to investigate and certify the cause and manner of unexpected deaths, and conduct autopsies. The state has one medical examiner district based around Tarrant County. The remaining counties use elected justices of the peace to investigate and certify deaths, and determine if a body may need to be sent for an autopsy — usually through a contract with another another county or private entity. Justices of the peace are elected, hold numerous other court-related duties and have no required prerequisite medical or death investigation experience. KXAN has reported extensively on challenges with the justice of the peace death investigation system. Medical examiner office advocates have argued these government offices – led by appointed medical doctors – provide a higher level of expertise and public service. Currently, counties are only statutorily required to have medical examiner offices when their population hits 2.5 million. SB 1370 aimed to decrease the benchmark to 1 million. This map shows which Texas counties have medical examiners and which rely on justices of the peace for death investigations. Source: Various Texas Counties/Arezow Doost (KXAN Interactive/David Barer) There are three Texas counties – Hays, Hidalgo and Williamson – that do not currently have medical examiner offices but are projected to have populations over 1 million by 2060, according to the Texas Demographic Center. Williamson County is already making preparations to build a medical examiner office before hitting the 1 million population level. Trio of bills aim to strengthen Texas death investigations The measure also would have clarified that counties can implement a medical examiner office before reaching 1 million people. Additionally, counties that share borders can pool resources to form a medical examiner district. 'By expanding the pool of counties required or able to create an office or a district, S.B. 1370 aims to strengthen investigative capacity statewide, enhance public health and safety, and improve the consistency and reliability of death investigations,' the bill's author, Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, said in its statement of intent. KXAN reached out to Parker's office for comment following the bill stalling in the House but has not received a response. Despite a 'VERY aggressive lobbying effort' by the Texas Hospital Association to kill a bill aimed at preventing vehicle crashes at emergency entrances — following last year's deadly crash at St. David's North Austin Medical Center — a state senator is pledging to refile the same safety measure next session, according to a senior staffer. Senate Bill 660, sparked by a KXAN investigation, sought to require crash-rated vertical barriers, called bollards, at Texas hospital entrances. The proposal was supported by the Texas Nurses Association, which said 'all protections should be considered' to ensure healthcare workers are safe and protected. It passed the Senate but stalled in a House committee despite a last-minute amendment to only require bollards at new hospitals in cities with a population of 1.2 million or greater. 'I am disappointed that Senate Bill 660 died in the House Public Health Committee, especially after we took so many suggestions from stakeholders on modifying the legislation,' said the bill's author, Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, who called the bollard requirement 'common-sense public safety legislation.' 'No one else will have to suffer' On Feb. 13, 2024, a drunk driver drove into the lobby of St. David's North, running over all four members of the Bernard family, including their two toddlers. The driver, Michelle Holloway, 57, was killed. After the crash, the Bernards — who were seriously injured — spoke exclusively to KXAN about their ordeal and their goal moving forward. 'That no one will have to suffer like we do,' said Nadia Bernard, who was still in a wheelchair recovering at the time. That plea led to a more than year-long KXAN investigation looking into crashes and finding solutions to prevent them. After surveying dozens of hospitals, watching bollard crash-tests at Texas A&M's Transportation Institute and learning about the strength of the security barriers, we were asked to share our findings with lawmakers as they considered SB 660, which would have required bollards at hospitals statewide. 'Without a uniform statewide approach, we found a patchwork system where some hospitals are protected while others remain vulnerable,' KXAN investigative reporter Matt Grant told a Senate panel. EXPLORE: KXAN's 'Preventing Disaster' investigation into medical center crashes 'Definitely informed the debate' Using data from the non-profit Storefront Safety council, TxDOT, police and media reports, we built our own nationwide database of crashes over the past decade. We looked at places patients receive care, according to the state's definition of 'health care provider' that includes doctors, nurses, dentists and pharmacists, among others. The result: By the start of the legislative session, we had identified more than 400 crashes since 2014 including more than 100 in Texas. Months later, as we continued to track and collect data, the list of crashes into, or at, medical-related sites had expanded to more than 580. The majority were caused by drivers who were either hurt, intoxicated — like at St. David's — or had pressed the wrong foot pedal. Nearly 160 of the crashes were at hospitals and almost half of those impacted the ER entrance area. In all, we identified at least two dozen deaths and hundreds of injuries. 'I think you've built the best dataset in the country right now,' said Ware Wendell, a consumer and patient advocate with Texas Watch. 'So, it definitely informed the debate here in Texas,' Wendell added. 'And, I wouldn't be surprised if it informs the debate all around the country as hospitals evaluate how they are protecting folks inside of their emergency rooms.' 'I have to credit you, Matt, and your team at KXAN, for doing the deep dive, for digging into the data. Ware Wendell, Texas Watch Map of crashes that have occurred at or into Texas hospitals since 2014. Source: Texas Department of Transportation, media reports, Storefront Safety Council. (KXAN Interactive/Dalton Huey) 'Unfunded mandate' The Texas Hospital Association, which represents 85% of the state's acute-care hospitals and health care systems, testified against SB 660. 'Singling out hospital emergency rooms to install bollards would not prevent, based on the statistics we're aware of, the overwhelming majority of these types of accidents because they simply don't occur in hospitals,' THA General Counsel Steve Wohleb told lawmakers in March, referring to a majority of crashes occurring at business storefronts. Behind the scenes, sources tell KXAN the industry group lobbied heavily against the proposal. In a memo sent to hospitals around the state that we obtained, the THA criticized KXAN for including other medical centers in our data, not just hospitals, and, citing autonomy and cost as a factor, called the bill an 'unfunded mandate, without evidence-based support.' 'What is the cost of life safety?' 'I would question that,' said Thomas Ustach with the McCue Corporation. 'What is the cost of life safety?' McCue is the same bollard-making company that allowed KXAN to watch its crash tests in Texas last year. The company has installed security barriers at dozens of hospitals across the country. The cost to secure an ER entrance, typically, is between $10,000 and $30,000, depending on how many bollards are needed, Ustach said. A single crash-rated bollard, on average, costs around $1,500-$2,000 to purchase and install, he pointed out. 'It's really not a difficult or costly fix to the problem,' Ustach said. 'So, I'm surprised that there's so much pushback against the bill.' Ustach said he's proud the crash-testing we witnessed last year could 'shine some light' — to the public and policymakers — on why, when it comes to bollards, testing and strict performance requirements are necessary. 'You can't leave it up to chance when you're talking life safety,' he added. 'Killed by hospital special interests' Today, the Bernard family is in the middle of a $1 million lawsuit against St. David's for not having bollards at the time. St. David's previously said it does not comment on litigation. This isn't the first time a hospital's lack of protective barriers has been the focus of a lawsuit. In 2020, a driver lost control and drove into the patient entrance of Atlanta-based Piedmont Hospital. Several people were hit and a 55-year-old woman was killed. The lawsuit blamed the hospital for its 'failure to provide bollards or other barriers' outside of its ER. Piedmont settled for an undisclosed amount and previously did not respond to KXAN's request for comment. St. David's previously told us it installed $500,000 worth of bollards at its Austin-area hospitals after last year's deadly ER crash. However, it has repeatedly refused to say if any of those bollards are crash-rated. When asked about the bollard bill not advancing, St. David's said it 'does not have anything to add to your story.' This month, the hospital system admitted for the first time that it opposed Austin's ordinance, which passed nearly six months ago, requiring crash-rated bollards at new city hospitals. 'If these hospitals won't do it voluntarily, there must be laws to protect all families from this predictable and preventable destruction.' The Bernard Family in a statement to KXAN A spokesperson for St. David's said the opposition was due, in part, to a belief the measure 'selectively targeted healthcare facilities' based on an incident at one of its hospitals. 'Our family is very disappointed that this common sense, statewide public safety bollard bill was killed by hospital special interests,' the Bernard family told KXAN. 'We are so grateful that Austin bravely acted to pass protective bollard legislation and know this proactive law will eventually pass at the statewide level,' the family added. Former Austin City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly said she is 'incredibly proud' of the local bollard ordinance she initiated. She hopes it serves as a model for other communities. 'While I'm disappointed that SB 660 did not make it out of the House Public Health Committee this session, I remain hopeful and encouraged,' Kelly said. 'Austin led the way by acting before tragedy struck again, and I firmly believe this idea's time will come at the statewide level.' 'Protecting patients, emergency personnel, and hospital visitors should never be a partisan issue — it's a matter of life safety,' she added, saying she looks forward to supporting the measure again next session. The chair of the House Public Health Committee, Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, gave the bill a hearing but did not bring it back up again for a vote, allowing it to die. His office, and the Texas Hospital Association, did not respond to a request for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Out Of Touch Or On A Mission? Patrick's Anti-THC Rant
In a press conference held this week, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick continued to staunchly defend Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), legislation aimed at banning all consumable THC products in the state. Patrick spoke to a room full of reporters about the bill's intent to protect the overall health of Texans, particularly for minors in the Lone Star State, by cutting all access to THC products that have continued to grow in popularity since the state-wide legalization of hemp in 2019. On a city-wide level, as previously covered by The Dallas Express, Dallas voters passed Proposition R in November of last year, making possession of under 4 ounces of marijuana the 'lowest priority' for local law enforcement. However, both efforts have continued to receive pushback from Patrick and other leaders like Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton's office has even sued a handful of municipalities for approving the relaxed laws on marijuana enforcement. 'This unconstitutional action by municipalities demonstrates why Texas must have a law to 'follow the law.' It's quite simple: the legislature passes every law after a full debate on the issues, and we don't allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce,' Paxton said in a press release published last year. SB 3, which has passed both legislative chambers, now seeks to ban all forms of THC, including Delta-8 and Delta-9 variants, currently sold regularly in gas stations and 'smoke shops,' while exempting 'non-intoxicating' cannabinoids like CBD and CBG. However, some details surrounding the bill seem to remain a bit cloudy. The bill will also allegedly allow for the state to maintain and continue running its Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Program, allowing limited medical use of low-THC cannabis products. However, Patrick has not yet clarified if the bill will impact the application process for the program. Critics argue that the ban could have significant economic repercussions, as previously reported by The Dallas Express, potentially dismantling Texas's $8 billion hemp industry and cutting off nearly 50,000 jobs. 'If this ban is passed, it would criminalize both consumers as well as sellers/distributors. Businesses in Texas would have to stop selling these products altogether, which would likely result in a lot of businesses closing up shop altogether,' Ben Michael, an attorney at Michael & Associates, previously told DX. 'This would also likely mean that larger companies based in other states would be limited with where or who they could sell to, leading to potential legal battles. Consumers in Texas could also face fines or charges for buying these products, even if they are for medical purposes, because it seems as though the ban essentially has no exceptions,' Michael added. Yet, Patrick seems deadset on pushing the ban forward. 'We cannot in good conscience leave Austin without banning THC, which is harming our children, and destroying Texans' lives and families,' The Texas Lieutenant General declared via X. Governor Greg Abbott has yet to say whether he will sign SB 3 into law. If enacted, the ban will take effect in September of this year.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Texas to expand how schools discipline students
Texas schools will be able to use harsher punishments to discipline students after the Texas Legislature passed a sweeping package on Wednesday — part of their efforts to stem student violence after the pandemic. 'Disruptions are impeding both the ability of teachers to teach and the ability of students to learn,' said state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. House Bill 6 would extend how long schools can place students in in-school suspensions from three days to as long as they see appropriate. Principals would need to review the placement every 10 days. Students facing in-school suspension still complete schoolwork in a different classroom on school grounds. Because the bill would allow schools to use out-of-school suspensions to discipline all students when they engage in 'repeated and significant' classroom disruption or threaten the health and safety of other children, it would make it easier for schools to discipline students experiencing homelessness and the state's youngest students. That's because the bill would reverse state laws from 2017 and 2019 that put limitations on when and how those students could be disciplined. When schools do out an out-of-school suspension to students in kindergarten through third grade, they'll need to provide documentation of the students' disruptive behavior. Both chambers have approved the legislation — the Senate last week and the House last month. With the House's approval Wednesday of 19 Senate amendments to the bill, 114-19, it now heads to the governor. The legislation also amends when schools send students to alternative education settings, a strict environment that often leans on computer-based work and is in a different building. While students caught vaping were previously required to go to alternative education settings, schools can now give students caught with a vape device less severe consequences if it is their first offense. Schools can also teach students in alternative education programs remotely — a mode of instruction that was shown to contribute to learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perry, who shepherded the bill in the Senate, said the legislation was six years in the making. 'We've reached a crisis point where there's just some kids that absolutely are such a deterrent to the overall learning process that we have to find a better way,' Perry said on the Senate floor last week. 'With that, HB 6 found that balance. I like where we landed.' ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- General
- Bloomberg
Texas Lawmakers Require the Ten Commandments in Every Classroom
Texas lawmakers voted to require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, advancing a conservative priority before the end of the state legislature's session next week. If signed by Governor Greg Abbott, also a Republican, the measure would require schools to show posters or framed copies of the biblical mandates in clearly visible locations. Schools that don't already own copies that are at least 16 by 20 inches (41 by 51 centimeters) for each classroom can use district funds to buy them.
