Texas

After Texas passed legislation banning nearly all abortions, the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision made any hopes of reinstating abortion care in the state obsolete. Now, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are supporting bills that could increase — or decrease — access to contraceptives and sex ed.

The Texas legislature heard public testimony for the first time Thursday on a bill addressing gender-affirming care in the state.

Plenty of bills are still up for debate before the session ends in six weeks.

Researchers analyzed 12 years of county-level fatality data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Across the country, they found higher crash fatality rates in places where social time doesn’t align with solar time.

A letter from the Texas Democratic congressional delegation called on the U.S. Department of Energy to prioritize union workplaces for hydrogen energy funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.

Houston is a No. 1 seed; Texas and Texas A&M could match up in the second round.

The measure, authored by Rep. Steve Toth, R-Woodlands, has a 10-year statute of limitations. Opponents say the wide scope of the proposal makes it dangerous.

Texas lawmakers are set to consider legislation this year that would allow families to use taxpayer money to send their kids to nonpublic schools. Democrats and rural Republicans have previously blocked efforts to get school choice bills across the finish line.

Bill author Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said the measure is coming in response to what he called “an explosion” of local ordinances adding regulations.

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs will take applications for rental assistance until March 28.