Major Bills Die As Session Ends

State lawmakers were unable to agree on several high-profile bills before the conclusion of the regular legislative session yesterday.

Among the most notable was House Bill 4, which would have scrapped the much-maligned end-of-year STAAR test for students in favor of three shorter tests throughout the year. The House and Senate were unable to agree on how much authority the state’s education commissioner should have.

House Bill 3225, which would have barred minors from borrowing books deemed sexually explicit from public libraries, was scheduled to be considered in the Senate last Wednesday but was never brought up for a vote.

Lawmakers also failed to agree on bills that would have restricted payouts in personal injury lawsuits and authorized the attorney general to prosecute election crimes when a local district attorney declined to do so.

State Control of Houston ISD Extended

The Texas Education Agency will continue to manage Houston ISD for two more years. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced the decision yesterday, citing the district’s failure to meet the exit criteria while acknowledging “significant progress.”

A prerequisite for returning control of the district to an elected board of directors is that none of its schools receive academically unacceptable ratings in back-to-back years. In 2024, HISD reported 41 schools received an unacceptable rating, down from 121 in 2023.

Morath said that “two years has not been enough time to fix district systems that were broken for decades” and insisted the extension would allow the district to “build on its progress and achieve lasting success for students.”

HISD families have been highly critical of the reforms implemented by Superintendent Mike Miles, which have contributed to high staff turnover and the rejection of a $4.4 billion school bond last November.

Texas Leads Nation in New Home Construction

Four Texas cities led the nation in sales and building permits for new homes during the first two months of this year, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by Consumer Affairs.

Houston was No. 1, with 11,047 permits issued. It’s the biggest city in the country that doesn’t regulate neighborhood density or community type through zoning laws, which has contributed to its infamous urban sprawl.

Dallas was No. 2, with 9,811 permits issued. The $450,000 average price for new builds in Dallas is the highest among Texas metros. Last year, the city council eased restrictions on high-density housing, and state lawmakers recently approved a bill that also addresses the issue.

San Antonio and Austin were No. 8 and No. 9, respectively. Meanwhile, a different study ranked McAllen as the best market in the country for first-time homebuyers. El Paso was close behind, at No. 12.

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➤ Kaufman County: Fugitive Trevor McEuen, 33, was arrested without incident at a residence yesterday morning, nearly a month after he fled house arrest just hours before he was scheduled to be tried for the 2023 murder of his neighbor. (More)

➤ San Antonio: Jonathan Joss, a voice actor for the animated King of the Hill sitcom, was shot and killed after getting into a fight with his neighbor. Joss lost his home and three dogs in a fire in January. (More)

➤ Austin: Advocates for and against legislation that would ban THC products in Texas held press conferences at the Capitol yesterday. Gov. Greg Abbott has not indicated whether he intends to sign Senate Bill 3. (More)

➤ Houston: A recent poll conducted by Texas Southern University shows Attorney General Ken Paxton leading U.S. Sen. John Cornyn 43% to 34% in a two-way race for the 2026 GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. (See Details)

➤ Tarrant County: Fourteen people were injured Sunday evening when the outdoor canopy they were trying to secure was struck by lightning. Two people were treated at a nearby hospital as a precaution. (More)

➤ Killeen: Approximately $100,000 worth of rare Pokémon cards and cash were stolen from a trading card shop early yesterday morning. “This is a devastating moment for our small, family-owned business,” the owners wrote in a Facebook post. (More)

➤ The Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging a $10,000 fine on conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan for allegedly failing to register as a lobbyist. Several prominent Republicans had urged the court to take the case. (See Details)

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➤ UT softball beat Tennessee 2-0 yesterday, punching their ticket to the Women’s College World Series finals for the third time in four years. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Texas Tech defeated defending champs Oklahoma 3-2 to advance to the final series against Texas in the Red Raiders’ first-ever trip to the Women’s College World Series. (More)

➤ The Coahoma Bulldogettes and Corpus Christi’s Calallen Lady Wildcats became the only high school softball teams in UIL history to win three consecutive state championships over the weekend. (See Details)

➤ The Houston Astros called up their No. 2 prospect Jacob Melton on Sunday. Melton went 1-3 in his MLB debut, showcasing his speed on both offense and defense. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Tennis

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➤ At Home Group, a Plano-based furniture and home decor retailer, is reportedly on the verge of bankruptcy as tariffs on Chinese goods have hampered its ability to pay off debt. The chain rapidly expanded in 2021. (More)

➤ Casey’s, an Iowa-based convenience store famous for its pizza, has filed plans for 21 new stores with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Last year, the chain announced plans for a 150-store expansion in the state. (More)

➤ Waymo is planning to test its self-driving cars in San Antonio and Houston, according to an announcement on social media. The Google-affiliated company introduced its autonomous taxis in Austin earlier this year. (More)

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➤ Texas Junior Roller Derby is preparing to host the Junior Roller Derby Association Female Division Playoffs in a few weeks. It’s the first time Texas will host the competition. (Watch Video)

➤ Kurtis Ray, 83, has worked at Standard Aero in Irving for 60 years, starting out as a janitor and working his way up to training new employees how to repair airplane engines. (Watch Video)

➤ The final round of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth starts tonight and concludes Friday. Six finalists will perform two concertos during the four-day finale. (See Details)

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When was the last time you went roller skating?

1. Past year
2. Past 10 years
3. I can’t remember
4. Never

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever called 911 to report a traffic hazard?

1. Yes: 41%
2. No: 59%

What Hill Country town has hosted a popular folk music festival every year since 1972?

Show me the answer