House Democrats plan vast oversight of Trump administration; impeachment an option
House Democrats are preparing a vast oversight agenda if the party sweeps control in the November elections.
The Woodlands
Government
Supreme Court lets Trump administration use revamped federal voter eligibility database for now
The Supreme Court is allowing states to resume using a controversial federal tool to check voter eligibility before the November elections.
About 75,000 Harris County voter registrations unprocessed in Texas DPS error, county officials say
The Secretary of State on Tuesday notified Harris County officials of backlogged voter registration records that were never provided to the office due to a technical error....
Talarico's lead narrows over Paxton in Texas US Senate race
Democrat James Talarico is continuing to attract the support of independent voters in the race for U.S. Senate over his Republican opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton....
Texas Standard for Sept. 25, 2026: Texas voter registration backlog leaves thousands of applications unprocessed
Tens of thousands of Texas voter registration applications — some submitted at least a year ago — remain unprocessed ahead of the November midterms. County election officials have linked the backlog to a Texas Department of Public Safety error, while DPS says the issue has been.....
Key GOP lawmaker says state should have caught error that delayed at least 178,000 Texas voter registrations
Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott, who appoints the state’s top election official and is locked in a tight race in November, hasn’t commented on the error.
Voter registration backlog (Sept. 25, 2026)
On Friday's show: We learn how tens of thousands of voter registration applications got caught in a backlog. And cellist Yo-Yo Ma and his son, filmmaker Nicholas Ma, talk about a performance they're a part of in Galveston....
Today on Texas Standard: Texas voter registration backlog leaves thousands of applications unprocessed
Tens of thousands of Texas voter registration applications — some submitted at least a year ago — remain unprocessed ahead of the November midterms. County election officials have linked the backlog to a Texas Department of Public Safety error, while DPS says the issue has been.....
2026 Texas elections: State error creates huge backlog in voter registration applications as midterm voting nears
County election offices across Texas are scrambling to process a massive backlog of voter registration applications caused by a state-level error.
Angela Colmenero, Trump’s latest judicial nominee to Southern District of Texas, confirmed on party-line vote
Colmenero’s confirmation increases the proportion of Trump’s lifetime appointments to the Southern District, one of the nation’s busiest, to half its bench....
What to know about vote-by-mail and Texas' 'suspense' list
An elections administrator explains what is and isn't new this election season. Source
Texas Senate race focuses on high prices — but what can candidates actually do about it?
Affordability has dominated the U.S. Senate race in Texas. Both James Talarico and Ken Paxton have promised to help voters' pocketbooks. Source
After Texas DPS neglected tens of thousands of voter applications, Democrats demand an investigation
The number of unprocessed applications continues to grow. Texas Democrats, locked in tight races in November, want Gov. Greg Abbott to probe the failure. Source...
Oversight of Flock cameras (Sept. 24, 2026)
On Thursday's show: City council members in League City are considering implementing a citizen-led committee to oversee the city's Flock Safety automated license plate reader system. We find out what that could look like....
What to know about vote-by-mail and the Texas' 'suspense' list
An elections administrator explains what is and isn't new this election season. Source
Talarico vs. Paxton: Who has the better plan to lower costs?
In a Texas Senate race defined by the rising cost of everyday life, Ken Paxton and James Talarico are offering voters different approaches to affordability. Paxton is proposing new tax deductions, an expanded Child Tax Credit and permanent "Trump Accounts," while Talarico is......
Houston City Council votes to enforce campaign finance reporting law
A unanimous Houston City Council voted to begin enforcing a state law requiring candidates for public office to report who contributes to their campaigns....
Texas voters still believe in the state. They’re less confident about its future
Texans say they still believe in the Lone Star State, but are becoming more worried about its future, according to a new poll.
Texas DPS failed to send voter registration applications to county election officials
It’s not known how many applications have been unprocessed. Counties will receive a backlogged surge less than two weeks before the Oct. 5 deadline to register for the Nov. 3 election....
Angela Paxton tells group of Texas women to vote GOP 'even if we’re mad at them'
Angela Paxton accused Ken Paxton of adultery in divorce filings but has been publicly silent about her view of his race. On Friday, she spoke to a group of Republican women in a speech called the “Elephant in the room.”...
Talarico works to reach Black voters in his bid to win a US Senate seat as a Democrat in Texas
Democratic Texas U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico is working to reach Black voters, a key demographic in his race against Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton....
Houston City Council pulls nearly $150 million public safety grant application from agenda
A federal grant application that could give the City of Houston nearly $150 million for public safety, if awarded, has been pulled from the city council agenda for the second week in a row....
U.S. Senate, Texas Railroad Commission races remain tight less than month before early voting, TSU poll finds
A second poll, from Texas 2036, shows a large fraction of voters remain undecided, while many intend to split their tickets.
Bo French leads Railroad Commission race despite drop in favorability, poll shows
Republican railroad commission candidate Bo French is seeing his favorability among Texas voters drop amid his controversial social media posts.
Gov. Greg Abbott directs Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to halt data center permits, office says
Gov. Greg Abbott's office announced that he directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to halt all data center permits until ERCOT finished its audit....
Data centers pause (Sept. 22, 2026)
On Tuesday's show: Gov. Abbott has ordered a pause in permits for new data centers until state regulators complete an audit of those projects. And we discuss the role our city plays in women-led movements and organizations....
Harris Co. Judge Lina Hidalgo said she won't vote for fellow Democrat, Commissioner Lesley Briones
After losing the budget battle, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is eyeing the November elections and said she won't support one of her Democratic colleagues....
Gov. Abbott orders TCEQ to pause environmental permits for data centers until audit is complete
The state's power grid managers are seeking information about these projects' energy and water usage.
Redistricting arms race reshaped House districts for 1 in 10 Americans
According to a new report, bout one in 10 Americans now live in a different district than they did during the 2024 election cycle.
Texas voting guide: Registration deadline, early voting start and other important election dates
Election day isn't until Nov. 3, but there are many upcoming dates that voters should remember as they prepare to cast their ballots.
After delay, Houston officials to vote on $150 million grant tied to ‘immigration law enforcement’
Mayor John Whitmire downplayed the connection between the grant and immigration enforcement, arguing it wouldn’t change city policy.
Federal judge pauses Texas GOP effort to close primary elections
A federal judge on Friday paused a bid by Texas Republicans to close the state's primary elections to only voters registered with the party.
Texas puts brakes on new Flock camera installations along state roads
Gov. Abbott has ordered TxDOT to stop issuing permits allowing the installation of Flock cameras and other automatic license plate readers along state roads....
Florida GOP candidate says Trump has 'gone too far'
A Republican congressional representative in a heated reelection bid in Florida released a new ad saying President Donald Trump has “gone too far” in his immigration enforcement practices in the country....
Are you a Texas voter in 'suspense'? Don’t freak out. You can still vote in November
Getting on the list can happen for a number of reasons, but it’s not hard to update your registration. Source
Rodeo Houston unveils ‘The Farm,’ a new $300M agricultural complex
The Farm is expected to open in time for the 2029 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and Houston Mayor John Whitmire said he is expediting the permit process for the new facility....
Early voting begins in US midterm elections that could flip control of Congress
The Nov. 3 election includes votes for governor and state legislature in most states and will determine whether the House and Senate maintain their Republican majorities....
Harris County commissioners pass property tax rate increase, approve $3 billion budget
Harris County commissioners have made their votes on the proposed property tax rate increases intended to help close an estimated $181 million budget shortfall....
Texas freezes installation of Flock cameras along state roads
Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the state Department of Transportation to stop issuing permits for automated license plate readers.
Sugar Land adopts 3.6% property tax increase, adding about $59 a year for median homeowner
Sugar Land homeowners were originally facing a property tax increase of about $96 a year — more than 6% — before City Council approved a lower tax rate this week....
Texans have less than 3 weeks to register to vote for November 2026 midterm election
Texas law requires eligible citizens to register 30 days before Election Day, meaning that Oct. 5 is the last day to register for the Nov. 3, 2026 midterm election....
Houston veterans’ organization rolls out voter outreach initiative
Combined Arms’ Civic After Service initiative particularly hopes to reach immigrant veterans who are preparing to vote for the first time. The initiative is launching Sept. 17 to coincide with Constitution Day and Citizenship Day....
“Uncharted territory”: Two months from Election Day, Democrats in Texas are truly competitive
Democrat James Talarico is consistently leading in the polls over Ken Paxton, which is unheard of in recent decades. National forecasters are calling Texas a tie, or else giving the advantage to the Democrat....
2026 Toy Hall of Fame finalists released | Cast your vote
The Hall announced its 12 finalists for the Class of 2026 on Wednesday. Voting is open to the public and a panel of judges until Sept. 23.
Harris County commissioners pass property tax rate increase
Harris County commissioners will make their final vote on Thursday to decide on the proposed property tax rate increases.
Harris County commissioners to make final vote on proposed tax rate increases
Harris County commissioners will make their final vote on Thursday to decide on the proposed property tax rate increases.
City of Houston approves $20.4M contract to help speed permitting, code enforcement
Houston City Council unanimously approved an agreement Tuesday allowing SAFEbuilt Texas LLC to provide on-demand services for Houston Public Works.
Texas and feds announce noncitizen voting charges against seven people
State officials also referred 117 people for investigation related to noncitizen voting, but confirmed nearly 600 other flagged voters are U.S. citizens....
House to adjourn early, stave off Hegseth impeachment vote
House Republicans had planned to remain in session until Thursday, but will now take their last votes Wednesday evening on a major White House priority....
Senate takes first step to overhaul college sports system
Senate takes first step to advance legislation to drastically overhaul college sports system as we know it, passing a procedural vote for a full Senate vote, 74-24....
Kennedy Center demolition worries rise with closing after judge blocks Trump name restoration
The Kennedy Center will close most of its facility for renovations after its Trump‑aligned board voted Tuesday to proceed with the shutdown just hours after a federal judge again blocked the institution from restoring Donald Trump’s name to the building, as lawyers warned the......
House votes for a third time to end the Iran war as conflict drags on
The House approved a war powers resolution late Tuesday that would halt President Trump’s ability to continue military action without congressional approval....
House votes to end penny production permanently: What to know
The House has advanced legislation that would formally end penny production. Here's what to know.
DHS agents allegedly directed to 'misrepresent' themselves to access state voter rolls, whistleblower claims
A whistleblower claims DHS has directed agents to "misrepresent" themselves and "violate state laws" in a voter probe, Democratic lawmakers say.
Kennedy Center board votes to close venue after judge blocks plan to honor Trump: report
The Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees voted to close the iconic performing arts venue amid financial issues and an ongoing dispute over adding President Donald Trump’s name to the building, according to Associated Press reporting citing sources familiar with the vote....
Kennedy Center board votes to immediately close center's main building, sources say, after judge blocks adding Trump tribute to Kennedy Center facade
The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees has voted to immediately close the performing arts center’s main building, according to sources.
SCOTUS rejects Trump mail ballot restrictions for now ahead of midterms
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump's mail ballot restrictions for now, capping a flurry of last-minute legal action with voting in the midterm elections already underway....
Texas Supreme Court strikes Harris County commissioner candidate's effort to remove incumbent from office
A Sept. 9 ruling by the Texas Supreme Court denied Richard Vega's lawsuit against Harris County Commissioners Court, which argued Commissioner Adrian Garcia effectively vacated his seat in 2021 when he was appointed to the Gulf Coast Protection District....
Gov. Abbott threatens data centers with penalties for failure to complete water usage reports
Major water users who fail to complete and return a water use survey could face a Class C misdemeanor and become “ineligible to obtain permits, permit amendments, or permit renewals” from the state's environmental agency....
Fort Bend ISD leaders to vote on new tax rate for property owners within district, agenda reveals
According to the agenda, the Fort Bend ISD board will discuss adopting a tax rate of 99 cents per $100 of property valuation.