Austin, TX
Texas law age-restricting app stores blocked by federal judge
08 January 2019, Hessen, Rüsselsheim: ILLUSTRATION – The App Store (M) logo can be seen on the screen of an iPhone. Photo: Silas Stein/dpa (Photo by Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images)
A federal judge has blocked a Texas law aimed at keeping minors from using app stores without an adult’s consent.
The decision is a win for major developers of app stores represented in the federal lawsuit, including Apple, Google and Amazon.
Texas app store law blocked
What we know:
Senate Bill 2420 would have gone into effect on Jan. 1, requiring anyone under the age of 18 in Texas to get parental consent to download an app or make an in-app purchase.
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin issued a preliminary injunction against the law, saying it likely violates the First Amendment.
The case against the law, known as the App Store Accountability Act, was brought by Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) on behalf of operators of app stores (like Google, Apple, and Amazon) and developers of mobile apps (like YouTube, Audible, Apple TV, IMDB, and Goodreads).
What’s next:
The law can not go into effect as litigation proceeds.
Texas AG Ken Paxton is the sole defendant in the case, and is enjoined from enforcing or allowing enforcement of the law during that time.
Texas lawsuit over SB 2420
The backstory:
Attorneys for the CCIA argued the law violates First Amendment free speech rights. Before the Austin court hearing last week, CCIA Senior VP Stephanie Joyce issued the following statement:
“We shall show the judge that this law is unconstitutional and should not take effect. This law is grossly overbroad, involves forced-speech mandates, and is not remotely tailored to its stated purpose. It is a deeply flawed statute that the Court should block under the First Amendment.”
Other cell phone restrictions
Dig deeper:
Australia recently passed a total social media ban for people under age 16. Texas attempted a similar law with House Bill 18, which was enjoined prior to SB 2420.
A recent report about a school in Kentucky with a cellphone ban quoted administrators about an unexpected benefit. They claim a 61 percent increase in books being checked out from its library since the ban started.
In that Kentucky report, 38 percent of their disciplinary issues involved violating the cellphone ban. The administrators said they hope that number will drop after students come back from the holiday break. It’s too early to tell if that kind of data will be collected as part of the TEA review.
The Source: Information in this article came from a federal court filing and previous FOX Local coverage.
Austin, TX
Sep 15, 2018; Austin, TX, USA; General overall view of the Texas Longhorns logo at midfield at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Texas Farmers’ Almanac winter weather, snow chance forecast
Winter could be a wet and stormy one in Texas, according to the latest prediction from the Farmers’ Almanac. Here’s what to know.
Santana is hitting the road across the country alongside the Doobie Brothers as part of the “Oneness 2026” tour.
After several stops in California, the legendary guitarist and singer will make his way to Texas, with upcoming shows in El Paso, Austin, The Woodlands and Dallas. Tickets are still available on Ticketmaster for Texas stops.
So, can fans expect to hear hits like “Oye Como Va” and “Black Magic Woman?”
Here’s a look at Santana’s recent setlist from the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, California, courtesy of setlist.fm.
- “Soul Sacrifice”
- “Jin-go-lo-ba”
- “Evil Ways”
- “Black Magic Woman /Gypsy Queen”
- “Oye Como Va”
- “Everybody’s Everything”
- “Benny Rietveld Bass Solo”
- ‘Samba pa ti”
- “Batuka”
- “No One to Depend On”
- “Hope You’re Feeling Better”
- “The Game of Love”
- “(Da le) Yaleo”
- “Put Your Lights On”
- “Salvador Santana solo”
- “Corazón espinado”
- “Maria Maria”
- “Foo Foo”
Encore songs in Chula Vista were “Toussaint L’Ouverture” and Smooth.”
Santana, Doobie Brothers tour dates
- Aug. 14: Phoenix, Arizona — Mortgage Matchup Center
- Aug. 16: El Paso, Texas — Don Haskins Center
- Aug. 18: Austin, Texas — Moody Center
- Aug. 21: The Woodlands, Texas — Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
- Aug. 22: Dallas, Texas — American Airlines Center
- Aug. 24: Morrison, Colorado — Red Rocks Amphitheatre
- Aug. 26: Kansas City, Missouri — Morton Amphitheater
- Aug. 27: Shakopee, Minnesota — Mystic Lake Amphitheater
- Sept. 16: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Sept. 17: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Sept. 19: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Sept. 20: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Sept. 23: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Sept. 24: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Sept. 26: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Sept. 27: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Nov. 4: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Nov. 5: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Nov. 7: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Nov. 8: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Nov. 11: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Nov. 12 : Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Nov. 14: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
- Nov. 15: Las Vegas, Nevada — House of Blues
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
TEA releases school accountability ratings
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released its annual school accountability ratings Friday morning, revealing statewide gains alongside high-stakes challenges for public school districts across Central Texas.
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released its annual school accountability ratings Friday morning, revealing statewide gains alongside high-stakes challenges for public school districts across Central Texas.
By the numbers:
Statewide, 85% of rated campuses earned a C or higher under the state’s A-F accountability system, which evaluates academic performance, graduation rates, and college readiness across more than 1,200 school districts and 9,100 campuses.
“This year, 25% of campuses statewide are an A. Last year, 24% were an A,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said Friday. “This is an iterative improvement. We have got to work so that every year is a little bit better than the year before.”
AISD releases TEA campus ratings
Two Austin ISD schools have received their fifth consecutive failing rating by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The district said this could prompt some form of future intervention by the state.
Central Texas district breakdown
Big picture view:
Accountability scores across Central Texas ranged from top-tier marks to campus-level concerns:
- A Rating: Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD
- B Rating: Austin ISD, Georgetown ISD, Hays CISD, Leander ISD, Round Rock ISD (score: 89), Dripping Springs ISD (score: 89)
- C Rating: Burnet CISD, San Marcos CISD
- D Rating: Del Valle ISD (score: 66), Elgin ISD (score: 66), Manor ISD (score: 66)
Parents and community members can search for full district and campus performance reports on the state’s official website.
Austin ISD’s rating
Dig deeper:
Austin ISD sees overall gains, facing potential state intervention.
Austin ISD celebrated an overall district rating of “B,” marking its highest grade in four years. District officials attributed the jump to a 42% increase in campuses earning A or B ratings.
Among the notable campus turnarounds was Dobie Middle School, which earned a D rating after four consecutive years of receiving an F, effectively pausing potential state intervention at the campus.
However, two Austin ISD campuses—Burnet Middle School and Webb Middle School—received an F rating for the fifth consecutive year. Under Texas law, five consecutive years of failing ratings triggers mandatory intervention by the education commissioner, requiring either campus closures or the appointment of a state board of managers to oversee district governance.
“With two schools achieving the five-F status, we are now at the point that the commissioner must take action,” Austin ISD Board Trustee Dr. David Kauffman said. “The action can be either district-level action or it can be closing the schools.”
Ahead of Friday’s release, the Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted Thursday night to consolidate Paredes Middle School prior to the start of the 2026–27 school year. Friday’s TEA data confirmed that Paredes also received a failing grade for the cycle.
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath speaks on Austin ISD
What they’re saying:
Reporter: “In Austin, you said it’s preliminary, and it still needs to be finalized. What more do you need to know about Austin?”
Mike Morath: “Yeah, unfortunately, this school year, that school district had two campuses reach five years of an ‘F’ in a row, and it was Austin. Ratings are what we refer to as preliminary ratings, then there’s a 30-day appeal window, then there’s a 30-day window to apply for appeal. Then there’s about 60 days when we have a third party panel review and just check all the work, make sure it’s accurate. Sometimes, those results in ratings changes. So I think it’s way preliminary to discuss what actually might happen in Austin as a result of that.”
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Katie Pratt and a statement from TEA Commissioner Mike Morath
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