Texas

Part of Texas’ new election law heard in state Supreme Court Wednesday

Published

3 years ago

May 11, 2022

Part of Texas’ new election law heard in state Supreme Court Wednesday

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Supreme Court docket of Texas heard oral arguments Wednesday morning in a problem associated to Texas’ elections overhaul invoice and its provision that prohibits public election officers from selling mail-in voting.

Justices heard arguments in Paxton v. Longoria — a lawsuit introduced by soon-to-be-former Harris County elections administrator, Isabel Longoria, in addition to a Williamson County volunteer deputy registrar, Cathy Morgan. Each events argue the legislation violates election officers and employees’ First Modification rights by making it a criminal offense to encourage voters to vote by mail.

All of it pertains to Senate Invoice 1, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Invoice 1 into legislation in Sept. 2021 to additional tighten the state’s voting legal guidelines. Republicans proclaimed that their signature invoice makes it “simpler to vote and tougher to cheat.” It’s the identical laws that prompted Home Democrats to flee to Washington D.C. to forestall its passage. Democrats have decried it as “voter suppression.”

The lawsuit is at the moment on attraction within the U.S. fifth Circuit Court docket of Appeals, however these judges despatched the case to the Texas Supreme Court docket to certify three questions earlier than transferring ahead. The questions earlier than the Texas justices embody:

Whether or not volunteer deputy registrars are “public officers” underneath Texas Election Code
Whether or not the speech about mail-in voting Longoria and Morgan say they are going to use as elections officers is taken into account as participating in “solicitation”
Whether or not the Texas Lawyer Normal Ken Paxton is a correct official to implement this facet of the Texas Election Code

In line with Texas Election Code, a public official commits a state jail felony in the event that they knowingly solicit the submission of a mail-in voting utility to somebody who didn’t request one or distributes the appliance to somebody who didn’t request one.

Justices and attorneys agreed {that a} volunteer deputy registrar (VDR), equivalent to Morgan, doesn’t fall underneath the class of “public official” on this context. That prompted justices to query whether or not the lawsuit is moot.

“If everyone agrees that the VDR shouldn’t be a public official, subsequently has no standing…the place’s the case or controversy,” Justice Jeff Boyd requested.

Sean Morales-Doyle, an legal professional from the Brennan Heart for Justice, represented Longoria and Morgan in court docket Wednesday. He argued the vagueness of how the legislation was written leaves his shopper Morgan to have “cheap worry of being prosecuted” for violating S.B. 1.

“What appears to be troubling everyone right here shouldn’t be some unusual definition of the time period solicitation. It’s the truth that the kind of speech…applies to my shoppers’ makes an attempt to encourage folks to train their basic, constitutionally-protected proper to vote, slightly than their makes an attempt to encourage folks to have interaction in legal conduct,” Morales-Doyle mentioned.

In the course of the listening to, state attorneys representing Paxton argued the legislation does clearly outline “solicit” and wouldn’t embody speech equivalent to election officers telling voters the best way to vote by mail.

“On this occasion, [it] means to strongly urge or to importune. It actually means greater than to vaguely encourage,” mentioned Lanora Pettit, a lawyer with the Texas Lawyer Normal’s workplace.

Chief Justice Nathan Hecht didn’t say when the court docket will decide. As soon as they certify these three questions for the fifth Circuit Court docket of Appeals, its judges will finally resolve whether or not the lawsuit could proceed or be dismissed altogether.

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Texas

Gov. Abbott updates ongoing response to severe winter weather in Texas

Published

56 minutes ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Gov. Abbott updates ongoing response to severe winter weather in Texas

AUSTIN – Texas Governor Greg Abbott will be briefed Wednesday morning on the latest in the severe winter weather that will affect a large area of the state. He will then hold a news conference in Austin around 10:30 a.m. to announce any updates.

The Governor will be joined by Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, Texas Department of Transportation Deputy Executive Director Brian Barth, Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Pablo Vegas, Public Utility Commission Chair Thomas Gleeson, and other state officials and emergency management personnel.

Get news, weather and so much more on the new FOX LOCAL app

Winter Storm Warning

What we know:

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for parts of North Central and Northeast Texas from 6 a.m. Thursday until Noon on Friday.

The National Weather Service expects heavy mixed precipitation with a transition to all snow on Thursday evening. Total snow accumulations will be between 2 and 4 inches. The NWS says isolated snowfall amounts could top 8 inches within more intense bands of snow.

Another aspect of a warning is what this weather will impact. Travel could be very difficult for the Thursday morning and evening commutes.

RELATED STORY: Dallas weather: Winter storm watch upgraded to warning, when to expect snow tomorrow

State Emergency Response Resources

Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to increase the readiness level of the Texas State Operations Center (SOC) to Level II (Escalated Response) ahead of winter weather expected to impact the state, with the greatest impacts beginning Wednesday through the weekend.

What they’re saying:

“With below-freezing temperatures beginning to impact large portions of the state, Texas is increasing the readiness level of the State Operations Center to ensure resources are swiftly deployed to communities,” said Governor Abbott. “As the State of Texas mobilizes the emergency response resources Texans need to stay safe and warm, I urge everyone to remain weather-aware, regularly monitor road conditions before traveling, and heed guidance from state and local officials. I thank all the first responders and emergency management personnel for their efforts to help Texas communities brace for winter weather.”

Winter Storm Watch

The National Weather Service has also issued a Winter Storm Watch which remains in effect from now through Friday night.

What they’re saying:

Heavy mixed precipitation is possible with a transition to snow expected late Thursday. Total snow and sleet accumulations of up to two inches and ice accumulations of around one tenth of an inch are possible.

Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes.

Dig deeper:

Texans can locate winter weather safety tips by visiting TexasReady.gov, find warming centers opened and operated by local officials at tdem.texas.gov/warm, and check road conditions at DriveTexas.org.

The Source: Information in this article is from the Texas Governor’s Office and the National Weather Service.

Severe WeatherGreg Abbott

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Texas

Texas A&M vs Oklahoma: Preview, prediction, how to watch men’s basketball game

Published

9 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Texas A&M vs Oklahoma: Preview, prediction, how to watch men’s basketball game

For the first time since December of 2017, Texas A&M basketball is ranked inside the top 10 in national polls.

The Aggies manhandled the rival Texas Longhorns on Saturday and surged up the rankings. They sit ninth in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and 10th in the AP Poll, released Sunday.

Despite national recognition, the Aggies know they have a lot of work to do if they’re going to stay there, and the next challenge will be daunting. Wednesday night, the Aggies travel to Norman to take on the No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners (13-1, 0-1) in their first SEC road test of the year.

WATCH MULTIPLE TEXAS A&M GAMES HERE

No. 9 Texas A&M (12-2, 1-0) won eight games in a row and will put the streak to the test against a good Sooners team looking to bounce back from a 107-79 loss to the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide.

Now, the Aggies are fully entrenched in a grueling conference schedule. Can Texas A&M continue their winning ways Wednesday on the road against Oklahoma? Here’s what you need to know for the matchup:

Texas A&M vs Oklahoma time

Day: Wednesday

Start time: 8 p.m.

Location: Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

How to watch Texas A&M vs Oklahoma

TV channel: SEC Network

Livestream: Fubo, ESPN+, SEC+

Aggies capitalizing on ‘mature group’

Texas A&M entered the season returning 78% of last year’s total production. That familiarity in Buzz Williams’ sixth season has allowed the Aggies to flourish early this year. With experience a clear advantage for A&M, the team’s maturity has allowed them to get off to the start they’ve had.

“We have a very mature group. We have a group that has really good character, and that’s important. When we’re together, our ideas have to be based on the truth,” Williams said on his weekly radio show Monday.

A&M’s starting five against Texas (Wade Taylor, Zhuric Phelps, Hayden Hefner, Solomon Thomas, Henry Coleman III) have combined to play 460 games for the program, and that familiarity has helped the Aggies play well together when it matters most.

“The margins are just so thin. You always have to figure out a way to get better,” Williams said Monday. “We’re thankful for Saturday. There’s very little margin over the next nine weeks.”

Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma prediction

Twenty-point wins will be hard to come by in the SEC this season, and the Aggies know it. Wednesday against the Sooners will provide A&M with another measuring stick game, a test they’ve continued to pass. I expect it will be much closer than the Longhorns game was, with Texas A&M finding a way to grind out a one-possession road win over Oklahoma, 77-74.

Reach Texas A&M Beat Reporter Tony Catalina via email at ACatalina@gannett.com. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer.

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Texas

Texas suicide-prevention hotlines buckle as mental health crisis increases

Published

17 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

Texas suicide-prevention hotlines buckle as mental health crisis increases

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Two years ago, when the suicide prevention hotline launched, it was called a “game-changer.”

However, 988 systems in Texas are now beginning to buckle under the weight of a multi-million dollar budget deficit.

The Texas Tribune’s mental health reporter, Stephen Simpson, joined Eyewitness News to break down what caused this deficit and the impact on health care across the state.

Most of the money comes from a federal grant but was never meant to support the system long-term.

“This was just to get the 988 systems up and running until the state stepped in to take over the funding,” Simpson said.

The state of Texas has not dedicated any funds to the suicide prevention hotline.

Texas only has five centers dedicated to answering calls for help, compared to Florida, which has 13. As a result, 20% of calls from Texans in crisis in Texas are answered by out-of-state counselors.

“The more you’re transferred out of state, the more likely you are going to drop the call. Currently, Texas has the 5th highest number of dropped calls in the nation. Without the number of crisis counselors, the text and chat features we have here don’t really work,” Simpson said.

Texas has one of the highest numbers of calls into 988 centers across the country, mental health resources are low, and the suicide rate is climbing. The suicide rate in Texas jumped 37% from 2000 to 2022.

Senator José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, has filed a bill to create a state trust fund for the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 14.

The 911 call centers are funded similarly. A surcharge on cellphone bills would support the 988 trust fund. Other states use money from Medicaid expansion to fund their 988 centers.

For updates on this story, follow Briana Conner on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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