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Texas May No Longer Require Vehicle Safety Inspections

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Texas May No Longer Require Vehicle Safety Inspections


Photo: Eric Gay (AP)

Texas could do away with annual state inspections starting in 2025. Legislators in the Lone Star State have passed House Bill 3297 and sent it along to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk, who will decide whether to sign the bill into law or not. If he does, annual safety inspections will no longer be required to register vehicles in Texas, but drivers will still be on the hook for the same fees.

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These annual inspections currently cost $7.50 in Texas, and are just one of the requirements to renew a car’s registration. The inspections ensure that vehicles comply with a handful of regulations, ostensibly, in the name of safety. During the inspection, mechanics or technicians go over a laundry list of items to make sure they’re in working order, such as tires, brakes, windshield wipers, headlights, tail lights, and turn signals. Mechanics also honk the horn to make sure it works, and they inspect the windshield to confirm that the driver’s visibility isn’t affected by cracks or breaks in the glass.

If vehicles fail to comply with safety regulations, the car won’t pass inspection and will be ineligible for registration until the issues are addressed. Since the inspections are meant to be in the name of safety, a number of law enforcement agencies and departments throughout the state are objecting to the possible repeal of the inspections. As local news KXAN reports, the Travis County Constable is urging the state governor to veto the bill, and it’s unclear whether Abbott will sign the bill into law or not. He has until June 18 to make up his mind.

Police departments and other legislators who oppose the bill claim that doing away with the inspections will decrease safety on Texas roads, as owners will no longer have to uphold certain safety standards. But the bill’s sponsors argue that removing the inspection requirements will save Texans time and money, which is not altogether true. The current inspection fee will remain, but will be renamed to the “inspection program replacement fee” per the Texas Tribune.

Annual inspections are not mandatory throughout the U.S., which may be surprising to some Texans (like me), who were weaned on the two-step process that renewing registration entails. The Tribune says that 13 states currently require inspections, which puts Texas in the baker’s dozen that still perform them. Some argue that the inspections end up affecting low-income families disproportionately, or that the system is inherently flawed since it can be exploited as well as circumvented easily.

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Photo: Meilissa Phillip (AP)



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Texas

Millions across two major Texas areas told to avoid drive-thru lanes

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Millions across two major Texas areas told to avoid drive-thru lanes


An air quality alert issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) for two of Texas’ most populous metro areas is advising residents against idling in drive-thru lanes due to elevated ozone levels.

Why It Matters

With a combined metropolitan population of over 10 million, the recommendation affects a significant portion of the state’s urban population.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that even short-term exposure to elevated ozone can lead to breathing difficulties, lung inflammation, and worsening of conditions such as asthma.

What To Know

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued Ozone Action Days for both the Dallas-Fort Worth and the San Antonio areas for Tuesday, an air quality alert published by the NWS said.

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According to officials, atmospheric conditions were forecast to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone pollution.

“You can help prevent ozone pollution by sharing a ride, walking or riding a bicycle, taking your lunch to work, avoiding drive through lanes, conserving energy, and keeping your vehicle properly tuned,” the alert read.

Elsewhere, air quality alerts were also in effect for the western two-thirds of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities Metro, following previous alerts issued for the day prior.

“Mostly sunny skies, warm temperatures and low humidity will provide a favorable environment for two types of pollutants (volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides) to react with sunlight in the air to produce ground-level ozone,” the alerts for the state said.

“Ozone will remain elevated on Wednesday as sunny skies, warm temperatures and dry conditions persist.”

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In the northeastern part of the state, an air quality alert had also been issued due to the ongoing Camp House, Jenkins Creek, and Munger Shaw fires, which had each burned over 1,000 acres as of Monday night. Smoke was expected to impact areas near and downwind of the blazes, with smoke being observed as far north as the Canadian border, the alert said.

What People Are Saying

AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham previously told Newsweek: “Ozone is a secondary pollutant, meaning it’s not emitted directly from sources but is formed through chemical reactions. These reactions require sunlight and higher temperatures, making warmer months more prone to ozone formation. When air is stagnant, pollutants don’t get dispersed, allowing ozone to build up to unhealthy levels.

“Ozone pollution is often more severe in urban areas where there are higher concentrations of pollutants from sources like cars, power plants, and industrial activities.”

Professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine Jonathan Grigg, with Queen Mary, University of London, previously told Newsweek There are “very clear links” between inhaling particles and earlier death from both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Additionally, he added that conditions such as asthma are also exacerbated by exposure to air pollution.

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What Happens Next

At the time of writing, Ozone Action Days for Texas were in effect through Tuesday. The next ozone action day, if required, would be issued by 3 p.m. Tuesday.



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Tuition for medic training through National EMS Academy in Texas discounted at $400

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Tuition for medic training through National EMS Academy in Texas discounted at 0


HOUSTON – If you’ve ever wanted to be on the front lines helping the community, why not consider a career as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)?

SEE ALSO: New, elegant shared office workspaces debut in Houston’s River Oaks

The National EMS Academy, a sister company of Acadian Ambulance, is cutting its training costs by a substantial amount.

Ordinarily, the tuition for its 12-week course is $1,600, but for a limited time is discounted to only $400 at all 5 Texas National EMS Academy’s campuses.

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These include its Austin, Beaumont, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio locations.

Medic training in Texas through National EMS discounted at $400 (Copyright 2025 by National EMS Academy – All rights reserved.)

After completing the course, Acadian Ambulance EMTS who train to become paramedics can get reimbursed for their training costs.

SEE ALSO: Texas has created more jobs than any other state in last year, data shows

And if you’re not looking to stay in one place, once you complete the course and pass the National Registry exam, you’re eligible to work at any of the Acadian Ambulance locations in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Medic training in Texas through National EMS discounted at $400 (Copyright 2025 by National EMS Academy – All rights reserved.)

Registration is now open for classes starting on May 26.

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To learn more about the National EMS Academy’s Texas program, visit their website by clicking here.

Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.



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Aggies lead SEC-heavy top 8 in softball tourney

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Aggies lead SEC-heavy top 8 in softball tourney


OKLAHOMA CITY — Texas A&M earned the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I softball tournament on Sunday, edging four-time defending national champion Oklahoma for the top spot and leading seven Southeastern Conference teams seeded in the top eight.

Oklahoma won the SEC regular-season title by a game over Texas A&M in its first season in the conference. Texas A&M and Oklahoma tied for the conference tournament title after the championship game was canceled because of bad weather.

No. 3 seed Florida, a national semifinalist last season, and No. 4-seeded Arkansas also represent the SEC. Oklahoma State, which has made five consecutive Women’s College World Series appearances, is in the regional with Arkansas.

The final eight teams in the 64-team field will play in the WCWS from May 29 to June 5 in Oklahoma City.

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No. 5 seed Florida State, the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season champion, is the top-seeded team from outside the SEC. The Seminoles won the national title in 2018 and were runners-up in 2021 and 2023.

Florida State is followed by three more SEC teams. Texas, the national runner-up two of the past three seasons, is the No. 6 seed. Tennessee, with hard-throwing Karlyn Pickens, is the No. 7 seed. South Carolina is the No. 8 seed after being picked 15th out of 15 teams in the preseason SEC poll.

No. 9 seed UCLA hosts a regional in its first season as a Big Ten member.

No. 10-seeded LSU could be challenged. Nebraska, led by former Oklahoma pitcher Jordyn Bahl, also will be in the Baton Rouge Regional. Bahl was the Most Outstanding Player of the World Series in 2023.

Clemson, the ACC tournament champion after knocking off Florida State in the title game, is the No. 11 seed.

No. 12 seed Texas Tech, the Big 12 regular-season and tournament champion, features reigning National Fastpitch Coaches Association Player of the Year NiJaree Canady. She did not allow a run in 16⅔ innings at the Big 12 Tournament and was named its Most Outstanding Player.

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Arizona, which lost to Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game, earned the No. 13 seed.

Duke reached the WCWS for the first time last season, and it will host a regional this year as the No. 14 seed.

Another SEC team, Alabama, is the No. 15 seed.

Oregon, the Big Ten regular-season champion, is seeded 16th.



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