Laura Rice

Lawmakers file bills on Medicaid, data centers, THC and more

Nearly 1,300 bills were filed in the Texas House and Senate as lawmakers began preparing for the 2027 legislative session, with Democrats reviving a push to expand Medicaid.

Investment group BlackRock went from being blacklisted to partnering with Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration. What does that mean now that Democrats are returning to statewide office?

Part of the blue tsunami included a wave of young voters. We’ll hear from a few about their priorities.

Plus: What’s the use in providing veterinary care to a bunch of stray animals? A North Texas woman’s story just might inspire a few copycats.

What changed for women in Texas politics after Ann Richards

It’s been three decades since Texas had a Democratic governor — or a female one. We’ll have a conversation looking at what we can learn from when Ann Richards held the office.

Texas leads the country in oil production. We also lead in wind energy. But how far away is Texas from a hydrogen-fueled economy?

Reporting about the immigration crackdown across the U.S. has primarily focused on big cities. But in the small town of Ingram in the Texas Hill Country, the impact has felt personal.

Has your mailbox and text messages filled up with political claims? We’ll share a closer look at what we learned when digging into who sent messages about trans youth.

Plus, the frightening facts behind a beloved Texas horror film.

Texas autism therapy program could lose its funding

Democrat Bobby Pulido is leading a poll in Texas’ Congressional District 15 that had heavily favored Trump. The district’s Latinos may be leaning even further left.
Some Texas school districts shifted toward a four-day school week during the pandemic. Now there may be legislation to discourage that.
Texas is considering doing away with a program meant to serve children across the state with autism. We’ll look at why the cut is on the table and what other options families might have.
Plus, confusion over whether permitting has continued for new Texas data centers despite the governor’s call for a pause.
And Texas filmmaker Meghan Ross takes us through the process of loss in the PBS docuseries “How We Grieve.”

Could Bo French racism controversy hurt other Republicans on ballot?

Texas school districts appear increasingly suspicious of STAAR test results graded by a computer system. We’ll dig into what’s going on.
Republican candidate for railroad commission Bo French recently drew criticism from many in his own party for comments widely labeled racist. We’ll look at the potential impact on the rest of the ballot.
Texas leads the way in the number of recent ICE arrests — far more than California or Florida. We’ll have a closer look at why and who is being targeted.
For years, public schools taught kids coding at the encouragement of big tech companies. Now there’s evidence of unfulfilled promises.
And we’ll explore a recruitment tour of West Texas — in search of young people who might want to join the priesthood.

PossAble Dream looks to inspire high school dropouts in the RGV

The midterms are just around the corner and we’re watching several competitive races in the Texas House. We’ll have details on some of those races.
A botched execution in Tennessee is having immediate impacts in Texas. A look at why the 2009 Fort Hood shooter will be executed by firing squad.
Meanwhile, there’s a push to spiritualize the military. We’ll share a report about the creation of a Pentagon Office of Religious Affairs.
We’ll take you to the Rio Grande Valley where there are a handful of high schools for adults looking to spur both personal and broader economic change.
And we’ll introduce you to a San Antonio woman who is changing lives with a little music and a little water.

Toadies get personal on first new album in nearly a decade

If you’ve consumed any media with commercials lately you know why the race for U.S. Senate between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico has become so expensive. We’ll dig into the details.
With the election now just weeks away, it’s worth making sure your voter registration is in order. A backlog is affecting a lot of Texans. We’ll walk you through how to fix things.
A school district along the Texas Gulf Coast found a way to keep some of the tax money set to go back to the state — but state lawmakers are now questioning that tactic.
Texas produces a lot of sorghum — and we could all soon be eating more of it.
Plus, Fort Worth rockers the Toadies have a new full-length album — their first in nearly a decade. We sat down with them at an iconic Austin venue.

The New Wild West: Texans on the AI Frontier

Artificial intelligence is developing fast, and if you think it’s impacting life now, just wait. This is a special edition of the Texas Standard — “The New Wild West: Texans on the AI frontier.”
What happens when you press that return button in ChatGPT? We’ll follow the energy-intensive requests.
We’ll also explore the life-changing benefits AI can offer, and we’ll weigh that against privacy concerns.
We’ll also go deep with experts on what happens if AI gets too powerful.

UT students respond after Bo French targets them online

We assume the hundreds of new data centers popping up across Texas use quite a bit of water, but we’ll look at why we don’t know for sure.
Texas has a program to help expand access to preschool. But why do some providers say it’s having unintended consequences?
Republican candidate for the Texas railroad commission Bo French put dozens of UT students in an unexpected spotlight with a racist social media post. We’ll delve into what the students say about the experience.
A book first published in the 1940s offered a scathing social critique of the rich and powerful of Fort Worth. It caused a scandal and was quickly suppressed. Now, “The Inheritors” is getting new life.
Plus, as Netflix prepares to remake “Lonesome Dove,” we revisit some of our favorite moments from the 1989 series with W.F. Strong.

Texas Extra: Texas political history and intrigue with politico Ben Barnes

There’s a lot to talk about in Texas on a daily basis and Texas Standard wants to get to as much as we can. But sometimes that means taking a great conversation and making it much shorter than we’d like. Such is the case with one this week with longtime Texas politico Ben Barnes. Our David Brown talked with him about his new memoir “Get It Done: Seven Decades of Lessons from a Political Legend.”

We present the interview in its entirety here for you now. Check it out — you’ll definitely learn something.

High electricity costs contribute to senior heat deaths in the RGV

Costs for air conditioning are so high that some on limited incomes are trying to do without. But with temperatures also at extremes, that’s leading to some grave outcomes for seniors, in particular.
The GOP’s unconventional convention is in Texas for a reason — and part of that is the state’s fundraising power. We’ll take a closer look.
And do your feelings about AI change if it helps you save money on taxes?
Plus, an update on an effort to help monarch butterflies on their great migration.

Forged in flames: An oral history of the Labor Day wildfires

This Labor Day holiday marks 15 years since the most destructive wildfire in recorded Texas history — measured not by acres burned, but by homes lost.
The Bastrop County Complex Fire was just one of more than 30,000 that ignited in 2011 — by far the worst year since the Texas A&M Forest Service has been keeping track. It was spurred by an unprecedented one-year drought.
Today on the Texas Standard we’re revisiting the stories of the Labor Day wildfires, collected by our home station KUT in the months after the 2011 fire outbreak in Central Texas.
This is “Forged in flames: An oral history of the Labor Day wildfires.

Texas hospitals face Medicaid funding freeze

$27 million a day. That’s how much Texas hospitals are losing because of a disagreement with the Trump administration over Medicaid funding. We’ll have the details.
Much of the talk of the November election in Texas has focused on the race for U.S. Senate. But who will be Texas’ next attorney general? We’ll share a closer look at candidates Mayes Middleton and Nathan Johnson.
As tropical winds and rain make their way through parts of Texas, some coastal homeowners worry about being able to secure insurance for future storms. We’ll go over what’s changing.
Plus, enormous electric power lines are one step closer to going up in West Texas. A look at how the state says this will help meet growing energy demand.
And “Gunsmoke,” a TV show from decades ago, is getting renewed attention on streaming. Commentator W.F. Strong tells us why he is watching.

A Texas remembrance of Dolly Parton

Tens of thousands of acres are burning in West Texas. We’ll check in on containment efforts and the ongoing wildfire risk.
Republicans from all over the country will be gathering in Texas soon to drum up support for the November election. We’ll have a look at how the Texas GOP has evolved.
Chinese biotech firms have become a major force in the global pharmaceutical market. We’ll look at what Americans should know about where new medicine may be coming from.
Houston Police have been collaborating with ICE. We’ll share how the collaboration has impacted one man’s life.
And Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. We went looking for a Texan who could help us remember this icon of country music and beyond — and found a longtime collaborator and friend in Asleep at the Wheel’s Ray Benson.

New developments in Big Bend border wall fight

Border construction in Big Bend National Park is paused — for now. We’ll have an overview of the damage done and what’s next.
Texas received billions from a federal program meant to help provide high-speed internet to underserved communities. But why is it pausing new projects?
Texas is home to the largest detention camp in the country. A year after the opening of the detention facility at Fort Bliss, calls to close it are intensifying.
Some Texans have been notified of high levels of radium in their water. We’ll look at why this happens and potential solutions.
Plus, the National Hockey League is considering another team in Texas. Will it be Austin or Houston?

Mike D’Antoni talks NBA coaching career ahead of Hall of Fame induction

Tens of thousands of Texas families who received state money to send students to private schools are giving it back. We’ll explore why.
Texas cities are watching the back and forth between the Trump administration and the courts over a federal program critics say could put thousands of Texans at risk for re-entering homelessness.
John Cornyn and James Talarico have come out against imminent construction of Big Bend border barriers. We’ll have a look at where Ken Paxton stands.
Plus, our conversation with soon-to-be Hall of Fame former NBA Coach Mike D’Antoni.
And no animals were injured when monkey’s brains washed up on Texas beaches.

Migrant children held for months at Texas detention center

Children are being held in Texas detention centers far longer than legal limits allow. We’ll have a check-in on the immigration crackdown.
People and politicians have rallied around their dislike of data centers. What does this PR problem mean for tech companies?
We’ll check in on why an El Paso project might not be affected by Gov. Greg Abbott’s new data center regulations.
It’s been nearly a month since this year’s record-breaking flooding in South Central Texas. We’ll have a look at how it’s impacted small towns with few resources.
The story of how an Austin nonprofit is trying to support musicians in an expensive city.
And young Texas track athlete Cooper Lutkenhaus is breaking records abroad.

Laredo’s drag performers and allies navigate changing landscape

Texas public radio stations teamed up to tell the story of what happened after the July 4, 2025, floods — then deadly storms hit again. A conversation on how “After the Flood” updated its coverage.
After years of being legal, possessing products containing Delta-8 is about to be a felony in Texas. We’ll have a look at how we got to this point.
A state sales tax break for data centers may be costing the state billions. We’ll go over the debate in the Legislature over whether it should stay in place.
Plus, the chilling effect of a Texas law regulating drag performances. Our multimedia journalist tracked the impact in Laredo.
And if we told you railroad vine was blooming in Texas, where would you guess those flowers were popping up? We’ll tell you about these blooms that thrive in intense heat and direct sun.
That, plus a wrap of the week in Texas politics and more.

A peek inside a Texas wolf sanctuary

A new poll has James Talarico up five points over Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate. We’ll have a look at how money and scandal could factor in.
Texas shifted a lot of foster care responsibilities to third party contractors about a decade ago — but now, many have closed their doors. We’ll find out what we can learn from a key example.
There’s a civil war of sorts going on at a Houston megachurch. We’ll share a look at what a recent ruling means for a congregation’s right to control church business.
No matter where you are, data centers are one of the hottest topics in Texas right now. But what exactly are they? We’ll dig in.
And we’ll take you to a Texas sanctuary for wolves and wolf dogs — and dispel some myths.

Texas foster care rulings strengthen parental rights

Policies in Texas over when children should be removed from their parents are shifting. What do experts say about the changes?
Ken Paxton just lost a step in the first major case against an alleged violator of Texas’ abortion ban. We’ll dig into what the ruling may indicate about the law.
There have long been talks about connecting parts of Texas by rail, but a route between Austin and San Antonio is unlikely to happen anytime soon. We’ll explore why.
Oil prices are down but gas prices aren’t likely to fall as quickly. A look at the factors at play behind the pump.
Plus, why it matters that father figures are involved in reading programs.

New book recounts fishermen’s Gulf of Mexico survival story

President Trump is trying to renegotiate trade agreements with our nearest neighbors —again. Why is Canada so upset?
Much has been made over the political leanings of the Texas Rio Grande Valley. How are things looking for Senate candidates James Talarico and Ken Paxton in the run-up to November?
An iconic LGBT night spot is facing a shutdown threat — so what happened to the San Antonio mayor’s promises to help keep it open?
Plus, we’ll introduce you to a Kerrville couple rebuilding once again after a second year of extreme flooding.
And bestselling author Michael J. Tougias recalls a harrowing true story set in the Texas gulf with his new book “In Deep Water.”