THC Ban

KUT Morning Newscast for August 5, 2025: Texas Republicans are pushing for the arrest of Democratic lawmakers who’ve left Texas to prevent the passage of a redistricted congressional map

Central Texas top stories for August 5, 2025. Republicans, under pressure from President Donald Trump, are seeking to pick up as many as five seats in next year’s midterm election. Hundreds of companies across Texas that manufacture hemp products are waiting on pins and needles to see if the state legislature bans their business. Williamson County’s plans to bring a spaceport to the area appear to be temporarily grounded. Austin has a new tallest building in its skyline, according to its developers.

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Senate GOP primary brawl could open a door for Democrats

Gov. Greg Abbott’s last-minute veto of a proposed ban on THC-derived products has opened a rift with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the powerful leader of the Texas Senate who championed the ban.
More autonomous vehicles are now on Austin streets – and these Tesla robotaxis are a little harder to spot than their Waymo counterparts.
Some Texans are finding relief from high grocery prices on the other side of the border.
License plate readers have become popular with police departments around the state, but many folks have concerns about privacy. What we learned from a Houston investigation.
And: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in 2026 – and the bruising primary may offer Democrats a rare shot at flipping a Texas Senate seat.

New institute aims to immortalize the sounds of Texas music

A bill banning all products with THC is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Is this the end of the state’s hemp industry?

Lawmakers are also revisiting efforts to reform or replace the STAAR test.

An investigation finds that some people in Central Texas are stuck behind bars beyond the 90-day limit without being indicted – only to have their charges dropped.

From Tejano to Texas country, the sounds of the Lone Star State are getting a new home at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Plus: We’ll go behind the scenes of the new podcast “Better Outside,” hosted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

KUT Morning Newscast for April 11, 2025: Austin requires all homes to have working air conditioning

Central Texas top stories for April 11, 2025. All homes in Austin will require air conditioning starting in July. AISD must tell the Texas Education Agency how it plans to improve Dobie Middle School to avoid it from shutting down. Sunrise Church could be forced to relocate its center that helps homeless Austinites. Green Mesquite was set to shut down, but a man helped save it.