Bills to raise criminal penalties for illegal voting and allow for audits of the 2020 election. Who and what’s behind them? Other stories we’re tracking: after mass deportations of mostly Haitian migrants in Del Rio, reports emerge of 11,000 to 12,000 more Haitian migrants hoping to pass thru to the U.S. border, but stuck in southern Mexico. We’ll hear the latest. Also ripple effects of a pandemic: the resurgence of an opioid epidemic. How Texas A&M researchers plan to help doctors and mental health providers deal with the problem. And is Texas really the future of America? Those stories and much more when the TS gets underway, right after this:
Voting
Texas Standard: October 4, 2021
Demands for the ousting of a non-partisan county elections official for failing to be sufficiently Republican? Donald Trump took Hood County by 81%, but local Republicans want the election official there fired. We’ll hear why some think this could be a microcosm of Texas politics at the moment. Also with so much growth among Latinos in Texas according to the last census, where are they in the new redistricting maps? And recent viral images of border agents rounding up black migrants on horseback and the reverberations of racial violence in Texas. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Why, Jerry?
With new census numbers finally available, lawmakers are drawing new maps for political representation. It’s no surprise that those with the pen seem inclined to make the lines in favor of themselves or their interests. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
Texas Standard: September 27, 2021
A full forensic audit of the November vote in Harris, Dallas, Tarrant and Collin counties… but why? And why these four counties? The election audit was announced hours after a letter to the Governor from former President Trump. We’ll have the latest. Also, allegations of graft against Houston’s mayor results in the sacking of the person overseeing affordable housing. And call them signs of leadership: the former aide to Ann Richards finds a novel way to remind Texans of the former Governor’s legacy. The backstory on the Ann Banners. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: September 16, 2021
The walkout of Texas democrats this summer couldn’t stop new voting restrictions from becoming law, but that’s not the final word on the matter. Details today on the Texas Standard.
We’ll have more on a federal bill taking aim at voting restrictions like those in Texas. One that, if passed, could have big implications for redistricting, too.
Also, a Texas law to punish cities that cut funding for police- a new investigative report goes beyond the political spin, to get at what’s actually happening on the ground. We’ll hear about it.
Also are Democrats losing Texas Latinos? A closer look at the reasons behind the claim.
And the remarkable story of the Texas woman who saved New York City’s Central Park. Those stories and a whole lot more.
Texas Standard: September 7, 2021
The U.S. Justice Department pledging to explore ways to challenge Texas’ abortion law. But many questions as to how. We’ll take a closer look. Also, more than 57.000 Texans killed by COVID-19 so far. With new variants popping up, is this a pandemic or endemic? A Texas virus expert on whether and how the fight against COVID-19 should change. And engineering expertise and hard work. Once the recipe for success in the energy industry, now Texas energy companies say there’s a skills gap with more high tech hires needed for cleaner energy jobs. Also how new voting laws could backfire against the GOP. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 27, 2021
It was the story of the summer in Texas Politics. Now proposals at the center of a legislative walkout appear set to become law. The Texas House, where a quorum was broken over Democratic opposition to a voting bill, has just passed its version of that voting bill. Was the walkout all for nought? We’ll hear more. Also at a healthcare hub in west Texas, ER wait-times climb to 20 hours. We’ll have the latest as we continue to track the spread of the Delta COVID variant. And 100 miles in a hundred degrees. What would you call it? How the hotter than Hell bicycle race is rolling into its 40th year. Plus the week in politics and more when today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 25, 2021
One of the first moves of the Biden administration was ending the so-called remain in Mexico program. But the Supreme Court says the program must remain in place for now. We’ll hear more. Also, tens of thousands of Afghans set to arrive in the U.S. Many of them to be resettled in Texas. We’ll hear how the process works. And what’s behind the sudden rise of Regeneron? Why the Covid-fighting therapy is getting new attention. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 24, 2021
They walked out over a voting bill. Now, as Texas House Democrats return and the session resumes, what comes next? Republicans say Senate Bill One is needed voting reform. Democrats say it further disenfranchises against marginalized Texans. But right now, that bill appears to be on the fast track again, we’ll have the latest. Also 650 plus new laws coming to Texas in September, including one that allows anyone who legally owns a gun in Texas to carry openly without a permit. We’ll take a closer look at what this change means for Texas, fake COVID-19 vaccination cards, plus COVID-19 questions from listeners and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 13, 2021
Texas Democratic lawmakers board planes and leave the Lone Star State, putting the brakes on the special session. Now what? In a dramatic turn to break the Texas legislature’s quorum, more than 50 house members leave Texas for Washington DC, hoping to stop Republican-led proposals to tighten the state’s voting laws. As Republicans mull a procedural move that could allow law enforcement to track down the absent lawmakers, Texas democrats say they’ll be asking their federal colleagues to pass legislation to pre-empt the proposed changes to Texas voting laws. The latest on this fast developing story and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 6, 2021
Today is the day when you will learn what SB7 stands for. In short it’s the voting bill that was killed but could come back, we’ll have the latest. Also, Immigration courts are re-opening today after being out for a year, we’ll have details. Plus, are you one of the 3.4 million Texans who are caring for an adult family member? It’s pricey and it’s uncomfortable to put a price tag on their care, but there may be some help on the way. And do you know your history? What about your Asian American history? And speaking of history and historic moments – the story of the first astronaut to do an untethered space walk. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 5, 2021
We know a special legislative session starts this week. What we don’t know is what’s on the agenda. This week we’ll talk to Republican and Democratic strategists about the special session. Up first- the Democrats. Also, one in every four COVID-19 infections are from the aggressive delta variant. We asked health experts for their recommendations. And Texas based Exxon-Mobil is in the hot seat after revelations from a secret recording, we’ll tell you more. And how the student athletes of today will be able to do what students athletes of the past could never do – profit from their name and likeness. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 1, 2021
Big news today from the U.S. Supreme Court. The case is out of Arizona but it will have big implications for Texans, we’ll explore. Plus an enormously energy-hungry industry is hoping to move to Texas. But our grid, as we found out in February, is not stable! We’ll learn more about cryptocurrency mining. And it’s been years since hurricane Harvey all but devastated Houston and it will still take some more years before some residents can move back home. Plus in a world with expiring car warranties, credit card scams and other attacks, the number one consumer complaint in the U.S. is for robocalls! What to do about them and ways to protect yourself. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 25, 2021
Redistricting: it’s a complicated process that doesn’t seem all that exciting to most folks. But its ramifications are huge. We’ll take a look at the details. Also, it’s been exactly a year since the murder of George Floyd. What it revealed about the country. And what Texas lawmakers have just done in the wake of huge protests and calls to “defund” the police. We’ll break it down. Plus what an analysis shows about who a Texas voting bill would affect the most. And music venues are among the businesses opening up as the risks of the pandemic lesson. But are all musicians ready to play? That and more on today’s Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 19, 2021
A new executive order from the governor on masks mandates, getting pushback from some local officials. Also, in some of Texas’ biggest cities, protests over continued violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Foreign policy specialist Jeremy Suri on what’s behind this latest round of deadly clashes, and efforts aimed at a cease fire. And righting a past wrong: Texas lawmakers push for two Texas tribes to offer gaming on their land denied by earlier legislation. Plus as U.S. and Chinese rovers leave their marks on mars, whose planet it it, anyway? Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: April 6, 2021
Do the state’s numbers add up? A Houston Chronicle investigation finds twice as many deaths due to the February storm and blackouts. Other stories we’re tracking, the return of baseball and the absence of the Governor who turned down the opportunity to throw the first pitch. But he may have lobbed an early salvo in a much bigger matter over changes to voting laws in Texas, one with huge implications. Gromer Jeffers of the Dallas Morning News explains. Also the story of the Texas women who led a revolution in voting rights. Plus, trying to buy a home in Texas? You may not believe who you’re competing against. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: April 1, 2021
The Texas Senate passes what supporters call election reforms and what many democrats say amounts to institutionalized voter suppression. Limits to early voting hours, a ban on drive through voting, and more part of Senate Bill 7. Against this backdrop, the Texas court of criminal appeals set to reconsider a high profile vote fraud case, we’ll explore both coming up. Also in South Texas, a county once one of the world Coronavirus hotspots, a remarkable success story on vaccinations. We’ll talk with the health authority of Hidalgo County. Plus not one but two Newberry Honors for a Texas writer of children’s books. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 16, 2021
As federal officials warn of plans to use a Dallas convention center as an immigration holding facility, concerns grow at the border. Republicans are using the rising numbers of border apprehensions to point to a crisis there, meanwhile the Biden administration having difficulty finding shelter for thousands of young migrants in the U.S. without legal status. We’ll have the latest. Also a rift at the top of Texas politics? Plus Changes to voting laws in the crosshairs at the capitol? And an idea comes of age: home power storage for such as crisis as a winter storm. All those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 9, 2021
The Speaker of the Texas House intends to fix everything that went wrong during last month’s winter storm. Dade Phelan has a list of priority bills and will tell us how the state could pay for these reforms. And in the aftermath of the storm, experts are carefully counting those who perished, it’s not as straight forward as it may seem. And we are keenly aware of the need to improve our mental health, we’ll tell you how some Texans are doing it. And one thing that will raise your spirits high is the sound of some Texas birds in song. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: December 8, 2020
He is set to become, if not a household name, a statewide presence in politics: just who is Dade Phelan and why should everyday Texans care? We’ll explain. Also, by court order, the Trump administration says it has restored the deferred deportation program called DACA. But recipients remain fearful of its future. Also the change in Texas law that left some Texas cities, hard hit by the pandemic with fewer hospitals than they used to have. And questions raised about why so many c-sections concentrated at certain Texas hospitals? Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard: