No matter where you are, it’s beginning to look like New Years. But before we say ta ta to 2018, we look back at the year that was on a special edition of the Texas Standard:
Episodes
September 4, 2025
Corpus Christi cancels controversial desalination project
The Legislature’s second overtime comes to a close with new political maps and a slew of Republican wins. But how do Texas voters come down on the big issues of the day? A new survey offers some answers.After years of planning and tens of millions spent already, Corpus Christi’s city council cancels a high-profile project […]
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September 3, 2025
Some Texas counties switch to paper ballots ahead of midterms
No more QR or barcodes: Why Collin, Williamson and Bastrop counties are changing the way voters will cast ballots.Housing affordability is a big issue in Texas, and three new state laws aim to address it. Will they work?Many are concerned new Texas congressional maps dilute the voting power of Texans of color. But others welcome […]
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September 2, 2025
Could a new Texas law make some types of anime illegal?
The Texas Lottery gets a second chance under new management. So what will change?A new state law now in effect targets AI-generated child pornography. But could it also ban some anime?Americans have been on the move since the founding of our country. But now, more people staying put rather than relocating for new jobs and […]
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September 1, 2025
New state law will give farmers a heads-up on pests and diseases
The fight over redistricting has shifted from the Capitol to the courthouse, but plenty of serious work is still on the table when legislators return to their offices Tuesday. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins with a look at what’s left on the agenda.A new law in effect today creates a statewide alert system for […]
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August 29, 2025
Educators face new risks under inappropriate material law
Three new measures are set to take effect aiming to “Make Texas Healthy Again.” Political sloganeering or genuine change? A closer look at the laws that prompted Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s visit to Texas.As we approach Sept. 1, more than 800 new laws are set to take effect. We continue our close-up of some of […]
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August 28, 2025
Elon Musk looks to build tunnels under Houston
Texas’ newly drawn congressional maps are aimed at helping Republicans in 2026, but they’re shaking up the political landscape already. We’ll hear just how today on the Texas Standard.Rice University’s Mark Jones on the musical chairs among Texas’ congressional Democrats, and whether these maps are likely to survive scrutiny as legal challenges proliferate.Over 800 new […]
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August 27, 2025
Austin Butler, Darren Aronofsky talk Texas, filmmaking & ‘Caught Stealing’
President Trump is using the threat of legal action to push his policies forward in Texas and beyond.We continue our series about new state laws taking effect with a look at one that prevents people from certain countries from buying land in Texas.20 years after Hurricane Katrina, how the New Orleans residents who found a […]
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August 26, 2025
College football arrives in the Rio Grande Valley
President Trump signs an executive order ending cashless bail. We’ll dive into what that means for cities like Houston.We’re also tracking new state laws set to take effect Sept. 1, including one that aims to attract more film and television productions. Another increases the penalty for assaulting a utility worker.Plus, could the San Antonio Spurs […]
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