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Texas Lege Update: Which bills made it to the governor's desk?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The 88th legislative session has been a busy five months. The Texas Senate and House of Representatives filed more than 8,000 bills and 3,400 resolutions. As of Wednesday afternoon, only 811 bills and 3,107 resolutions have passed.Wednesday is the last day for both chambers to consider bills passed by their counterparts. With less than a week before the last day of the session (Sine Die) approaches, which bills have moved on to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk for him to potentially sign into law?Changed bills pending review A bill passed in one chamber can change, whether through amendments or committee substitutions, as it moves through the other. In order for a bill to advance to the governor's desk, the chamber that originally filed the bill has to approve those changes; if they don't, a conference committee is formed for further debate on it. HB 100: Districts in "dire straits" as they watch school funding fights in Texas legislature Senate Bill 12, once called the "Dr...

Who's ahead in Texas Senate race? Poll tests matchup between Ted Cruz, Colin Allred

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Even though Texas voters have 531 days left to decide who will represent them in the Senate, a new poll released Wednesday shows a pretty close race between the Republican incumbent and the only Democrat to announce a challenge so far. Pollsters from the University of Texas at Tyler asked 1,413 registered voters across the state who they would support between Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican vying for a third term in the upper chamber, and Rep. Colin Allred, the Democrat from Dallas who launched his campaign earlier this month to flip the seat. The poll found Cruz ahead by five percentage points over Allred, with 42% saying they'd vote for Cruz right now and 37% saying they'd back Allred at this early stage in the race.However, 14% of the poll's respondents said they didn't know yet which candidate they'd support if the race came down to these two men, while 7% said they'd prefer someone else. So far Allred is the only candidate running in the Senate Democratic primary,...

Top-seeded Longhorns fall in Big 12 tournament opener to Kansas Jayhawks

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A grand slam by Janson Reeder fueled the Kansas Jayhawks to a 6-3 win over Texas in the first round of the Big 12 Conference baseball tournament Wednesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington.With the score tied 2-2 in the seventh inning, Reeder lined a full-count pitch from Travis Sthele over the right-field wall after the Longhorns tied the game in the sixth. Kansas had runners on second and third with two outs, and Longhorns head coach David Pierce elected to intentionally walk Jayhawks second baseman Kodey Shojinaga to load the bases and create an out at any base. Shojinaga, who was named Big 12 co-freshman of the year Tuesday, had three hits in the game prior to the free pass. The clutch homer was Reeder's only hit of the game.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters"That was a big blow to come back from," Pierce said. "We just didn't get anything going early....

Suspicious activity reporting drops one year after Uvalde

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – One year after the Uvalde mass shooting and a push by state leaders to promote the reporting system they say could stop another tragedy, the number of suspicious activity reports being submitted to the state has decreased, according to records obtained by KXAN from the Texas Department of Public Safety.Last year, top state officials, including Gov. Greg Abbott, touted the suspicious activity reporting network and a primary reporting tool called “iWatchTexas,” as critical methods for alerting law enforcement to people that could commit a violent crime or mass shooting. DPS even used a Chuck Norris public service announcement to advertise the reporting system.DPS records show the total number of suspicious activity reports dropped nearly 30% last year – from nearly 7,700 in 2021 to about 5,400 in the last year. That trend appears to be continuing. In the first four months of 2023, Texans have submitted about 20% fewer suspicious activity tips compared to the same perio...

‘I always say exposure leads to expansion’: Vikings grateful for program designed to help minorities

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

Vikings special-teams coordinator Matt Daniels compared it to speed dating.He had roughly 30 minutes at each station to give an elevator pitch for himself, and while there wasn’t a job waiting for him at the end of the conversation, it provided good insight into what the interview process is like.That could go a long way down the road as Daniels hopes to become a head coach in the NFL at some point in his career.“It’s important that you’re being your authentic self,” Daniels said while admitting he had some butterflies. “Don’t try to go up there and be someone you’re not. Or feel like you’ve got to communicate a certain way to these individuals. Just to be your authentic self and everything else will take care of itself.”This exercise was conducted as a part of the NFL Coach Accelerator, which was hosted this week at the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel in Eagan, and is designed to promote greater diversity leaguewide when it comes ...

St. Paul City Council approves gun storage requirement

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

The St. Paul City Council unanimously approved a new gun storage requirement that would require firearms to be trigger-locked or safely stored and secured, with ammunition stored separately, when not on the owner.The ordinance, authored by Council Member Rebecca Noecker and sponsored by all seven council members, makes it a criminal misdemeanor to store any firearm where another person might have easy access.It states it would apply to any person who “negligently stores or leaves a loaded or unloaded firearm unattended in a location where the person knows, or reasonably should know, that another person who is not an authorized user is likely to gain access, including a vehicle, unless reasonable action is taken to secure the firearm against said access with a locking device.”The ordinance mirrors similar gun storage laws in New York City; Albany, N.Y.; San Francisco; and Sunnyvale, Calif.“Guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Minnesota,...

Jace Frederick: Who’s the second-best team in the West? No one knows. It could even be the Timberwolves.

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

The relative ease of Denver’s run through the Western Conference playoffs made it abundantly clear the Nuggets are currently far-and-away the best in the West.What’s far less obvious: Who’s No. 2?The Lakers were the other Western Conference finalist. The Grizzlies finished the regular season with the second-best record in the West. But there is a robust list of teams who can logically conclude they’re next in line heading into next season should Denver suffer injuries or falter.The Kings are clearly an ascending club that may have been derailed in the playoffs by De’Aaron Fox’s finger injury. Memphis fell in the first round, but did so while down two of its rotational big men. The Clippers concluded their first-round series without Kawhi Leonard or Paul George. Phoenix lost Chris Paul in Game 2 of its second-round series with Denver, and had little time to gel after making its seismic trade for Kevin Durant. Golden State is still the reigning NBA champion for another couple weeks. E...

Taber-Warner candidate forum held in Coaldale

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsCandidates of the Taber-Warner riding attended a public provincial candidate forum hosted by the Coaldale Chamber of Commerce on May 18 at the Gem of the West Museum.UCP candidate for the Taber-Warner riding, Grant Hunter, was joined by Wildrose Loyalty Coalition candidate Paul Hinman, and Brent Ginther of the Solidarity Movement of Alberta. Topics of discussion ranged from wind farms in the region to healthcare and Alberta’s relationship to Ottawa.The candidates began with an introduction to their platform and were granted five minutes each for this portion of the program. The candidates were then asked a series of submitted questions from voters.On the topic of education, candidates were asked how does their party plan to address class sizes in K-12 education?Hinman said, “when kids first go to school in grade one they are so excited to get there. The teacher will ask the student to draw a picture of the best part of their summer. They will immediat...

Sheriff deputy stable after surgery

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) - A day after a deputy involved shooting, the scene is still active at the Foxrun apartments. Neighboring residents reacting to the shooting. NEWS10 speaking with those neighbors and has more on the investigation and an update to the deputy’s condition. Capital Region battling surge of overdoses Saratoga County Sheriff, Mike Zurlo, tells me the deputy who underwent emergency surgery is stable, and his prognosis is good.NEWS10 went back to the scene and were not allowed to view the area of the apartment but with the permission of homeowners behind the complex we were able to see numerous federal law enforcement officers still present.Zurlo says the two deputies were shot Tuesday morning as they entered the apartment on a warrant for a federal drug investigation.  They say 23-year-old suspect, Anthony Zaremski, was shot and killed by deputies. The folks on Merrall Drive tell NEWS10 they have been dealing with a growing concern for...

Water too low at Loon Lake for Memorial Day boating

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:34:47 GMT

CHESTERTOWN, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Business is booming at Loon Lake Marina ahead of the summer boating season. That's because it's the only place on the lake where people can put their boats in the water right now. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Owner Richard Stolen said the water level at the lake is about a foot low. "[That] makes it an issue for most homeowners and their docks, to be able to dock a boat at their docks without the boat hitting the ground," said Stolen. "The lake is navigable, but you have to be careful." The lake may be navigable, but it's not easy to access. Town of Chester Supervisor Craig Leggett told NEWS10 the public boat launch won't be open for the holiday. $1.8M in grants awarded to state parks, trails, sites, etc. "We don't have the lake level we need to be able to get people out there to enjoy the weekend," stated Leggett. "We just had this problem because we had to do some emergency dam repairs."...