A city audit found seven Austin Energy workers used city trucks as personal commuter vehicles, costing taxpayers about $37,300 and prompting tighter oversight.

Mike Collier sued to overturn Texas' independent‑candidate petition rules, arguing the 1% signature floor and 30‑day post‑runoff deadline make independents' bids impractical.

Lake Travis ISD approved a $152.7M FY2026-27 budget and proposed a $1.0329 tax rate — the lowest on record — but rising values and state recapture could still lift homeowners' bills.

Del Valle ISD adopted a $142M budget and is weighing a voter‑approved tax‑rate election this fall to turn one‑time payouts into permanent raises. Officials say the proposal would add recurring funds to staff the district’s planned new high school.

FPC filed an opening brief June 15 in the Fifth Circuit asking judges to overturn Texas laws that bar carrying firearms at 51% alcohol businesses, racetracks and sporting events.

A small East Texas traffic stop exposed a collision between ICE directives and Texas open‑records law, leaving lawyers and transparency experts scrambling. Records remain withheld.

Districts and private schools are piloting AI for instruction and grading while state law provides broad guardrails but few classroom rules. Training, privacy and transparency are now front‑and‑center.

At the Texas GOP convention in Houston, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told a crowd James Talarico will "go to Hell" for his reading of the Bible, injecting religion into the Senate fight.

Gov. Abbott announced $750M in Teacher Incentive Allotment funds to more than 65,000 teachers, part of a statewide push to reward top educators and shore up staffing.

James Talarico bought Spanish‑language Telemundo ad time during World Cup matches in a $800K‑plus statewide buy aimed at Latino voters.

Abbott told regulators to make data centers pay for interconnection and infrastructure to protect Texans from higher electric and water costs.

Hays County delayed a vote on a proposal to pause approvals for large, water‑intensive data centers as drought tightens local supplies and leaders press the state for authority.

More than 500 hospitals nationwide were warned for failing to publish required price files, including 42 in Texas. Regulators say the gaps could trigger fines of roughly $2M a year for the largest hospitals.