Posted: Jun 23, 2020 / 04:59 PM CDTUpdated: Aug 4, 2020 / 01:42 PM CDTAUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas school districts will have two new ways of calculating attendance come the fall semester, when many are set to reopen for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.FULL:On Tuesday, the Texas Education Agency announced its two modes of attendance-counting for the 2020-21 school year — and how they will contribute towards state funding.The two new methods to fund remote instruction are:— All participants are present at the same time, live interactive classes— All participants don’t have to be...…Posted: Jun 23, 2020 / 04:59 PM CDTUpdated: Aug 4, 2020 / 01:42 PM CDTAUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas school districts will have two new ways of calculating attendance come the fall semester, when many are set to reopen for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.FULL:On Tuesday, the Texas Education Agency announced its two modes of attendance-counting for the 2020-21 school year — and how they will contribute towards state funding.The two new methods to fund remote instruction are:— All participants are present at the same time, live interactive classes— All participants don’t have to be...WW…

Posted: Feb 16, 2021 / 11:53 AM CSTUpdated: Mar 25, 2021 / 10:57 AM CDTAUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Governor Greg Abbott is calling on the state legislature to investigate the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) after millions of Texans were left with no power for days during record-breaking cold temperatures.The move comes as Abbott declared reform of the council, which manages power flow in the state, an emergency item for the current legislative session. House Speaker Dade Phelan requested a joint hearing between the chamber’s State Affairs and Energy Resources committees to “cut...…Posted: Feb 16, 2021 / 11:53 AM CSTUpdated: Mar 25, 2021 / 10:57 AM CDTAUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Governor Greg Abbott is calling on the state legislature to investigate the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) after millions of Texans were left with no power for days during record-breaking cold temperatures.The move comes as Abbott declared reform of the council, which manages power flow in the state, an emergency item for the current legislative session. House Speaker Dade Phelan requested a joint hearing between the chamber’s State Affairs and Energy Resources committees to “cut...WW…

Posted: Apr 19, 2021 / 05:54 PM CDTUpdated: Apr 19, 2021 / 06:15 PM CDTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — Inspired by the shooting death of Breonna Taylor during a no-knock warrant and the unrest that followed, proposed legislation in the Lone Star State to limit who can sign off on no-knock warrants and how law enforcement can execute those orders is building bipartisan support at the Capitol.Taylor was killed last year by law enforcement in Kentucky when her boyfriend exchanged gunfire with officers executing a no-knock warrant. He testified he thought the officers were intruders, and he fired a warning...…Posted: Apr 19, 2021 / 05:54 PM CDTUpdated: Apr 19, 2021 / 06:15 PM CDTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — Inspired by the shooting death of Breonna Taylor during a no-knock warrant and the unrest that followed, proposed legislation in the Lone Star State to limit who can sign off on no-knock warrants and how law enforcement can execute those orders is building bipartisan support at the Capitol.Taylor was killed last year by law enforcement in Kentucky when her boyfriend exchanged gunfire with officers executing a no-knock warrant. He testified he thought the officers were intruders, and he fired a warning...WW…

Posted: Mar 23, 2021 / 10:12 AM CDTUpdated: Apr 30, 2021 / 03:54 PM CDTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — Every single adult in Texas will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday, and seniors 80 and older will be able to get it with or without an appointment, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The state also plans to launch a brand new vaccine registration website next week.DSHS announced Tuesday it is able to do this now because of an increase in the vaccine supply. DSHS added that the state has made “great progress in vaccinating priority groups” and it wants to...…Posted: Mar 23, 2021 / 10:12 AM CDTUpdated: Apr 30, 2021 / 03:54 PM CDTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — Every single adult in Texas will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday, and seniors 80 and older will be able to get it with or without an appointment, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The state also plans to launch a brand new vaccine registration website next week.DSHS announced Tuesday it is able to do this now because of an increase in the vaccine supply. DSHS added that the state has made “great progress in vaccinating priority groups” and it wants to...WW…

Posted: Mar 15, 2021 / 02:34 PM CDTUpdated: Mar 15, 2021 / 10:40 PM CDTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas Senate has passed a bill to require the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to order a “correction of prices” of power sold during the hours after the winter storm.was filed, read, referred to committee, voted out of committee, read a second time on the Senate floor, debated, passed to engrossment and finally passed all on Monday due to legislative calendar manipulation.“There is a compelling public interest in correcting the prices of wholesale power and ancillary services sold in the...…Posted: Mar 15, 2021 / 02:34 PM CDTUpdated: Mar 15, 2021 / 10:40 PM CDTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas Senate has passed a bill to require the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to order a “correction of prices” of power sold during the hours after the winter storm.was filed, read, referred to committee, voted out of committee, read a second time on the Senate floor, debated, passed to engrossment and finally passed all on Monday due to legislative calendar manipulation.“There is a compelling public interest in correcting the prices of wholesale power and ancillary services sold in the...WW…

Posted: Jan 10, 2021 / 06:00 AM CSTUpdated: Jan 12, 2021 / 11:48 AM CSTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — In two days, lawmakers from across Texas will come to the State Capitol for the start of the legislative session. The new session comes as the country is still facing the aftermath of Wednesday’s riot in Washington, where mobs forced their way into the U.S. Capitol to temporarily disrupt the certification of the November Presidential election.The events before, during, and after the riot put some Texans in the spotlight.Hours before the violence, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke in Washington at...…Posted: Jan 10, 2021 / 06:00 AM CSTUpdated: Jan 12, 2021 / 11:48 AM CSTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — In two days, lawmakers from across Texas will come to the State Capitol for the start of the legislative session. The new session comes as the country is still facing the aftermath of Wednesday’s riot in Washington, where mobs forced their way into the U.S. Capitol to temporarily disrupt the certification of the November Presidential election.The events before, during, and after the riot put some Texans in the spotlight.Hours before the violence, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke in Washington at...WW…

Posted: Dec 14, 2020 / 07:44 AM CSTUpdated: Dec 14, 2020 / 07:59 PM CSTWASHINGTON (AP, KXAN) — Presidential electors met across the United States Monday to formally choose Joe Biden as the nation’s next president. In Texas, that meeting happened at 2 p.m. at the Texas State Capitol, .This is the day set by law for the meeting of the Electoral College. But in reality, electors meet in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to cast their ballots. The results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Vice President Mike Pence will...…Posted: Dec 14, 2020 / 07:44 AM CSTUpdated: Dec 14, 2020 / 07:59 PM CSTWASHINGTON (AP, KXAN) — Presidential electors met across the United States Monday to formally choose Joe Biden as the nation’s next president. In Texas, that meeting happened at 2 p.m. at the Texas State Capitol, .This is the day set by law for the meeting of the Electoral College. But in reality, electors meet in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to cast their ballots. The results will be sent to Washington and tallied in a Jan. 6 joint session of Congress over which Vice President Mike Pence will...WW…

Posted: Dec 2, 2020 / 05:13 PM CSTUpdated: Dec 2, 2020 / 05:13 PM CSTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — A state report released during the review of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement found that the state’s regulation of law enforcement is “by and large, toothless.”The by the Sunset Advisory Commission, indicated the commission has limited authority to set or enforce anything except minimum license standards of professional conduct, which the review stated are outdated and insufficient.“The Sunset review found the state’s regulatory approach has resulted in a fragmented, outdated system with poor...…Posted: Dec 2, 2020 / 05:13 PM CSTUpdated: Dec 2, 2020 / 05:13 PM CSTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — A state report released during the review of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement found that the state’s regulation of law enforcement is “by and large, toothless.”The by the Sunset Advisory Commission, indicated the commission has limited authority to set or enforce anything except minimum license standards of professional conduct, which the review stated are outdated and insufficient.“The Sunset review found the state’s regulatory approach has resulted in a fragmented, outdated system with poor...WW…

Posted: Sep 30, 2020 / 06:53 PM CDTUpdated: Sep 30, 2020 / 07:02 PM CDTAustin (Nexstar) — From his Houston office, Dr. Peter Hotez read from a list of people who died of COVID-19 on an August day in one of the largest cities in the country. The list was made up entirely of minorities.“I’m calling this historic decimation of Hispanic Latinx communities across the southern part of the United States,” Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, said.“That’s something we have to shout from the rooftops,” El Paso Democratic Congresswoman Veronica Escobar said in the virtual meeting...…Posted: Sep 30, 2020 / 06:53 PM CDTUpdated: Sep 30, 2020 / 07:02 PM CDTAustin (Nexstar) — From his Houston office, Dr. Peter Hotez read from a list of people who died of COVID-19 on an August day in one of the largest cities in the country. The list was made up entirely of minorities.“I’m calling this historic decimation of Hispanic Latinx communities across the southern part of the United States,” Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, said.“That’s something we have to shout from the rooftops,” El Paso Democratic Congresswoman Veronica Escobar said in the virtual meeting...WW…

Posted: Sep 20, 2020 / 10:32 AM CDTUpdated: Sep 20, 2020 / 10:32 AM CDTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — Somehow, Shereda Rawls has managed six months without a paycheck. Rawls lost her job in March then went on unemployment. But her unemployment payments stopped almost as soon as they started.Rawls said her employer filed an appeal with the Texas Workforce Commission, claiming she shouldn’t be qualified for unemployment benefits, and the employer’s account shouldn’t be deducted because of it.The appeal filing stopped her payments.Then, both sides waited for the TWC, which oversees unemployment claims in...…Posted: Sep 20, 2020 / 10:32 AM CDTUpdated: Sep 20, 2020 / 10:32 AM CDTAUSTIN (Nexstar) — Somehow, Shereda Rawls has managed six months without a paycheck. Rawls lost her job in March then went on unemployment. But her unemployment payments stopped almost as soon as they started.Rawls said her employer filed an appeal with the Texas Workforce Commission, claiming she shouldn’t be qualified for unemployment benefits, and the employer’s account shouldn’t be deducted because of it.The appeal filing stopped her payments.Then, both sides waited for the TWC, which oversees unemployment claims in...WW…