Your Texas Legislature, hard at work into the wee hours this morning.
on a party-line vote just after 2am the texas senate gives final approval to sb7, aimed at making sweeping changes to election law : https://t.co/JuBDdtN9hz #txlege
— quorumreport (@quorumreport) April 1, 2021
Among SB 7's provisions:
— Alexa Ura (@alexazura) April 1, 2021
-limits extended early voting hours
-prohibits drive-thru voting
-bans local election officials from proactively sending applications to vote by mail
-allows poll watchers to record voters receiving assistance in filling out their ballots #txlege
Unlike Georgia, where there is a backlash against the corporations headquartered in that state for supporting their voter suppression laws ... here, not so much yet.
1. Corporate PAC donations to the politicians behind voter suppression legislation in Texas (2018-present):@oncor (577K)@ATT (575K)@USAA (370K)@CharterNewsroom (346K)@WeAreFarmers (333K)@BNSFRailway (239K)@StateFarm (217K)@UnionPacific (201K)https://t.co/rX5e4iByKb
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 31, 2021
Gonna be more than a little difficult to fight this now. And previously under the Pink Dome ... Texas women aren't winning, either.
Updated: Texas Senate passes several bills restricting access to abortions, sending them to the House for its consideration, @alex__briseno reports. #txlege #abortion #reproductiverights #womenshealth #healthcare https://t.co/lt4M2MNDiY
— John Gravois (@Grav1) March 30, 2021
Sen. Carol Alvarado speaking against now: "After all we've been through — the storm, the pandemic — our message to Texas women is that we're going to such great lengths to control you and suffocate your access to healthcare that we're willing to throw doctors in prison." #txlege
— Madlin Mekelburg (@madlinbmek) March 30, 2021
But hey! Soon, at least, you can sue Facebook if one your posts gets taken down!
The Texas Senate gave initial approval to a measure that would prohibit social media companies with at least 100 million monthly users from blocking, banning, demonetizing or discriminating against a user based on their views or location within Texas. https://t.co/bzNSpWfD5p
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) March 30, 2021
That was an injustice just whining for relief.
Before they take a break for Easter, they'll solve our power generation problems.
Disaster capitalism hard at work in the #TXLege https://t.co/cufYOHa8jZ #HB17 #SB3
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) March 30, 2021
So despite the fact that every energy source was curtailed during the storm because of failure to winterize, Republicans in Texas are going to raise the cost of renewable energy sources because they believe their own made up nonsense about frozen turbines https://t.co/j6LxiO5iBP
— Adam Serwer ๐ (@AdamSerwer) March 30, 2021
Quote from a staunch TX Republican to @Dexinvestigates: “When the discussion turns to privatizing the gains for gas companies but socializing the massive losses for the taxpayer, then we know the free market system is failing.” #txlege #TexasBlackout
— Jay Root (@byjayroot) March 31, 2021
New w/ @erinmdouglas23 — Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Energy is lobbying #txlege for deal to build $8 billion worth of power plants for emergency use https://t.co/RY8otLyfBT
— Cassi Pollock (@cassi_pollock) March 25, 2021
“It’s like trying to fix a broken window by putting in a bigger furnace," said @CES_Baker_Inst fellow @jimkrane. "Let’s fix the broken window. The furnace is fine. It’s the wrong solution for the problem." #Texas #WarrenBuffett #txlege #ERCOT #energyhttps://t.co/oae53oI73Y
— Baker Institute (@BakerInstitute) March 29, 2021
"Experts" should not be conflated with "lawmakers".
Had enough yet? Too bad; there's more.
This is a tough read but I highly recommend you take the time for this @JTiloveTX piece —"Were the Texas Blackouts a Crime?"
— Forrest Wilder (@Forrest4Trees) March 31, 2021
The needless death and suffering that occurred during the blackouts is tragic and infuriating.https://t.co/C6cHA4OaMc pic.twitter.com/9daMu127gb
Federal stimulus funds have been treated like manna from heaven, a free political windfall, and a multibillion slush fund controlled by the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the Texas House speaker. https://t.co/aJldxRSSiS
— San Antonio Report (@SAReport) April 1, 2021
THREAD — Reporters toured the temporary border facility in Donna, TX today.
— Nicole Sganga (@NicoleSganga) March 30, 2021
The Biden admin allowed pooled coverage for the first time.
We saw a “pod” designed for 32 migrant children under CDC guidelines now holding 615.
The facility is at 1700% pandemic capacity.
๐ธ:TV Pool pic.twitter.com/cJTPUAxXmc
Those last three might be the most atrocious of all. All of this -- and I am certain, a lot more -- led to the resignations of two of the Texas Tribune's top staffers this week after a year on the job. Neither woman was from Texas; one was working remotely from New York. I don't blame them, frankly.
"These are horrible, stressful, underpaid positions and the last folks to hold them are burned out and leaving...oh and hey we are hiring!"
— Scott Braddock (@scottbraddock) March 31, 2021
Do better, journalism bosses. #txlege
Looks like Scott has the same lofty opinion of Evan Smith as me.
The victories for the good guys are few and small, but we should mark them anyway.
Tejas is proud to announce that our Founder and Co-Director Juan Parras has been selected to serve on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council along with other long-time serving grassroots leaders across the nation. pic.twitter.com/cEW7VC4NPG
— t.e.j.a.s. (@tejasbarrios) March 30, 2021
Lawyers across Houston are ready to help the latest wave of undocumented immigrants. https://t.co/jVXPjOiD25 #khou @KHOUmelissa has the story:
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) March 30, 2021
Update: A Texas appeals court has agreed to review the case of Crystal Mason, who was convicted of casting a provisional ballot in 2016 (which was never counted) while on probation and sentenced to five years in prison. #FreeTheVote! via @srl https://t.co/pvZQH7XLwz
— Sentencing Project (@SentencingProj) March 31, 2021
Two former Williamson County sheriff's deputies have been indicted in the Javier Ambler case.
— KUT Austin (@KUT) March 30, 2021
Ambler, a 40-year-old Black man, died after being tasered by deputies in 2019. | @allysonortegon https://t.co/Alx1utQo7X
REAL IMPACT: In 1989, this man was sentenced to 60 years in prison based on an ID made under hypnosis.
— Lauren McGaughy ๐ (@lmcgaughy) March 31, 2021
One year ago, after we asked about his case, he was released.
Yesterday, Texas lawmakers debated banning evidence gleaned during hypnosis. https://t.co/rclmlYdM39 #txlege pic.twitter.com/PTI0k0dj8F
The rest of the climate and criminal justice news, alas, is not so positive.
Over 5 years, Texas prisons LOST $6.8 million on field crops. That includes the cotton, harvested by unpaid prisoners.
— Keri Blakinger (@keribla) March 31, 2021
So: TDCJ lost millions to be able to continue forcing people - mostly people of color - to harvest crops, w/o pay
h/t @Grits4Breakfasthttps://t.co/IjgGFKaqfi pic.twitter.com/qZv4EdN14k
Grits had this as well.
Footage of @Austin_Police officer Brian Charles Yarger, Badge #6499, throwing quadruple amputee Whitney Mitchell out of her wheelchair. He reportedly has a history of misconduct.
— Fiorella Isabel (@Fiorella_im) March 30, 2021
Whitney was fiancรฉ to the late Garrett Foster, a veteran who was killed at a BLM protest last year. pic.twitter.com/nYss9hbc8W
The most distasteful story about police abuse I read this week (and that's quite an accomplishment). See also Tribune of the People.
Over 2 years, 80% of Houstonites that DA Kim Ogg’s office charged with manufacture or delivery of small amounts of Penalty I drugs were Black. Only 20% of the county’s population is Black. https://t.co/bcReCkI8cX
— The Appeal (@theappeal) March 26, 2021
Soil samples collected after Hurricane Harvey by Texas A&M researchers showed increased exposure to harmful chemicals linked to an increased cancer risk in neighborhoods near the Houston Ship Channel. #HouNews https://t.co/I2yvHRJ2BF
— One Breath Partnership (@OneBreathHOU) March 31, 2021
The historical record reveals clear links between white supremacy and the oil industry, from the corporate office and well pad to sites for refineries in communities of color. By @KendraWriteshttps://t.co/dOlqrnQJ3Y
— DeSmog (@DeSmogBlog) March 29, 2021
More pollution is headed for Midlothian, the 'Cement Capital of Texas'. And Downwinders at Risk wants you to know that there are members of Dallas City Council up for re-election this year who do not deserve your support.
Which reminds me to remind you ...
๐ฃ Is your voter registration up to date? The deadline to update your registration is April 1st for the May Election! #ATX https://t.co/VA4UfMewB1
— Gregorio Casar (@GregCasar) March 30, 2021
And no Roundup would be complete without a few Rethugs acting badly.
Living Blue in Texas reports on the Texas Young Republicans' first annual Legislative Dinner spotlighting the War on Women. LareDOS verified that a domestic terrorist was a featured speaker at a TXGOP event in Laredo last week.
Remember that story about an ex-cop being paid by Steven Hotze to investigate an alleged vote harvesting scheme, and the ex-cop rammed a truck and held the driver at gunpoint, claiming the guy had 700K ballots, except he didn't? https://t.co/9QiIwjvpds via @houstonchron
— Matt Schwartz (@SchwartzChron) March 30, 2021
Elon Musk wants to be the next saviour of the Great State.
Elon Musk says Tesla’s new factory in Austin will need 10,000 hires through 2022, double the previous pronouncement https://t.co/A63WvSqAxf
— Bloomberg (@business) March 31, 2021
NEW: @elonmusk promises millions to Brownsville with new Starbase @News4SA https://t.co/dV60Az1WBr
— Kristina De Leon (@KristinaDeLeon) March 30, 2021
Starbase and greater Brownsville/South Padre area in Texas after @elonmusk tweet: pic.twitter.com/dV3EJrLQOU
— Kenny Lay (Parody) (@EnronChairman) March 30, 2021
And as promised, a few pieces of art.
There’s a 30-foot tall eyeball plopped down in the middle of downtown Dallas.
— Texas Standard (@TexasStandard) March 27, 2021
The giant sculpture is one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks, but it turns out it’s still a mystery to some folks. https://t.co/uKiBDNLaBz
Christopher Blay and Christina Rees discuss the recent explosion of murals across the state.
— Glasstire (@Glasstire) March 28, 2021
“I wonder if artists are being commissioned to beautify cities in a way that ignores the time that we live in.”https://t.co/kmNRzTfxkR pic.twitter.com/hgrW7XZOe6
Watch ๐ฅ: Mother-son team Donkeeboy and Donkeemom are the duo behind several of Houston's most colorful murals. In this Being Texan video, we spend a day with the artists as they collab on a mural, learning more about their process and their relationship. https://t.co/Jg2w9OSTpX
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) March 31, 2021
And some of the rest that soothes. Except for the snakes.
Here’s a friendly reminder to always look around bluebonnets before you take pictures. In 2020, Jimmy Martin caught two rattlesnakes popping out of a field of #Texas #bluebonnets. @TPWDparks said these male diamondbacks were sparring over a female. pic.twitter.com/38fuXbpapf
— KVUE News (@KVUE) March 31, 2021
Houston Black Restaurant Week is coming back bigger and better in 2021 https://t.co/FLpOcZiBwt via @chron
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) April 1, 2021
Stephen F. Austin's writing desk, now in the @BullockMuseum ."The prosperity of Texas has been the object of my labors ---- the idol of my existence --- it has assumed the character of a religion to me ---- for the guidance of my thoughts and actions."
— Traces of Texas (@TracesofTexas) March 31, 2021
--- Stephen F. Austin pic.twitter.com/10W4jjNs1h
