Key facts as Texas governor revives push for 'bathroom bill'

Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who authored both Senate bills, said former Sen. Poor students, many of whom are minorities or come from rural areas, lack the resources of students at rich suburban schools. Due to San Antonio's robust tourism industry, he said the city "will be the hardest hit by the inevitable backlash" if the bill were to become law.

Dan Huberty said it at least would begin to reverse a decade-long slide in state support for public education.

Before lawmakers jumped in their cars to drive back to their respective districts, Senate president Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, told his colleagues he expects the body to take action on the bill by next Thursday. Rep. Simmons is offering a thoughtful proposal to make sure our children maintain privacy in our school bathrooms and locker rooms. He commended Texas universities for meeting high marks in diversity.

A Texas House committee has approved a law that would ease state gun restrictions even further, permitting Texans to carry a weapon without a license.

"Clearly, we all want this conversation to continue, and I think that's what the majority of us will be voting for today - for us to continue the conversation, hoping we can land the bill on the floor", Sen. But schools would be allowed to cap their automatic enrollees at 30 percent of their incoming students. It passed the Senate's second reading 43-6.

Civil liberties groups pointed out the law would still apply to school public districts across the state.

Texas has about 350,000 home-schooled students who are now barred from competing in the University Interscholastic League, the state's governing body for high school sports.

Arkansas Inmates Set to Die Thursday Say They're Innocent
Two court rulings dealt a blow to the USA state of Arkansas in its attempt to put to death seven inmates within days. But unlike the earlier decisions, this stay came from a court that had shifted to the right in recent elections.

Diaz also moved to relabel a Level 3 score on the Florida Standards Assessments as "grade level" instead of the current "satisfactory".

Republican House Speaker Austin Knudsen is using his parliamentary power to kill a measure allowing counties to hold an all-mail ballot in Montana's May 25 special congressional election.

The Texas Board of Education has preliminarily approved revised science curriculums, inserting compromise language that critics say diffuses concerns about casting doubt on the theory of evolution. But it also adopted rules that they "evaluate scientific explanations" on the "complexity" of human cells and on the origin of DNA.

However, neither the House or Senate committee has any intention of allowing marijuana to be smoked, despite repeated demands from numerous patients, caregivers, and others who insist that smoking provides some with the best type of treatment.

The Senate started debate late Tuesday afternoon and then adjourned around 5 p.m. Debate is expected to last several days. Sen.

Among those in favor of a state regulation was Cheri Kimbrell of Houston, who said she has rented out her house using short-term rental services to earn money.