New Texas laws now in effect

It took some time, but a set of new laws and rules passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023 went into effect on Sept. 1, the Houston Chronicle reported. Prominent among these are the SCOPE Act, or Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment Act, which tightens restrictions for online users younger than 18.

EDITORS: This is a special bulldog edition of Capital Highlights to accommodate early holiday deadlines. It will be updated on Sunday if events dictate.

Comptroller: Hundreds of new homes needed to cut costs

Power grid again reaches record demand

 The dog-day heat wave has sent power demands to new records, the Austin American-Statesman reported. With much of the state enduring an excessive heat warning, power demand peaked at 85,559 megawatts last week, breaking a record set last August.

Heat-related deaths in Texas likely undercounted

As Texans endure the dog days of summer, experts say deaths related to heat in Texas and nationwide are likely undercounted, the Texas Standard reported.

With climate change causing warmer days and nights, last year was the hottest on record in Texas. Though this summer has not been quite as brutal, those working outside are still at considerable risk.

Pandemic relief funds for schools about to end

Texas public schools received more than $19 billion in pandemic relief funds over the last four years, but that pipeline of cash will largely end on Sept. 30, The Texas Tribune reported.

Pattern of abuse at Texas juvenile facilities

A federal investigation into five state facilities concluded children in custody face excessive force, sexual abuse and a lack of vital services, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Expanded passenger rail again on the table

A huge pot of federal rail funding and chronic highway congestion are prompting some Texas officials to again consider expanding passenger rail in Texas, according to The Texas Standard.

Congress set aside $66 billion three years ago in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for rail projects across the country, sparking some interest in increasing passenger rail service between the state’s major cities.

PUC outlines consumer protection rules

As the dog days of August approach and electric bills soar, the Public Utility Commission is reminding consumers of rules in place to protect them from having their power disconnected due to financial difficulties, especially during extreme heat.

Abbott demands probe into power outages

 More than 2 million Texans lost power when Hurricane Beryl hit the Texas coast, and Gov. Greg Abbott wants to know why. The Austin American-Statesman reported Abbott has ordered the Public Utility Commission to conduct an immediate study into why the Houston area has again been hit by widespread power outages.

Proposed fed rule would protect workers from extreme heat

 A year after a new state law ended mandatory water breaks in Texas, a proposed federal rule would protect millions of workers from the risks caused by extreme heat, The Texas Tribune reported.