By KEVIN YODER, Keep US Posted
After the massive mail slowdowns and postage hikes of 2021, Congress took action to financially stabilize the U.S. Postal Service by passing a historic, bipartisan postal reform bill. The bill freed the Postal Service from an unreasonable 2006 law demanding that it pre-fund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance—a requirement that put billions of dollars on the Postal Service’s balance sheet each year and motivated it to keep hiking postage rates while reducing services. 

Eighteen months ago, I wrote my first column as president of the Texas Press Association and said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow members of the Texas Press Association for allowing me to serve as your 2021-22 president. It is a great honor, and I am very appreciative for the opportunity to serve you and the state press association.”

That sentiment remains true and strong as I write my farewell column.

TEA releases STAAR results for grades 3-8
 
The Texas Education Agency has released the 2022 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness
Results for grades 3-8, which showed across-the-board improvements in all grades and subjects, with especially significant gains in reading.

Note: This is a bulldog edition of the July 3 Capital Highlights column, to accommodate papers with early holiday deadlines. It will be updated on Sunday if events dictate.

Abortion officially illegal in Texas
 
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe vs. Wade effectively ends all legal abortions in Texas within the next 30 days, many news media outlets reported.

Comptroller releases broadband plan
State Comptroller Glenn Hegar last week released his agency’s plan to support the expansion of broadband internet access to areas with limited or no access. Hegar and his agency’s Broadband Development Office received feedback through a series of town halls, virtual discussions and more than 16,000 responses to a survey. 

Anti-gun violence protests and more school safety measures
Anti-gun violence protests were held in multiple cities across the state over the weekend, while the state has imposed additional measures designed to strengthen school security.

TEA directed to make schools safer
Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Education Agency to ensure school facilities are made safer in the wake of the killing of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.
In a letter to TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, the governor requested the agency:
• Instruct school districts to identify actions to make campuses more secure prior to the start of the new school year.

Note: This is a bulldog edition of the May 29 Capital Highlights column, to accommodate papers with early holiday deadlines. It will be updated on Sunday if events dictate.

Wildfires continue across state
Firefighters are looking to the skies for much-needed rain this week as crews continue battling wildfires across the state. Fires reported Sunday by the Texas A&M Forest Service were being fought in Brown, Taylor, Wilbarger, Llano, Schleicher and San Saba counties.