Politics
Texas state representative suggests banning "Lonesome Dove"
If your copy isn't nearly worn through, you're not doing it right. Photo: Courtesy of Malcolm Hughey
State Rep. Jared Patterson, a Republican from Frisco, suggested during a debate this week over his proposed school libraries legislation that schools "might need to ban 'Lonesome Dove.'"
Why it matters: "Lonesome Dove," the Pulitzer-winning novel by the late author Larry McMurtry, might be the most beloved book in Texas history.
Texas bills would ban schools from serving as polling sites
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
A Texas representative is proposing to ban voting on school campuses statewide.
Why it matters: Texas regularly has lower voter turnout than the rest of the country, and the state has repeatedly added new restrictions tied to voting.
Texas House bill would provide paid parental leave
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Some state lawmakers are pushing for Texas to make parental leave benefits available to workers in both the public and private sectors.
The big picture: A bipartisan coalition of legislators say Texas should be doing more to support parents' most basic needs — and that this legislative session is a good time to do it.
The bill to end child marriage in Texas
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
A new bill in the state Legislature would outlaw marriage in Texas for anyone under 18.
Why it matters: More than 40,000 people under the age of 18 have been legally married in Texas between 2000 and 2018 — more than any other state — according to the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Texas' "anti-woke" policies cost taxpayers millions
Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
How much does it cost to blacklist America's biggest banks?
- Ask Texas, Axios' Kate Marino writes.
A look at the effort to legalize sports betting in Texas
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
A coalition of sports betting platforms has joined forces with pro sports teams across the state in an effort to legalize mobile sports betting in Texas.
Driving the news: The Sports Betting Alliance, which includes FanDuel, DraftKings and the state's NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS and baseball franchises, backed a sports betting bill in the legislature on Monday.
Revisiting Waco siege and its lasting impact on America
The Branch Davidians' Mount Carmel compound outside of Waco burned to the ground in April 1993. Photo: Greg Smith/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
What happened 30 years ago at Mount Carmel, outside Waco, is still affecting America, according to the author of a new book.
Driving the news: Next month will mark the 30th anniversary of the deadly ATF raid on a religious sect known as the Branch Davidians and the subsequent standoff that drew international attention.
Trump's evangelical allies hold off on 2024 endorsement
Friends. Photo: Olivier Douliery-Pool via Getty Images
First Baptist Dallas senior pastor Robert Jeffress says he considers former President Trump a friend and calls him "the greatest president since Ronald Reagan," but he's holding off on endorsing Trump's recently announced 2024 run.
Why it matters: Jeffress was the first prominent evangelical leader to endorse Trump's 2016 run for president and he has been one of Trump's most staunch supporters.
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