Gov. Greg Abbott's special session is underway in the Texas Legislature but with only one functioning chamber.

• The state House has not been able to meet this month while dozens of Democrats try to stall Republicans' efforts to reconfigure the state's congressional districts.

Why it matters: The ongoing standoff between the state's Republicans and Democrats over redistricting could delay deliberations of other legislation, including property tax reform, stronger THC regulations and more abortion-related restrictions.

The big picture: Republicans are targeting five Democrat-controlled districts in Texas, including U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson's seat in Dallas.

• The Texas Legislature will need to approve any updates to the congressional map.

The latest: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked the Texas Supreme Court to declare 13 state House seats vacant to reprimand Democrats who left the state to delay a redistricting vote.

• The state constitution "strikes a careful balance between the right of a legislative minority to resist legislation and the prerogative of the majority to conduct business," Paxton's petition says.
• Paxton is also investigating who is funding the "runaway Democrats" and pushing for authorities in Democrat-controlled California and Illinois to arrest the lawmakers.

Zoom in: Four of the Texas House members targeted in Paxton's Supreme Court petition represent North Texas districts — Jessica González and Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos from Dallas County, Chris Turner from Tarrant County and Mihaela Plesa from Collin County.

• The Democrats have said that they don't plan to back down.
• Texas Rep. Salman Bhojani, from Tarrant County, said Monday that he planned to join his fellow Democrats in Chicago after traveling out of the country to visit a sick relative.

State of play: The Texas Senate so far has passed bills banning hemp-derived products, curbing property tax increases, limiting transgender bathroom use and barring tax-funded lobbying.

• State senators have also held hearings on redistricting, trafficking, abortion pills and disaster relief.
• Yes, but: The bills will need approval from the House to move forward.

What's next: The session will end no later than Aug. 19, but Abbott can call lawmakers back for another special session.

America's affordable apartments are disappearing as luxury rentals multiply, according to Harvard researchers.

Why it matters: Renters already burdened by high costs have fewer low-priced options to choose from.

By the numbers: Over the past decade, units renting for under $1,000 a month (adjusted for inflation) fell by around 30%, per a report by Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

• Meanwhile, a building boom focused on upscale apartments helped nearly triple the number of units costing at least $2,000 a month.

Zoom in: In Texas, rental units priced over $2,000 increased more than fourfold from 2013 to 2023, while units priced between $600 and $999 fell by about 35%.

Case in point: The Carrollton area has about 240 apartments listed under $1,000 on apartments.com, and about 3,300 units priced between $1,400-$1,999. Hundreds more luxury apartments are under construction in the city.

• The Fort Worth area has about 2,650 units under $1,000 and about 8,950 units priced between $1,400-$1,999.

The big picture: A record 22.6 million renter households (50%) are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing and utilities.

• That's an increase of 2.2 million households since 2019.

Reality check: The surge in high-end apartments can still benefit lower-income renters, the Harvard researchers noted.

• For example, areas with lots of new construction over the past few years, particularly in the South and West, saw rent increases slow or outright decline.
• And when higher earners move up, older, cheaper units may become available.

The National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington received TV treatment last week because of its gravity-defying design.

Why it matters: The 102,000-sq.ft. building appears suspended in the air, which the museum says symbolizes courage, sacrifice and heroism.

The latest: The Smithsonian Channel's "How Did They Build That?" examines how the museum was constructed and the structural challenges that needed to be addressed.

• The episode about the National Medal of Honor Museum also focused on a leaning tower in Singapore and a New York City office building that lets the sun shine through.
• The show, in its fourth season, has also featured buildings in Amsterdam, Vancouver, Singapore and Oslo.

The intrigue: The Arlington museum's 200-by-200-foot steel structure hovers 40 feet above ground level and is supported by five large columns.

Go deeper: The museum's exhibits share stories of recipients from 1861 to now. You can also browse this list of nearly 3,500 medal recipients.

• General admission is $30, but discounts are available for veterans, seniors and students. Military members get free admission.

🚨 Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to open the country's largest immigrant detention facility in the El Paso area, with a total capacity of 5,000 people. (DMN)

💰 Dallas Fed president Lorie Logan is a candidate to succeed Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, who is set to step down next year. (Bloomberg)

🦇 A bat found dead in Plano last week tested positive for rabies. (WFAA)

🏀 New York police are still looking for a man accused of throwing a sex toy that struck a 12-year-old girl at last week's New York Liberty-Dallas Wings game. (NBC5)

A recent late-night dessert craving led us to Dessert Lab, where you can get crepes, waffles and strawberry cups inspired by Dubai chocolate.

The intrigue: All three of their North Texas locations are open until midnight on weeknights and 1am on weekends.

• The Dallas location also has games such as Jenga and giant Uno.

What to order: Dubai crepe, filled with pistachio cream and topped with shredded phyllo dough.

Where: Dessert Lab, locations in Allen, Dallas and Richardson

Cost: $15

Six word review: Vanilla ice cream tempers the decadence.

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