John P. Scott, a former U.S. Secret Service agent, is tasked with ensuring Texas schools implement statewide safety policies and safeguard against school shootings.
Trent Brown
Trent Brown was a 2022 fall reporting fellow. A Massachusetts native, he is a senior at Northwestern University, where he studies journalism and French. Previously, he interned at the Wenatchee (Wash.) World, where he covered agriculture, local government, and community issues. He has served as the editor-in-chief of campus magazine North by Northwestern. When he's not in a newsroom, Trent probably is busy browsing Twitter, watching horror movies or cooking boxed mac and cheese.
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Texas Voting Rights
Appeals court allows Texas to withhold list of people it thinks are noncitizens and can’t vote
The appellate court reversed a previous ruling that found that Texas violated federal law by refusing to release the list. The suit was brought by five civil rights groups that sought to hold Texas accountable if it disenfranchised naturalized citizens.
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Economy
Lackluster employment numbers signal economic slowdown for Texas, Dallas Fed says
A new report shows the number of employed Texans remained virtually unchanged from July to August, while unemployment ticked up slightly.
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Courts
Texas will fight to block 18- to 20-year-olds from carrying handguns
A court had ruled that the state’s ban was unconstitutional. The attorney general’s office — usually a supporter of gun rights — said it will appeal but didn’t explain why.
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State Government
Texas AG says counties can spend COVID relief funds on extra pay for elected officials without public notice
The nonbinding legal opinion states local elected and appointed officials can receive up to $25,000 for work done during the COVID-19 pandemic on top of their regular salaries. Unlike other pay raises, these “premium pay” bonuses don’t need to be declared to the public ahead of time.