House Democrats Call For Education Special Session

Texas House Democrats are urging Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session to increase public school funding, while Abbott is criticizing them for opposing legislation last year that tied increased funding to his pet project — school vouchers. The Austin American-Statesman reported the Democrats sent a letter, written by Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, calling for a 30-day special session focused on both increasing per-student funding and investing more in school safety.

“Our public schools are the bedrock of our communities, and it’s imperative we provide them with the resources they need to thrive,” Rosenthal said.

A number of Texas school districts are facing funding shortages for the 2024-25 school year budgets after no additional school funding was approved during the last legislative session, when lawmakers blocked passage of a voucher bill tied to increased funding.

A Statesman analysis in January indicated that when adjusted for inflation, per-student funding from state and local sources is down by 12.9% since 2020.

Rains Sweep Texas As Hurricane Season Approaches 

While Texans in the Houston area and throughout East Texas continue to battle the effects of torrential rains — including storms last week that killed at least seven in the Houston area and left hundreds of thousands without power — the official start of hurricane season is just around the corner, on June 1.

As Dan Reilly, a Texas-based meteorologist, told the Texas Department of Insurance, “In most of the recent years, we’ve had many storms before June. So, in reality, I would say hurricane season probably starts in May.”

Families are urged to protect their family and property by preparing now. Here are a few tips from TDI:

• Make or update your home inventory: Take pictures or videos of each room in your home. For major items, write down the serial number, what you paid, and date you bought it. Don’t forget to get a video of items inside closets and drawers. Having a home inventory is one of the best things you can do to make sure you get the value of your claim.

• Have an emergency kit packed and ready to go: Set aside 3 gallons of water per person, enough to last three days. Also pack non-perishable food, a can opener and utensils, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight and extra batteries. See a full kit list at ready. gov. Put some water and food supplies in your car too, just in case.

• Check your roof. Damaged shingles or leaks around chimneys or skylights will get worse in a storm. Have a professional secure loose shingles and check the metal flashing around openings or on roof valleys for leaks.

• Get your yard ready. Remove dead tree limbs and branches that hang over your house. Check for loose items that can become wind borne such as yard furniture or trampolines. Tie them down.