AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott said the end of this legislative session brings many of his efforts over the past two years to reality. From the time he announced his candidacy for governor, Abbott has been building and working to implement a “Bicentennial Blueprint for Texas” which he said will mold the Lone Star State to being an even better place to live and work.
AUSTIN, Texas – Following the end of the 84th Legislative Session, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick sat down with Breitbart Texas to discuss the accomplishments of the Senate during the session. Patrick discussed big victories for conservatives in the areas of border security, tax reductions, transportation, and the Second Amendment. He also discussed how procedural changes impacted the Senate’s ability to get things done this session and the differences between being a senator and lt. governor.
A 26-year-veteran of the Texas National Guard died over the Memorial Day weekend while saving his three children and another child from drowning. While the children lived, Sergeant First-Class Joseph Ros had to be dragged unconscious from the water and was unable to be resuscitated.
AUSTIN, Texas — The 84th session of the Texas Legislature came to a close on Monday afternoon. Legislators spoke in the hallways about a successful session while some grassroots activists, conservatives and tea party leaders expressed wanting more.
The Texas Legislature has passed SB 11, the Campus Carry Bill, and sent the bill on to Governor Greg Abbott for signature. The Senate passed the Conference Committee report on Saturday by a vote of 20-11. The bill cleared the final hurdle with passage in the Texas House by a vote of 98-47. The text of the final version of the bill is attached below.
The Texas House and Senate have adopted the Conference Committee report and passed the open carry bill from both houses. HB 910 will now go on to Governor Greg Abbott to be signed into law.
Officers with the Corpus Christi Police Department and agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security raided five suspected illegal massage parlors. Arrests came after some neighboring businesses complained of girls watering the plants outside while wearing revealing lingerie. Eight women were arrested in the operation.
The Texas House of Representatives voted against concurrence with changes made to the open carry bill by the Senate. The move by the House sends the bill to a conference committee between the two bodies of the Legislature to resolve their differences in the bill.
Despite rebounding oil prices, manufacturing in Texas in on a downward slide. A report from the Dallas Fed stated that manufacturing fell further than expected to reach the lowest level since June 2009. The heavy rains and flooding in Texas is also impacting Texas manufacturing.
The United States Air Force has cleared SpaceX to conduct military space launches. Previously, only United Launch Alliance (ULA) was certified to perform these types of space missions for the military.
An Amber Alert has been issued by Texas law enforcement officials for a 9-year-old girl believed to be in “grave danger” after allegedly being kidnapped by her uncle. Police from Benbrook issued the alert after Caitlyn Elizabeth Williams failed to return home on Sunday after she was supposed to be spending the weekend with a friend. She has been spotted at least two times with her uncle since disappearing.
A Texas dam on Lewis Creek, near the town of Willis, Texas, could be in danger of breaching or leaking due to damage caused from recent heavy rains in South Texas. The rains have caused the soil on the dam to become saturated with some parts beginning to slough off.
The Texas Senate gave final passage to House Bill 910, the bill that would allow concealed carry license holders to openly carry a handgun. The bill was passed out of the Senate during a late night Memorial Day weekend session with a vote of 20-11. Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston) was the lone Republican voting against the bill.
Waco Police Sergeant Patrick Swanton blasted CNN for putting information out as fact that is not yet proven. The news network posted a statement in an article earlier this week where they asserted as fact that four of the nine people killed in Sunday’s shooting at Twin Peaks were killed by police officers.
CNN omitted critical facts in its coverage of a Texas grand jury’s decision to not bring charges against a Grapevine police officer. The news network never set up the reason for the police chase – a burglary call where the deceased was the suspect. Nor did the network ever report they suspect repeatedly said “kill me” as he approached the officer.
Placing the blame for the Sunday biker shooting firmly on the franchisee, Twin Peaks national headquarters has revoked the franchise from the Waco restaurant. Nine people were killed in a fight that began inside the restaurant and spilled out into the parking lot.
HOUSTON, Texas – Houston Police Officer Richard Martin was run down and killed by driver fleeing from police during a high speed chase early Monday morning. Martin was attempting to deploy spike strips to end the chase when he was struck by the fleeing vehicle.
Waco Police Department’s Sergeant Patrick Swanton said “This was Anytown, USA,” in response to a question from media about why this happened in this city. He said there is a violent element out there and this type of violence could erupt anywhere, especially if a business ignores requests from police. Swanton revised the number of individuals downward to 170 from the previously reported 192 during his Monday midday press conference.
The Waco Police Department announced the arrest of 192 people in connection with the shooting at the Twin Peaks restaurant that occurred around noon on Sunday. In a separate action, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) announced they have issued a 7-day summary suspension closing the diner for community safety reasons.
Nine people are dead in what was described by witnesses as a “war zone” battle between rival biker gangs outside a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas. All of those killed were members of the biker gangs.
The family of a Fort Hood soldier who was killed in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting rampage was presented his Purple Heart medal in a ceremony in Minnesota. The presentation was made during an “American Day” ceremony in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Citing the extended time required to revamp company production, Blue Bell Creameries announced it will lay off 1,450 workers and shutdown several distribution centers. The cutbacks amount to a 37 percent reduction in Blue Bell’s full-time and part-time labor force.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has successfully moved yet another California Company to Texas. Abbott announced on Thursday that Kubota Tractor and Credit Corporation is relocating its corporate headquarters to Texas. It is expected the move will create at least 344 new Texas jobs and $51 million in capital investment in the Lone Star State. The State has made a grant offer of $3.8 million to Kubota from the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF).
HOUSTON, Texas – The Harris County Commissioners Court appointed Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman to be the new County Sheriff. Hickman was immediately sworn in as Sheriff replacing Adrian Garcia who resigned to run for Mayor of Houston.
A Galveston, Texas, man arrested for stabbing a man nearly to death has more legal problems after spitting his own feces at the arresting officer. Following an investigation by officers responding to a reported stabbing, the suspect took off on foot and officers were forced to chase him down to secure the arrest.
