Once again, Texas Tech has recognized another need and is on the precipice of developing a solution. With the help of local industry leaders, the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business will begin the Excellence in Banking Program this fall, designed to produce top-notch bankers by giving students a comprehensive understanding of modern banking operations and practices.
Metropolitan growth in Texas will certainly continue, along with its ever-growing share of the vote — 68% of the vote in 2016. And the latest census estimates suggest the Latino population is increasingly choosing to live in metro areas. Expect a growing difference in how metro Texas votes compared with the outlying counties.
With his executive order, Gov. Greg Abbott preserved a system that infringed on Texans’ right to earn an honest living as plumbers and blatantly violated the separation of powers. That should concern every Texan.
Capital punishment is soon to be no more than a byword in America’s criminal justice system. Yes, even in Texas. That the death penalty remains in use at all, even in much smaller numbers, is testament to the fact that the decision to seek it is always at the discretion of the local elected district attorney and inevitably motivated by politics.
The 2019 Texas Legislative session was driven at least as much by fear as by principle. Without question, the surprisingly close 2018 election results for Republican statewide officials — and losses of 12 Republican House seats and two Senate seats — sent shock waves throughout the Texas Capitol.
While dual-language programs present a magnificent array of benefits for our children, the development of them must be closely watched, or we risk them becoming yet another injustice to marginalized populations.
Judgments about the actual policy achievements of the 86th necessarily await their implementation and evidence of sustainability. In the meantime, legislative incumbents will hope to bask in the faint praise they earned in 2019, while worrying that they might well be drowned out in another election year defined by the deafening volume of chaotic national politics.
Many of us can attest to our own personal struggles with mental illness, or that of family members and friends. Today, one in five U.S. adults live with mental illness, and young adults (ages 18 to 25) experience the highest prevalence (25.8%) of any mental illness. Mental illnesses and substance use disorders are the leading causes of disability worldwide, with a strong connection to suicide.
The Texas Senate’s roll-call votes from this year’s regular session make it possible, as we did earlier with the House, to rank the state’s 31 senators from left to right on the political spectrum.
Individuals who suffer accidental opioid overdoses are more likely to receive lifesaving intervention from a fellow drug user. But Texas' lack of Good Samaritan laws means the people in the best position to save lives still face the threat of prison sentences in exchange for their good deeds.
President Trump’s announced plan to pressure the Mexican government to stop the flow of migrants from Central America by imposing a blanket tariff on goods imported into the U.S. risks economic disruption, and political headaches for GOP incumbents on the ballot in 2020.
Colloquially known as the “born-alive” bill, House Bill 16 would amend Texas Family Code to punish health practitioners with a civil penalty, to the tune of $100,000 or more, for “fail[ing] to provide the appropriate medical treatment...to a child born alive after [an] abortion.” Gov. Abbott, if you’re reading this, don’t sign it into law.
The Texas Legislature’s 2019 regular session is over, the votes on bills have been cast, and we have everything we need to rank Texas House members along the political spectrum from red to blue.
What made the session so positive? Increases in formula funding provided a stable base of state support essential for public universities to plan for and serve the increasing numbers of Texans seeking high quality education.
Guess who’s turning 50? Two very big half-century milestones are taking place in Houston this year. George Bush Intercontinental Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, turns 50, and so does the groundbreaking lunar landing.
Science and technology will continue making advancements in the production of food and the contributions farmers are making to ensure a stable food supply need to be understood and recognized by all of us.
A public health crisis has emerged in Texas and across America as misinformation is leading families to opt out of life-saving immunizations. When we don’t immunize ourselves and our children, we endanger everyone who comes into contact with us.
It is critical that funding for licensed mental health professionals be provided for districts throughout the state. Students with readily accessible emotional and mental health support are more likely to be better prepared for life after high school and become productive citizens.
In addressing extreme school violence, understanding the difference between mental and emotional health is critical. Contrary to popular belief, mental illness is not the root cause of the vast majority of school shootings.
A neutral law protecting everyone’s freedom is good for religious liberties and good for sexual minorities. SB 17 protects everyone’s freedom, and that’s also good for business.
