John Thomas
KXAN News
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Past articles by John:
6 bills filed on school safety, funding and the teacher shortage — what you need to know
Days before the bill filing deadline, Texas lawmakers announced a flurry of new bills aimed at solving some of the largest problems facing the state’s public schools: safety and its dwindling workforce. Here’s what you need to know. → Read More
Lt. Gov. voices support for special sessions to ‘pass school choice’
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick listed school choice as one of his top 10 priorities for the legislative session. → Read More
Plan promises ‘largest property tax cut ever’ in Texas
Phelan said that House Bill 2 will call for lowering the state’s cap on property tax appraisals to 5%. → Read More
‘We have to get this right,’ Education Commissioner looks for teacher shortage solutions
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Many Texas school districts face a growing challenge when it comes to recruiting and keeping teachers. Now, a long-anticipated report aims to find solutions to that problem. The report comes from the state’s Teacher Vacancy Task Force. That’s a group of 45 Texas teachers and administrators Gov. Greg Abbott ordered to take […] → Read More
Abbott, O’Rourke may meet in Nexstar-hosted Texas governor debate
Abbott and O’Rourke would answer questions from a panel of journalists, as well as questions from voters around the state. → Read More
Texas researchers develop tattoos to help monitor blood pressure
Researchers at the University of Texas and Texas A&M University teamed up to develop an electronic tattoo that can help gather and transmit the data. → Read More
Former Austin councilmember bests police officer in race for Texas House District 19
The winner of the runoff will be the favorite to win the seat in November general election. → Read More
State of Texas: Border orders add pressure to businesses facing supply chain strain
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Gov. Greg Abbott announced Texas will start organizing charter buses to transport migrants — who have crossed the border and agree to it — all the way to the steps of the U.S. Capitol. “As opposed to busing these people to San Antonio. Let’s continue the ride all the way to Washington, […] → Read More
State of Texas: ‘They got what they wanted’ – Voters force incumbents to fight for their jobs
In the primary race for Texas Attorney General, not a single Republican or Democratic candidate got more than 50% of the vote, meaning both sides are headed to a runoff. → Read More
Garza, Jaworski lead Democrats in race for Texas Attorney General, poll shows runoff likely
The race to win the Democratic nomination for Texas attorney general likely will not be settled on March 1. → Read More
State of Texas: The winter storm, one year later – what still needs to be done to protect Texans
The February 2021 freeze still left millions of Texans without power and heat for days, taking the lives of hundreds. One year later, Texas Democrats are still calling for more action. → Read More
State of Texas: Preparing for the primary and the issues important to Texas voters
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The field is set for the Texas primary election, after candidate filing wrapped up in December. Early polls are giving us some insight into how voters feel about the top races on the ballot. Gov. Greg Abbott is facing several challengers in the Republican primary, most notably from former State Senator Don […] → Read More
State of Texas: ‘On the wrong track’ – Poll shows growing disapproval over the direction of Texas
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — New polling from the Texas Politics Project asked voters whether they thought the state was headed in the right direction. Just 35% of those polls said yes, 52% said they thought Texas was on the wrong track. “This is really an eye-opener for us,” said Jim Henson, executive director of the Texas […] → Read More
State of Texas: ‘The most important thing we do’ Budget battle spotlights healthcare, education needs
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas House passed its budget Thursday night after a marathon debate to decide how to spend taxpayer money over the next two years. The big takeaway is more money for education. The budget was framed in the lens of an economy recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, with priorities focused on public […] → Read More
‘This disease affects anyone’ – Diabetic emergency leads to Texas Rep. James Talarico’s bill to cap insulin costs
Texas State Rep. Talarico started feeling sick in the middle of a 25-mile walk. → Read More
‘I don’t see voter suppression’ – Speaker Dade Phelan defends House Bill 6 from corporate critics
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Controversial election legislation is moving forward at the State Capitol. House Bill 6 advanced out of committee on a party line vote, and now waits for a vote on the House floor. Democrats have criticized the bill, and others like it which tighten voting rules, as amounting to voter suppression. Some large […] → Read More
State Rep. John Bucy: ‘In a state that relies on big business, we need their voice’ on election legislation
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Lawmakers and big Texas-based businesses are weighing in about their concerns regarding legislation aimed at tightening voting restrictions in Texas after one bill passed in the Senate this week. Senate Bill 7, which tightens restrictions on vote-by-mail and bans most drive-thru voting, passed in the Texas Senate early Thursday morning. A few […] → Read More
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst: ‘This isn’t just an open border’
On Monday, six Republican state senators visited the border facility at Carrizo Springs and took a helicopter tour of the Rio Grande Valley with the Texas Department of Public Safety. State Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) was among the visiting lawmakers. → Read More
State of Texas: Police reform bill hits ‘huge sticking point’ over qualified immunity for officers
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — This week, jury selection began for Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd. The third-degree murder case is drawing attention to police reform and accountability in Texas. Last May, a video surfaced showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, even after Floyd repeatedly […] → Read More
IN-DEPTH: Texas growing home to mega-battery projects, including Travis County
For many, news of Tesla's giant battery storage project might be your first time reading about giant lithium-ion battery projects, but they are becoming more prevalent across Texas, including here in Travis County. → Read More