Public Safety
Covering topics such as corrections, criminal justice, emergency management, gun control and police/fire/EMS.
Enhancements and weatherization efforts mean this year’s freezing weather did not overwhelm the state’s electric system. But policymakers face tough decisions as future load projections grow.
So far, seven states have passed laws approving the use of Medicaid funds to pay for community-based programs intended to stop shootings. But unlocking the funds is complicated and it's unclear how much money will actually be diverted.
The polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of chemicals that help make firefighting gear so protective. But they also produce an increased risk of exposure to carcinogens.
The Legislature granted solicitors and public defenders the most funding ever last year to hire additional staff, while the state Supreme Court, for the first time, issued a concise order on how to manage the criminal court docket.
Across the nation, state transportation agencies are warning that public safety is at risk if lawmakers don’t overhaul how road maintenance gets funded. Some states are proposing new taxes and fees.
Alcohol killed 1,547 residents last year, not much fewer than the 1,799 who died from drug overdoses. While the state increased penalties for fentanyl possessions, voters expanded access to alcohol in grocery stores.
While home insurance rates and utility prices have increased across the country, Texas has been hit especially hard since its historical winter storm three years ago. Experts expect increases to continue.
State Rep. Dan Frankel has proposed a measure that would revoke the concealed carry permits of anyone who is caught with a firearm at a TSA checkpoint. State TSA agents seized 44 guns this year, nine more than the previous record year.
The new rules will require employers to develop plans for medical attention and take action at certain levels of air quality. The change comes after two years of temporary protections.
Local jails struggling to provide adequate mental health treatment to inmates could benefit from the expansion.
The state’s Individual Disaster Assistance Grant Program has paid $227,675 in response to storm damage. FEMA estimated the state’s spring flood damage at $6.3 million. As of Dec. 4, crop insurers had paid out more than $248 million due to drought.
Starting Jan. 1, police officers across the state will be required to tell drivers why they’ve been stopped before they can start asking questions. Agencies will be required to track whether officers are complying.
The law enforcement training facility will cost as much as $350 million. It will include 300 single-person dorms, an auditorium, gymnasiums, a firing range, a stable and more. Construction is expected to finish in 2028.
The 2021 law will erase nonviolent crimes from public records in hopes of improving employment and housing opportunities for formerly incarcerated people. Technological upgrades required $8 million for implementation.
There’s not much research on getting a new program in place, but police chiefs who have been there have a lot of ideas about what to do — and what not to do.
Law enforcement across the state have violated Fourth Amendment rights numerous times over the last decade. That has called into question the training and experience requirements for officers.
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