Opinion

The Recap: Analyzing what the Texas Legislature did this year | Opinion

Stories by Fort Worth Star-Telegram journalists, with AI summarization

The Texas Legislature is done with its 2025 work ... at least for now. Our Star-Telegram Editorial Board and columnists have assessed what they did and didn't do, especially on education and other issues affecting children. Here's a roundup of published columns that provide our analyses of your lawmakers' work.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks to a group of event attendees for his Parent Empowerment Night event where he advocated for school choice and vouchers at Temple Christian School in Fort Worth on Thursday, March 6, 2025. By Chris Torres

TEXAS REPUBLICANS HAGGLING ON SCHOOL CHOICE SHOULD REMEMBER WHY IT MATTERS TO BEGIN WITH | OPINION

Plans for a new voucher program need work to make sure enough low-income families can participate — and that the program doesn’t get too expensive. | Opinion | Published March 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board

“Furries” dress as their favorite animals or characters for a comic book convention Oct. 3, 2015, in Columbia, South Carolina. By Rob Thompson

LEGISLATURE’S COMEDY WEEK: FURRIES, PHONES, JOHN CORNYN VS. KEN PAXTON | OPINION

It’s been a wild week in Texas politics. With a month left to fix everything that needs fixing in Texas, the Legislature has sunk into comedy relief. | Opinion | Published May 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Bud Kennedy

District 93 Rep. Nate Schatzline speaks on a panel at the Texas GOP convention. By Noah Alcala Bach

IN NATE SCHATZLINE’S TEXAS, BOOKS ENDANGER KIDS MORE THAN CHILD MARRIAGE | OPINION

Pastor Schatzline: You can’t defend children if you’re marrying them off. | Opinion | Published May 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Bradford William Davis

The vote board as the Texas House passed Senate Bill 31, clarifying that abortions are allowed in an emergency when the mother’s life is at risk, on May 21, 2025, in Austin. By Bud Kennedy

THE TALK IS ALL JOHN CORNYN-KEN PAXTON, BUT THE REAL WINNER IN AUSTIN IS DAN PATRICK | OPINION

Texas legislators went about their work, but some might have an eye on higher office. | Opinion | Published May 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Bud Kennedy

A 2022 rally against Florida legislation. Alexia Fodere for The Miami Herald.

KIDS HAVE RIGHTS, TOO, AND TEXAS BANNING SCHOOL LGBTQ CLUBS VIOLATES THEM | OPINION

A bill to bar student pride clubs, approved in the Legislature’s final days, is a direct assault on the constitutional rights of our state’s youngest constituents. | Opinion | Published June 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board

RELIGION, SCHOOLS, TECH: ASSESSING WHAT LEGISLATURE DID FOR (OR TO) TEXAS KIDS | OPINION

From the books children can read to whether they can use cellphones, lawmakers changed the landscape for parents — and invited lawsuits. | Opinion | Published June 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board

Gummies have become a popular consumable hemp product since a 2019 Texas law legalized the cultivation of hemp. Under federal and Texas law, hemp is cannabis with a Delta-9 THC concentration below 0.3%. By Amanda McCoy

DON’T GIVE DAN PATRICK HIS THC BAN. HERE’S A BETTER WAY FOR TEXAS ON CANNABIS | OPINION

Gov. Greg Abbott has to decide whether to sign a bill that could effectively kill the state hemp industry. | Opinion | Published June 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board

The Texas House Redistricting Committee held a public hearing in Arlington on Jan. 22, 2020, to see what people want to see on the new maps that will be drawn in 2021. By Anna M. Tinsley

COULD GOP TEXAS REDISTRICTING WIPE OUT A DEMOCRAT IN FORT WORTH? NEVER SAY NEVER | OPINION

Republicans have the votes in Texas to do whatever the party wants, and the White House wants the GOP to redraw the election map. | Opinion | Published June 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Bud Kennedy

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.