AUSTIN, Texas, May 31 (TNSgov)(TNScapv) -- The Texas Association of Business issued the following news release and letter on May 30, 2023: 34 business organizations and associations sent a letter to state leadership supporting Governor Greg Abbott's call for property tax relief through compression during the current special session of the Texas Legislature. "We, the undersigned, support the Governor's plan to cut school property tax rates by an additional $0.16 for a combined total of $0.26 pe  more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 30 (TNStalk) -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas issued the following statement on May 29, 2023: * * * The 88th Texas Legislature adjourned its regular session sine die on Monday. * * * The following quote can be attributed to Oni K. Blair, executive director of the ACLU of Texas: "This legislative session was one of the most authoritarian displays of fear-mongering and government overreach in state history. "Gov. Abbott and his political allies rammed through  more

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, June 2 (TNSgov) -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico issued the following news release on June 1, 2023: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico today published 'Inherent Risks:' Policy Analysis and Recommendations on Revised CBP Vehicle Pursuit Policy, produced in collaboration with the ACLU of Texas. The brief analyzes U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) revised vehicle pursuit policy, which was announced earlier this year and orig  more

DALLAS, Texas, June 1 (TNSjou) -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: * * * Two heart disease-related biomarkers were elevated in one-third of adults with Type 2 diabetes, finds new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association Research Highlights: * One-third of adults in the U.S. with Type 2 diabetes may have symptomless or undetected cardiovascular disease. * Adults with Type 2 diabetes who do not have any signs or symptoms of cardio  more

DALLAS, Texas, June 1 (TNSjou) -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: * * * AI/AN women have more risk factors for poor heart health, such as high rates of Type 2 diabetes, obesity and smoking, and increased exposure to trauma and violence, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement Statement Highlights: * In its first scientific statement addressing cardiovascular health in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women of c  more

DALLAS, Texas, June 1 (TNSres) -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: Global efforts to improve emergency, critical and operative care for universal health coverage and protection from health emergencies were announced at the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. With the support of its partners the American Heart Association and the Laerdal Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), announced an initiative based on a new acute ca  more

DALLAS, Texas, May 27 (TNSres) -- The American Heart Association issued the following news release: * * * The American Heart Association's 2023 Merit Award winners will explore new ways to heal the heart's aorta through medication vs. surgery and determine how exercise can repair damaged hearts and brains * * * A Lexington, Ky., research scientist studying ways to repair damaged major vessels with medication rather than surgery and a physician-scientist from Ann Arbor, Mich., exploring the   more

AUSTIN, Texas, June 1 (TNSgov) -- Everytown for Gun Safety issued the following news release on May 30, 2023: The Texas chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety's grassroots network, released the following statement in response to the end of the Texas legislative session. So far this year in Texas there have been 21 mass shootings, including three mass shootings in a span of two weeks. Last week marked one-year since the mass shooting in U  more

ARLINGTON, Virginia, June 1 (TNSres) -- Associated General Contractors of America issued the following news release: * * * Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas and Hanford-Corcoran, Calif. Experience Largest Number and Percentage of Gains; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. and Monroe, Mich. Have Most Extensive Construction Job Losses * * * Construction employment increased in 231, or 65 percent, of 358 metro areas between April 2022 and April 2023, according to an analysis by the Associated Gene  more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 29 (TNStalk) -- The Association of Texas Professional Educators issued the following statement on May 28, 2023: * * * ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter has the following statement on the legislative impasse over a teacher pay raise that resulted in the death of House Bill (HB) 100 by Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian): "Make no mistake: The governor, lieutenant governor, and Senate majority took a teacher pay raise hostage to try to pass a voucher scheme that couldn'  more

DALLAS, Texas, June 1 (TNSpp) -- Baylor Scott and White Health issued the following news release on May 30, 2023: Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, today announces a new approach to education for employees: Beginning on day one of employment, eligible employees have access to tuition assistance at no upfront cost for college and certificate programs. "By lowering the financial barriers to education, we hope to empower our colleagues to  more

ALBANY, New York, May 31 (TNSgov) -- The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network issued the following news release on May 30, 2023: Yesterday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 989 into law, making Texas the 11th state to expand access to biomarker testing. New York is considering comparable legislation through Assembly Bill 1673 / Senate Bill 1196. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Senior Government Relations Director in New York, Michael Davoli, res  more

NEW YORK, June 1 (TNSgov) -- The Center for Reproductive Rights issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down two citizen-enforced abortion bans mirroring Texas' S.B. 8. The two copycat bans were passed in 2022 before Roe v. Wade was overturned. While abortion remains largely unavailable in Oklahoma and the state's pre-Roe ban remains in effect, today's ruling ensures that Oklahoma's vigilante bans cannot hold doctors back from providing life-saving c  more

AUSTIN, Texas, June 1 (TNSgov) -- Consumer Reports issued the following news release: Consumer Reports calls on the Texas legislature to strengthen H.B. 4, a recently passed consumer data privacy bill. The bill includes some important consumer rights, such as the right to know the information companies have collected about them, the right to correct and delete that information, and the right to limit some data disclosures through universal opt-out mechanisms. However, the bill only applies to   more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, May 31 (TNSres) -- Earthjustice issued the following news release: * * * States are unlawfully allowing more air pollution in already overburdened communities, violating federal public health standards and creating "sacrifice zones" * * * Seven Gulf-based organizations petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate and correct systematic abuse of Clean Air Act permitting standards violations in Louisiana and Texas. Under the Clean Air Act  more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 31 (TNSgov) -- Environment Texas issued the following news release on May 30, 2023: Texas will subsidize the construction of new methane gas power plants, while raising costs for wind and solar energy, under legislation approved by the Legislature this week. SB 2627 and SJR 93 provide $7.2 billion in low-interest loans to support the development of up to 10,000 megawatts of new methane gas power plants. Another bill, HB 5, makes gas power plants eligible for tax breaks by pr  more

WASHINGTON, May 31 (TNSres) -- First Five Years Fund, an organization that advances ways to increase access to high-quality early childhood education for children from low-income families, issued the following fact sheet: * * * Child Care & Development Block Grant in Texas The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that allows states to provide child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority of these fund  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 2 (TNSconf) -- The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities issued the following news release: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has announced the agenda and speakers of its pre-conference 22nd Annual Latino Higher Education Leadership Institute taking place, Oct. 28, 2023, at the Hilton Chicago, in conjunction with HACU's 37th Annual Conference. The one-day Institute will focus on vital skills and strategies for moving up the faculty and ad  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 3 (TNSgov) -- The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities issued the following news release: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities was part of a congressional briefing on the reauthorization of the federal Farm Bill during the Minority Serving Institution Agriculture Colleges and Universities Congressional Briefing on May 31, 2023, advocating for funding for agricultural-related educational programs and opportunities for Hispanic students. The  more

WASHINGTON, May 31 (TNSgov) -- The Immigration Reform Law Institute issued the following news release on May 30, 2023: Last week, the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) filed a brief in a Texas federal district court showing that a lawsuit by Texas against the Biden administration's 2022 public charge rule should be allowed to go forward. Since before this nation's founding, Americans have excluded aliens likely to be "public charges"--that is, dependent on the government for support. In   more

AUSTIN, Texas, June 2 (TNSgov) -- The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials issued the following news release: The 88th Texas Legislature this session has reaffirmed support for the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC(R)). House Bill 2689 would have mandated that all jurisdictions in the state adopt the International Plumbing Code, thus limiting options for jurisdictions in Texas. This issue has been unsuccessfully pushed by special interests for the last few legislative session  more

NEW YORK, June 1 (TNSgov) -- The National Association of Scholars issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: Earlier this week, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) one of the strongest anti- diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) bills in the nation. The bill was authored and sponsored by Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) in the Senate and sponsored by Representative John Kuempel (R-Seguin) in the House. SB 17 has the support of the National Association of Scholars, a  more

HOUSTON, Texas, June 2 (TNSgov) -- The National Korean American Service and Education Consortium issued the following news release on June 1, 2023: People directly impacted by U.S. immigration failures, families, community members, faith leaders, allies, and activists converged upon the Bob Casey United States Courthouse in Houston, Texas on June 1, 2023. Nearly 100 people represented the hundreds of thousands current and potential DACA recipients to demand that the DACA program remain in pla  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 (TNSgov) -- The Planned Parenthood Federation of America issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down two citizen-enforced abortion bans mirroring Texas' S.B. 8. The two copycat bans were passed in 2022 before Roe v. Wade was overturned. While abortion remains largely unavailable in Oklahoma and the state's pre-Roe ban remains in effect, today's ruling ensures that Oklahoma's vigilante bans cannot hold doctors back from providing l  more

AUSTIN, Texas, June 1 (TNSgov) -- Public Citizen issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: Gov. Greg Abbott must act swiftly to appoint an acting attorney general with no personal, professional, or political connections to Ken Paxton and will pledge full cooperation with the upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate and other investigations, Public Citizen said today. "Because Ken Paxton is accused of corruptly using his position to enrich himself and benefit a wealthy donor, Gov. Abbo  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, May 31 (TNSres) -- Southwest Research Institute issued the following news release on May 30, 2023: Two Southwest Research Institute scientists were part of a James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) team that observed a towering plume of water vapor more than 6,000 miles long -- roughly the distance from the U.S. to Japan -- spewing from the surface of Saturn's moon, Enceladus. In light of this NASA JWST Cycle 1 discovery, SwRI's Dr. Christopher Glein also received a Cycle 2 alloca  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 1 (TNSawa) -- Southwest Research Institute issued the following news release on May 31, 2023: Dr. Thomas E. Briggs, an Institute engineer in Southwest Research Institute's Powertrain Engineering Division, has received the Forest R. McFarland Award by SAE International, an organization that works to advance mobility, knowledge and solutions for humanity's benefit. Established in 1979, the award serves to honor the late Forest R. McFarland, a long-time SAE International   more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 30 (TNStalk) -- The Texas Association of Business issued the following statement on May 29, 2023: * * * As the Texas State Chamber, The Texas Association of Business (TAB) today released a statement thanking the Senate and House conferees for passing CCR for HB 5: "Texas' reputation as the top state for economic development has been further reinforced by HB 5," said TAB CEO Glenn Hamer. "The business community thanks Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dade Phelan, Chairman T  more

LUBBOCK, Texas, June 3 (TNSgov) -- Texas Corn Producers issued the following news release on June 2, 2023: The U.S. Trade Representative announced it is filing a dispute settlement under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement in response to Mexico's steps to ban biotech corn for human consumption. Texas Corn Producers Association, as well as corn organizations across the country who called on the Biden administration to act, praised this news. "This is an issue of grave concern for Texas corn farmer  more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 30 (TNStalk) -- The Texas Freedom Network issued the following statement on May 29, 2023: * * * May 29 marks the official end of the regular 88th Texas Legislative Session. Over the weekend, a number of bills -- notably one on censorship and another on the removal of public school funding -- died after failing to meet crucial deadlines and therefore failed to become completed legislation. Texas Freedom Network advocates for public education and freedom from censorship, rel  more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 29 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement on May 28, 2023: * * * The Texas Public Policy Foundation celebrates the passage of House Bill 1243, which would make it a felony to engage in illegal voting. This legislation now heads to the Governor for approval. "House Bill 1243 sends a strong message that threats to free and fair elections will not be tolerated," said TPPF Chief National Initiatives Officer Chuck DeVore. "This crucial measure will  more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 29 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement on May 28, 2023: * * * The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the passage of House Bill 1500, which includes, among a number of electric grid reforms, a reliability requirement for new power plants and a mandate that the Public Utility Commission study the effect of allocating reliability costs to existing variable generators. Following the bill's passage, Life:Powered Policy Director Brent Bennett   more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 29 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement on May 28, 2023: * * * TPPF applauds the full passage of House Bill 18, a proposal that protects the privacy and safety of children online by implementing new safeguards for children and empowering parents to exercise control over their children's safety online. TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar released the following statement: "The passage of HB 18 marks a crucial step in the right direction to protect our most   more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 29 -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement on May 28, 2023: * * * TPPF applauds the full passage of House Bill 4, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, which will provide Texans with the strongest data privacy protections in the nation. TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar released the following statement: "With the passage of House Bill 4, Texans will now have a digital bill of rights that affords them greater ownership and control over their personal, se  more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 30 (TNStalk) -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement on May 29, 2023: * * * The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauded the passage of Senate Bill 17, ending taxpayer support for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. TPPF Distinguished Senior Fellow Sherry Sylvester released the following statement: "Senate Bill 17, authored by Senator Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe and Rep. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, is the strongest anti-DEI Bill in the nation  more

AUSTIN, Texas, May 30 (TNStalk) -- The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement on May 29, 2023: * * * On Sine Die of the 88th Texas Legislative Session, the Texas Public Policy Foundation's CEO Greg Sindelar released the following statement: "The 88th Texas legislature made tremendous progress this session, but the work remains unfinished. The failure to complete several major initiatives are so significant that TPPF supports a call for a special session. "Despite these  more

AUSTIN, Texas, June 2 (TNStalk) -- United We Dream issued the following statement on June 1, 2023: * * * This week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced his intent to call multiple special sessions to force his unpopular, failed agenda through the Texas legislature. In his announcement of "Special Session #1," Abbott called for legislation to further fund harmful tactics at the border and to defund public schools by cutting property taxes. This follows the end of the regular session of the T  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 (TNStalk) -- United We Dream issued the following statements on June 1, 2023: * * * Judge Hanen of the Southern District of Texas will be hearing oral arguments on the Texas v.s. United States Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) case. This time the arguments will regard the legality of the new DHS DACA rule announced by the Biden administration in 2022. Judge Hanen previously ruled against the program back in 2021, halting new first-time DACA applications from tens  more