A new study reports that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality faces a backlog of more than 1,000 environmental complaint investigations after years of budget cuts reduced staffing and resources. Researchers say the delays affect air, water and waste cases statewide and link longer resolution times to legislative funding reductions, hiring constraints and limited monitoring capacity. The report details how TCEQ now prioritizes high-risk complaints, outlines internal adjustments to manage workloads and recommends that state officials increase funding, add investigative staff and improve public reporting on complaint status and timelines.

Texas public universities are using artificial intelligence tools to review and rewrite course descriptions, syllabi, and academic materials that reference race and gender in response to new state rules on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Internal records show administrators directing faculty to run course documents through AI platforms, generate alternative language, and standardize revisions under tight deadlines while legal and compliance offices oversee the process. Faculty communications and governance documents detail questions about academic freedom, instructional precision, and the long-term impact of AI mediated changes on curricula, enrollment, and campus policy across multiple disciplines.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire and City Controller Chris Hollins are in a dispute over a proposal to use about $30 million from Houston’s stormwater fund to demolish certain buildings. Whitmire argues the reallocation would address unsafe or problematic structures, while Hollins says city rules restrict the fund to stormwater mitigation and do not permit demolition spending. City Council, legal staff, and budget officials are reviewing the fund’s authorizing language, financial policies, and project lists before any vote.