A cold front brought strong winds to the Houston region on Monday, leaving nearly 35,000 CenterPoint Energy customers without power as of 8 a.m., according to the utility’s outage tracker, while repair crews worked to restore electricity to affected homes and businesses.
The Texas Department of Transportation has launched a statewide holiday campaign to reduce drunk driving in Texas. The initiative increases public awareness and enforcement during Christmas and New Year’s, focusing on the legal and safety consequences of driving while intoxicated. The campaign uses media outreach, law enforcement partnerships and community programs to address alcohol-related crashes across urban and rural areas in Texas.
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, Texas will implement a set of new laws that expand inventory tax exemptions for businesses, require most county jails to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, streamline evictions of squatters, mandate age checks and parental consent for app store users, and establish a statewide framework for regulating artificial intelligence and deep‑fake content.
A little-known Texas law gives state regulators flexibility over how insurers price Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, using a method known as silver loading. As enhanced federal subsidies expire in the coming days, the law may help some Texans keep net premiums lower by concentrating rate increases in silver-tier plans, which determine federal tax credits. The measure applies to individual and family marketplace coverage across Texas and affects how premium changes interact with federal financial assistance.
Flu cases are rising sharply across Texas during the holiday season as health officials track a fast-spreading influenza variant. Hospitals, clinics and laboratories report increased patient visits and higher test positivity rates for flu. Authorities urge vaccination, early treatment and basic preventive measures such as handwashing, masking when symptomatic and staying home when sick. Public health agencies continue to monitor hospital capacity and community transmission while providing updated guidance for residents, schools, employers and long-term care facilities statewide.
Texas State Representative Jared Patterson proposes a major change to his plan to restrict teen access to social media, citing rising global moves to limit platforms for minors. He calls social media the most dangerous product legally available to children in Texas and seeks stronger age verification, data protections and parental involvement.
This year, federal employees will receive two additional days off around Christmas, a situation that has not occurred in recent years.
Texas prosecutors in Harris, El Paso and other counties report that increased ICE deportations and immigration enforcement actions have caused them to lose key witnesses in criminal cases, including murder prosecutions. District attorneys say witnesses have been detained, deported or become too afraid to appear in court, leading to weakened cases and, in some instances, reduced charges or dismissals. Local officials report ongoing efforts to coordinate with federal authorities, reassure immigrant communities and adapt prosecution strategies as they track the impact of immigration enforcement on criminal trials.
Several Central Texas cities have removed automated license plate readers after years of using the technology to aid police investigations. Local officials ended contracts, deactivated devices, and took down equipment following reviews of costs, performance, and policy priorities. Police departments reported that the systems had helped locate suspects and vehicles in past cases, while investigators in other jurisdictions, including in the Brown University shooting case, continue to use license plate reader data. Central Texas agencies now rely on other investigative tools and traditional policing methods and say any future use of license plate readers would require new public discussions and approvals.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed Houston firefighters union president Marty Lancton for Harris County judge and announced a pledge of about $25 million to support Republican candidates in Harris County. The governor’s backing links Lancton’s campaign to a broader GOP effort to gain county-level offices in the state’s most populous county. Local party organizations, election officials, and candidates are preparing for a competitive election cycle as the new funding targets key races on the November ballot.