By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – Not waiting for Gov. Rick Perry, a Texas House Republican is pressing for an immigration enforcement bill that has been one of the most controversial issues before the Legislature this year.
Rep. Burt Solomons of Carrollton filed a new version of the so-called sanctuary cities bill on Tuesday. It bans police agencies from adopting policies that prohibit officers from asking people they detain about citizenship status.
Perry has not yet included a sanctuary cities bill on the agenda of the special session. It was one of his top priorities in the regular session but failed to pass.
The measure has been fiercely opposed by Democrats.
None of Texas' major cities claim to be sanctuary cities, but many police departments discourage their officers from asking about immigration status.
Senator files abortion pill bill
Conservative Sen. Dan Patrick has reintroduced a bill to restrict the use of abortion-inducing medications to be considered during the special session.
Gov. Rick Perry called a special legislative session beginning Tuesday to tackle budget issues and congressional redistricting. The governor gets to decide what issues are considered in a special session and he did not name abortion as one of them. Unless he puts it on the agenda, the bill will certainly fail.
Nevertheless, Patrick filed the bill which requires doctors to administer any abortion-inducing drug strictly according to federal guidelines. The prescribing doctor must also have a signed contract with another specialist doctor to treat any emergencies as well as adhere to strict reporting and follow-up requirements.
Doctors who do not comply face disciplinary action.
Saggy pants banned from Fort Worth buses
Municipal bus riders who wear saggy pants will need to hike them up or find another way to get around one North Texas city.
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority's updated dress code lets drivers turn away passengers whose pants sag below the waist.
Authority spokeswoman Joan Hunter says it's about showing respect to all riders.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports the anti-sagging pants campaign began in August 2008, but the bus system known as the T recently made an administrative change giving bus drivers authority to deny boarding to violators. Hunter says the updated policy took effect May 12.
Critics say their right to dress as they like is being violated.
Dallas bail bondsman accused in death of partner
A Dallas bail bond company owner is accused of hiring a hitman to kill his business partner in a family dispute.
James Beavers is in the Dallas County Jail on a capital murder charge over Monday's fatal shooting of 53-year-old Mark Stephen Stockton at their company.
An affidavit says Beavers, who's 54, told police he agreed to pay 44-year-old Shawn Lewis $2,000 to kill Stockton. Beavers told police that he gave Lewis $950 in advance.
Bond is $1 million each for Beavers and Lewis, who's also charged with capital murder. Dallas County Jail electronic records did not list an attorney for either man Wednesday.
The Dallas Morning News reports an affidavit says Beavers told police that Stockton had threatened to harm Beavers' son. No additional information was immediately provided.
Man sues over stolen $1 million lottery ticket
A North Texas man is suing the Texas Lottery Commission and others for $1 million in winnings from a lottery ticket prosecutors say was stolen from him in 2009.
Travis County prosecutors say a convenience store clerk in Grand Prairie cheated Willis Willis out of the ticket, redeemed it himself and fled to his native Nepal.
Prosecutors recovered $395,000 from the clerk's bank accounts and obtained a court ruling that Willis is the ticket's rightful owner. But the lawsuit says the clerk received $750,000 in prize money after taxes - money Willis says he has coming to him. The clerk remains a fugitive.
The Texas attorney general's office contends the lottery ticket is a "bearer instrument" redeemable by whoever holds it.