The top local stories this morning from KERA News:
There's about a week left in the special legislative session, and it's unlikely bills on all 20 agenda items will become law.
One of them would regulate public restroom use for transgender Texans. The Texas Privacy Act easily passed in the Senate, but Corsicana Republican Bryon Cook, who also chairs the House Committee on State Affairs, says he won't give the bill another hearing.
Carrollton Republican Ron Simmons sponsored the bathroom bill in the House. He expected an uphill climb, but Simmons said he’s looking into other alternatives, such as tacking it onto another bill as an amendment.
Simmons' bill is among the top priorities for the far-right Texas Freedom Caucus. In a Facebook Live session, they encouraged supporters to flood the Capitol with phone calls to get all the agenda items heard.
The group also hopes to hold a Republican caucus meeting to select someone other than Speaker Joe Straus to run the House. Straus says the bathroom bill is not a priority.
Other stories this morning:
- Chris Vognar’s “Screening Room” series is bringing some of Hollywood’s scariest movies back from the dead. He and Stephen Becker discuss why these films are worth visiting the theater – even if you’re afraid of the dark.
You can listen to North Texas stories weekdays at 8:22 a.m. and 6:20 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM.
