Texas A&M University-Victoria held an investiture ceremony Wednesday to celebrate President Christian Hardigree's first year of leadership and the university's first year in The Texas A&M University System. State and federal officials, university system leaders, and higher education representatives attended the event at the Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts.
Christian Hardigree, President of Texas A&M University-Victoria; AJ Louderback, Texas State Representative; Lois Kolkhorst, Texas State Senator and 4 more
Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed onto Vice President JD Vance's Pledge to Protect Americans from Fraud on October 15, 2026, joining 21 other governors in a commitment to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in federal benefit programs.
Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas; JD Vance, Vice President
State Rep. Jeff Leach asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate the Transgender Education Network of Texas after the group sent mass texts promoting a "Back to School Toolkit" to thousands of Texans. Leach said the toolkit contains guidance that appears to encourage circumventing Senate Bill 12, which took effect in September 2025.
Jeff Leach, State Rep., Plano-area Republican, lead House author of Senate Bill 12; Ken Paxton, Attorney General; Transgender Education Network of Texas, Organization that distributed the toolkit
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his office sent letters to 156 data center developments across Texas requiring them to provide accurate, up-to-date information about water usage. The letters are part of an investigation launched in September into data center compliance with Texas water use reporting requirements.
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General; James Talarico, Democratic opponent in U.S. Senate race
Gov. Greg Abbott said he wants the Texas Legislature to enact his data center restrictions into law next year, rejecting Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa's call for quicker action. Hinojosa held a news conference to criticize Abbott's response to data center effects on neighborhoods, electricity, and water supplies.
$Abbott called for eliminating sales tax breaks for data centers.
Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas; Gina Hinojosa, Democratic challenger for governor
Texas Health and Human Services Commission is proposing to eliminate funding for the Children's Autism Program, which provides free therapy services to some families. If approved, funding would end after August 2027 as part of a 3% budget reduction over two years.
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, proposing the funding cut; Aida Garcia, Brownsville parent of two daughters with autism; Partner Resource Network, organizing advocacy against the cuts and 1 more
A data breach at CenterPoint Energy compromised personal information of more than 1 million Texas customers, according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office. The breach involved names, addresses, social security number information and driver license numbers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office, released details of the data breach; CenterPoint Energy, utility company affected by breach
Texas Comptroller Don Huffines announced a ban on using state grant funds administered by his office for automatic license plate readers, including Flock cameras and systems by Motorola Solutions and Axon Enterprise. The prohibition covers purchases, subscriptions, contracts, and renewals for systems that convert license plate images into computer-readable data.
Don Huffines, Texas Comptroller; Greg Abbott, Texas Governor
Texas State University launched PROVES-Maia, its first university-owned satellite, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on October 13 as part of NASA's CRS-35 mission. The satellite was designed, built, and will be operated by Texas State students.
Texas State University, institution that owns and built the satellite; Evan Jellison, Assistant professor of instruction in Department of Physics and TXST Space Lab coordinator; Nate Gay, Software lead and mathematics student and 7 more
The Texas Economic Development Council announced Tuesday that its Board of Directors appointed Bill Cork as President and CEO, effective November 1, 2026, succeeding Carlton Schwab who is retiring after leading the organization since February 1999.
Bill Cork, Appointed President and CEO of Texas Economic Development Council; Carlton Schwab, Retiring President and CEO of Texas Economic Development Council; Adrian Cannady, Immediate Past Board Chair of TEDC and 2 more
Jasper County Sheriff Chuck Havard was appointed by the Sheriffs' Association of Texas Board to serve on its Border and Homeland Security Committee. The committee makes recommendations on homeland security-related legislation and criminal activity to the Sheriffs' Association, Texas Legislature, and federal government.
Chuck Havard, Jasper County Sheriff, appointed to Border and Homeland Security Committee; Sheriffs' Association of Texas Board, Appointed Havard to the committee; Urbino 'Benny' Martinez, Brooks County Sheriff, committee chairman and 1 more
Students at five Texas community colleges received approval from the U.S. Department of Education to use new Workforce Pell grants for short-term job training. This marks the first time low-income Texas students can use federal Pell grant money for workforce training programs as short as eight weeks.
U.S. Department of Education, Approved Workforce Pell for the colleges; Kilgore College, Community college with approved Workforce Pell programs; Weatherford College, Community college with approved Workforce Pell programs and 4 more
Governor Greg Abbott reappointed Tom Sellers as Chair of the State Cemetery Committee for a term expiring October 12, 2028. The Committee works with the State Preservation Board to adopt rules managing the Texas State Cemetery.
Greg Abbott, Governor; Tom Sellers, State Cemetery Committee Chair
According to news reports, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton created a securities fraud case targeting EPIC City, a housing development and mosque project outside Dallas. A memo from Abbott's office was distributed to state agencies using language about foreign threats and undermining communities.
Greg Abbott, Texas Governor; Ken Paxton, Attorney General; Travis Iles, Commissioner of Texas State Securities Board and 4 more
Kevin McCormick, the Green Party's nominee for Texas lieutenant governor, outlined his policy proposals on Monday in Tyler. He criticized state tax and education policies and advocated for rural investment, Medicaid expansion, and transportation changes.
Kevin McCormick, Green Party nominee for Texas lieutenant governor; Greg Abbott, Texas governor (referenced in criticism)
Dallas city offices, schools, libraries, and most municipal facilities closed Monday, October 12, 2026, for the federal Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day holiday. Essential services including trash collection and public transit operated on regular schedules.
City of Dallas, declared holiday and closed municipal facilities; Dallas ISD, closed schools; designated day as professional development for employees; Federal Reserve, observes federal holiday
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission proposed eliminating all state funding for the Children's Autism Program in its budget request for the 2028-2029 biennium, citing budget cuts ordered by state leadership.
$$13.7 million for State spending on Children's Autism Program over last two years
Texas Health and Human Services Commission, State agency that proposed eliminating program funding; Gov. Greg Abbott, Governor who directed 3% spending cuts; Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor who directed 3% spending cuts and 3 more
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced new rules strengthening Texas protections against foreign adversary land purchases. He proposed creating an online property registry and a new task force within the attorney general's office to uncover and stop foreign entities from owning Texas land.
Ken Paxton, Attorney General; Michael Lucci, Founder and CEO of State Armor
Governor Greg Abbott delivered the Welcome to Texas address at the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors National Summit in Dallas on October 9, 2026. He spoke about parents' rights in education and school choice.
Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas; Tina Descovich, Moms for Liberty co-founder and CEO