The American Phoenix Foundation, an activist group with ties to conservative causes, said it plans to release secretly captured footage of Texas lawmakers behaving badly, confessing to a variety of indiscretions, engaging in inappropriate relationships with special interest lobbyists and possibly admitting to criminal behavior.

Investigations continue into the Sunday night killing in Garland of two men who shot a security guard outside a contest featuring cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Their ties to terrorist groups are being investigated as is a claim of responsibility by the Islamic State.

In a letter, the UT System says Regent Wallace Hall shouldn't have "unfettered access" to confidential student information. The letter also argues that Hall didn't have the right to seek the attorney general's help in the request. 

After an unsuccessful attempt to include an exception for rape and incest, a measure to ban abortion coverage from health insurance plans cleared the Texas Senate on Wednesday.

A key early education bill backed by Gov. Greg Abbott setting up grants to encourage higher-quality pre-kindergarten programs has now cleared both chambers of the Legislature.