Your weekend is here, Texas, and it's time to take a look back at some of the stories that were in our headlines this week.

Your Weekend Weather

Expect a brief pause in our active weather scene today and tomorrow as rain chances plummet. Humidity levels stay above average though. By midweek the widespread rains return along with a flood threat for North Texas.

Take a look at your local weekend forecast: Austin | San Antonio | Dallas

Introducing Spectrum News+
Watch the latest news and more local stories from across the country.

---

The Week in Review

1. With the border quiet, Texas ponders spending another $6.5 billion on border security

As the Texas Legislature is figuring out the details of the state’s spending plan for the next two years, $6.5 billion for border security has sailed through both chambers. The number of arrests along the border has dropped significantly.

Some are questioning whether lawmakers should commit billions more to border security with illegal crossings decreasing and a federal immigration crackdown. If approved, the appropriation would increase the tab for the state’s border security spending to nearly $18 billion since 2021, more than five times the $3.4 billion that state lawmakers spent on border security over the 14 preceding years

2. Early Texas hospital data shows millions spent in care for non-U.S. citizens

Preliminary data shows that “tens of thousands” of patients who were not “lawfully” in the United States were treated by Texas hospitals in recent months and the cost for their care is in the millions of dollars, according to a state employee testifying before lawmakers late Monday. 

During a House Public Health Committee hearing on a bill that would formalize Abbott’s order into a regular annual report each year, a Texas Health and Human Services Commission executive answered lawmakers’ questions about what the agency has learned so far from the 558 Texas hospitals that have responded to Abbott’s order.

3. Texas Republicans refuse to honor Cecile Richards and others in ceremonial resolution

Texas House Resolution 236, introduced by state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, would honor Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood and daughter of the late former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, who died on Jan. 20.

House memorials are typically non-controversial as it is just a list of names read aloud and a gavel strike. But Thursday, Republicans successfully blocked the memoriam after debating if it was appropriate on Easter weekend “to honor people who have killed millions of unborn babies?” 

4. Bird flu detected in 4 mammal species in Texas Panhandle

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, has been found in several mammal species in the Texas panhandle, including foxes, raccoons, striped skunks and domestic cats, according to a press release from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

The infected mammals were found in Deaf Smith, Hansford, Lubbock, Ochiltree, Parmer and Randall counties. HPAI is a highly contagious zoonotic virus (meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans). It’s easily transmitted among wild and domestic birds.

5. Texas governor signs bill creating another DOGE-inspired effort at the state level

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill Wednesday creating an office inspired by the Department of Government Efficiency and aimed at reducing state regulations, joining other Republican governors who have pledged their own versions of billionaire Elon Musk's cost-cutting group. 

In establishing the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, Abbott welcomed cutting regulations and putting stricter standards on new ones. The law also states that courts are not required to comply with a state agency’s interpretation of its rules or regulations in legal challenges.

6. 1 in 5 Texas schools got a D or F rating under new performance standards

Texas public school ratings — which grade how well districts educate their students — drastically dropped after the state implemented stricter scoring standards, new data released Thursday shows.

The Thursday release of ratings for the 2022-23 school year marked the first time failing grades for districts have been made public in five years. The percentage of schools in the state that got an F rating increased from 4.5% in 2019 to 7.6% in 2023. Of the 8,539 public schools evaluated in the state, 19.3% received an A. Another 33.6% got a B, 24.7% a C, and 14.8% a D.

Around the Nation

1. Judge rules the Trump administration violated a 2019 settlement in deporting a man to El Salvador

U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher in Maryland ruled Wednesday that the government violated a 2019 settlement agreement when it deported the 20-year-old man, a Venezuelan native identified only as Cristian in court papers.

Gallagher cited another federal judge's order for the government to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had been living in Maryland and was accidentally deported to his native El Salvador on March 15, the same day as Cristian.

A Look Ahead  

Display of a Real ID in Wisconsin (File)

Real ID deadline is May 7. Here is what you should know

Starting on May 7, those seeking to use a driver's license to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities must ensure it is Real ID compliant.