House Democrats, LGBTQ Caucus kill ‘Save Chick-fil-A’ bill

News and updates from Austin's news in your inbox Email not displaying correctly? [View Online]( [Statesman]( MORNING HEADLINES Start your day with a fresh roundup of news, features and commentary. Friday's Top Story [House Democrats, LGBTQ Caucus kill Save Chick-fil-A bill]( [House Democrats, LGBTQ Caucus kill ‘Save Chick-fil-A’ bill]( In a setback for religious conservatives, Texas House Democrats succeeded Thursday in killing a "religious liberty" bill that was motivated by a recent decision by San Antonio political leaders to reject Chick-fil-A as an airport vendor, citing the company's "legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior." [Read More »]( Local News [Texas House OKs death penalty ban for severely mentally ill]( [Texas House OKs death penalty ban for severely mentally ill]( Thirteen Republicans joined Democrats in the Texas House to pass a bill 77-66 Thursday that would make defendants that juries say have a severe mental illness ineligible for the death penalty. [Read More »]( [Austin throws support behind Green New Deal]( [Austin throws support behind Green New Deal]( The Austin City Council on Thursday formally backed a national "Green New Deal" - a concept from freshman U.S. Rep. [Read More »]( [Texas House flirts with eliminating biggest chunk of Texans property tax in 2022]( [Texas House flirts with eliminating biggest chunk of Texans’ property tax in 2022]( The Texas House late Wednesday voted in support of a bill that would eliminate the school maintenance and operation property tax, the biggest portion of Texans' property tax bills, starting in January 2022. [Read More »]( [Facing suspension, Texas Cowboys get more time to respond to hazing charge]( [Facing suspension, Texas Cowboys get more time to respond to hazing charge]( The University of Texas has extended to June 7 the deadline for the Texas Cowboys spirit group to respond to the school's findings in March that extensive hazing at an off-campus retreat warrants a six-year suspension. [Read More »]( [Texas House punts bill to raise ballot bar for third parties]( [Texas House punts bill to raise ballot bar for third parties]( A bill that would raise the bar for third party candidates to be eligible for placement on election ballots appeared to lack support as lawmakers debated it Wednesday night, prompting the Republican bill author to postpone the measure to next year, killing it. [Read More »]( Business [Dallas Fed: Texas economy bounced back in 1st quarter]( [Dallas Fed: Texas economy bounced back in 1st quarter]( After slumping to end 2018, the Texas economy bounced back nicely in the first quarter, showing progress in job growth, exports and home sales, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. [Read More »]( [Austin s Upland Software expects to raise $138M with stock offering]( [Austin’s Upland Software expects to raise $138M with stock offering]( Austin-based Upland Software expects to raise $138.6 million with a secondary stock offering, the company said in a news release. [Read More »]( [E-learning platform Kahoot buys math startup DragonBox]( [E-learning platform Kahoot buys math startup DragonBox]( Kahoot, a Norwegian e-leaning company whose U.S. headquarters are in Austin, said Thursday it has acquired DragonBox, a startup that builds math apps. [Read More »]( [ERCOT: Summer demand will strain state s power grid]( [ERCOT: Summer demand will strain state’s power grid]( On various triple-digit-temperature days this summer, it might be a good idea to turn up your air conditioner by a few degrees, switch off excess lighting and take other voluntary measures to cut back on electricity usage. [Read More »]( Sports [Golden: Choke City returns if Rockets lose to Durant-less Warriors]( [Golden: Choke City returns if Rockets lose to Durant-less Warriors]( Houston, you will have a real problem if you lose this series. [Read More »]( [Bohls: Harrington, Bobcats are practicing what they preach]( [Bohls: Harrington, Bobcats are practicing what they preach]( The Texas State baseball team was coming off a grueling weekend at the end of April and had just swept an important three-game series at Louisiana-Lafayette before dropping a close game against rival UT-San Antonio to complete the trip. [Read More »]( [Tucker s homer leads Round Rock to 8-6 win over Omaha]( [Tucker’s homer leads Round Rock to 8-6 win over Omaha]( Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, leading the Round Rock Express to an 8-6 win over the Omaha Storm Chasers on Thursday in Papillion, Neb. [Read More »]( [UIL state track and field meet: 10 athletes to watch]( [UIL state track and field meet: 10 athletes to watch]( Matthew Boling, senior, Houston Strake Jesuit: A Georgia track signee, the young phenom ran a wind-aided 100 meters in 9.98 seconds at a Class 6A regional meet, the fastest all-conditions mark a high school sprinter has ever recorded at the distance. [Read More »]( [Up, up and away! Taylor pole vaulter seeks fourth gold medal at state track meet]( [Up, up and away! Taylor pole vaulter seeks fourth gold medal at state track meet]( One of the state’s most successful pole vaulters admits she has a natural fear of heights. [Read More »]( Opinion [Editorial: Opportunity to fix Texas marijuana laws is going up in smoke]( [Editorial: Opportunity to fix Texas’ marijuana laws is going up in smoke]( Texas doesn’t have much to show for its tough laws on pot, apart from thousands of lives put into upheaval and billions of taxpayer dollars down the drain. [Read More »]( Nation [Suspects in Colorado school shooting due back in court]( [Suspects in Colorado school shooting due back in court]( DENVER (AP) " Both suspects in a suburban Denver school shooting are due back in court Friday as prosecutors file charges in the attack that killed a student and wounded eight others. [Read More »]( [Farrakhan says he doesn t hate Jewish people]( [Farrakhan says he doesn’t hate Jewish people]( CHICAGO (AP) " Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan said Thursday that despite assertions by Facebook when it banned him from its platform, he is not a hater of Jewish people, is not a misogynist, nor a homophobe. [Read More »]( [Burned before, US pushes for way to enforce China trade deal]( [Burned before, US pushes for way to enforce China trade deal]( WASHINGTON (AP) " In trying to hammer out a trade agreement with China, the Trump administration may be drawing inspiration from classic rock, specifically The Who's anthem "Won't Get Fooled Again. [Read More »]( World [Butina saw US political analysis as valuable to Russia]( [Butina saw US political analysis as ‘valuable’ to Russia]( WASHINGTON (AP) " A Russian gun rights activist who admitted she was a secret agent for the Kremlin and tried to infiltrate conservative U.S. political groups while Donald Trump rose to power says she believed her notes and analysis would be "valuable" for Russian officials. [Read More »]( [SKorean military: NKorea s latest launches were missiles]( [SKorean military: NKorea’s latest launches were missiles]( SEOUL, South Korea (AP) " A South Korean military official says the two projectiles North Korea flew across its country toward the sea on Thursday were evaluated as short-range missiles. [Read More »]( [US seizes North Korean ship amid tense moment in relations]( [US seizes North Korean ship amid tense moment in relations]( WASHINGTON (AP) " The U.S. said Thursday that it has seized a North Korean cargo ship that was used to violate international sanctions, a first-of-its kind enforcement action that comes amid a tense moment in relations between the two countries. [Read More »]( [Pope mandates reporting of sex abuse to church, not police]( [Pope mandates reporting of sex abuse to church, not police]( VATICAN CITY (AP) " Pope Francis issued a groundbreaking new church law Thursday requiring all Catholic priests and nuns around the world to report clergy sexual abuse and cover-ups by their superiors to church authorities, in a new effort to hold the Catholic hierarchy accountable for failing to protect their flocks. [Read More »]( [Brazil ex-President Temer back in custody on graft charges]( [Brazil ex-President Temer back in custody on graft charges]( RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) " Brazil's former President Michel Temer was arrested for a second time on corruption charges Thursday, a sign that the former back-room dealmaker may be running out of moves in the face of a sprawling probe that has roiled Latin America's largest nation. [Read More »]( Austin360 [DJ Southpaw, Austin hip-hop pioneer who coined the term ATX, dies]( [DJ Southpaw, Austin hip-hop pioneer who coined the term ATX, dies]( Steven Galindo, better known to Austin hip-hop and R&B fans as DJ Southpaw, has died. Galindo had been struggling with health problems for some time and was on the wait list for a heart and kidney transplant. He was 47. [Read More »]( [How can you see the Bullock Museum and other museums for free this summer?]( [How can you see the Bullock Museum and other museums for free this summer?]( This summer, families who of active duty military personnel will be able to go to the Bullock Texas State History Museum for free. [Read More »]( [ The pros mix with the Joes : Why Central Texas cyclists like gravel grinding]( [‘The pros mix with the Joes’: Why Central Texas cyclists like gravel grinding]( Back in April, a crowd of eager bicyclists tapped their toes as patiently as they could while waiting for a line of rain-spewing, charcoal-colored clouds to pass over a small Texas town.A hundred or so of them packed into a metal barn, where organizers of the Castell Gravel Grind had set up race headquarters. [Read More »]( [Manage Account]( | [Contact Us](mailto:customercare@statesman.com) | [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Newsletters]( We have an app for whatever you want - news, weather, entertainment and more. Statesman Live: [iPhone®]( [Android]( Statesman Weather: [iPhone®]( [Android]( Austin360: [iPhone®]( [Android]( Statesman does not participate in unsolicited email. 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