The Texas Department of State Health Services warned Lone Star Residents this week to stay away from Ivermectin, a medicine often used to treat parasites in horses. Thanks to a pro-Trump telemedicine company, the drug has recently found fame as a self-medicated...
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignal.com
With few concessions to Democrats, Texas House advances voter suppression bill
Congregating at midnight much like vampires would, Texas House Republicans voted Monday to advance Senate Bill 1, a bill that threatens to reduce polling hours and make it more difficult to vote by mail. Republicans are pushing the legislation as a solution to...
Texas House GOP-led committee passes voter suppression bill
After several hours of public testimony on Monday, a Republican-led committee in the Texas House advanced Senate Bill 1, a GOP “election integrity” bill that would make it more difficult to access the ballot box. The bill passed the House Select Committee on...
Quorum restored in Texas House after string of surprise Dem defections
Enough members were present in Austin on Thursday evening for Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan to declare a quorum present. The return of quorum comes after a string of defections in recent days by Democrats who fled to Washington to prevent voter suppression...
Harris County begins offering $100 to residents who get vaccinated
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced Tuesday that residents would receive $100 if they get vaccinated at a Harris County Public Health site. Hidalgo said residents will receive the money “no strings attached” if they are unvaccinated. Residents can...
Briscoe Cain: hydrogen sulfide enjoyer, election bill writer
On Sunday, Harris County Pollution Control Services alerted residents they were investigating a hydrogen sulfide leak in La Porte. As emergency officials urged residents to shelter in place, Briscoe Cain, the Republican statehouse lawmaker representing much of the...
Republicans pass voter suppression bill after 15-hour filibuster
State Sen. Carol Alvarado concluded a lengthy 15-hour filibuster on the Texas Senate floor on Thursday morning, attempting to block Republicans from passing Senate Bill 1, the new special session’s voter suppression legislation. The Houston lawmaker’s filibuster began...
More school districts begin to ignore Gov. Greg Abbott’s mask ban
With the start of the school year drawing closer and COVID-19 once again surging in the state, more and more school districts are ignoring Gov. Greg Abbott’s prohibition on mask mandates. On Wednesday, Fort Worth ISD became the latest school district to defy the...
Texas Supreme Court gives Abbott green light to arrest Democrats
The Republican-controlled Texas Supreme Court tossed out a lower court ruling on Tuesday that prevented Democrats from being arrested by Gov. Greg Abbott. More than a dozen Texas House Democrats filed the lawsuit over the weekend as the second special session began....
Texas Supreme Court sides with Abbott on defunding legislature
On Monday, the Texas Supreme Court denied a petition filed by Texas Democrats that would have forced Gov. Greg Abbott to restore funding to the legislative branch. The governor vetoed funding for the legislative branch after Democrats first broke quorum during the...