House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Texas Governor Greg Abbott of deliberately delaying a special election in Houston's 18th Congressional District to benefit Republicans. Political science professor Mark P. Jones notes that Abbott’s delay could provide legislative advantages to Republicans and pointed out that while delaying until November would hurt Democrats, it would be legally permissible for Abbott.
The 2023 Beckley Wilson Act was a landmark moment, requiring public schools to screen Texas students for dyslexia and provide comprehensive special education plans for those students. However, funds weren't allocated for its implementation, burdening local school districts. With strong public support for funding -- over 90% of Texans favor state assistances -- Mark P. Jones and co-author Michael O. Adams urge lawmakers to allocate funds for these essential services in the state budget in this opinion column.
“He’s already achieved what he wants to achieve,” Jones said of the attorney general. “His goal is to gain the publicity for going after Annunciation House and also putting pressure on it and other nonprofits to be more cautious.”
“This sends a clear message to Democratic elected officials that if you break with the party on key issues, ... you really run the risk of getting primaried and removed from office,” Jones said. “It’s the same type of purge and litmus test we’ve seen in the Republican Party recently.”
The "Building Better Elections" forum co-hosted by the Carter Center and the Baker Institute on May 17 kicked off with an informative panel discussion about security and innovation in election administration moderated by Mark P. Jones.