The county will invest in planting trees, adding streetlights and sidewalks, and cleaning up vacant lots in a program designed to reduce the dramatic rise in violent crime.
Calling election audits a “political trick,” the resolution instructs the county attorney to do everything possible to contest the Texas Secretary of State’s audit of the 2020 election.
Harris County Deputies’ Organization officials and lawyers describe dismal conditions in an out-of-control jail with alleged rampant drug use and frequent assaults against both staff and inmates.
Calling Harris County’s bail system “broken,” Abbott signed a new bail reform law in Houston and criticized progressive judges for releasing violent suspects.
Although the county has already paid $539,000, a firestorm of controversy over a contract awarded to a well-connected Democrat has prompted county Judge Hidalgo to agree to seek cancellation.
Newly released documents show a $7 million bid was scored more highly, but Hidalgo’s office intervened to instead give nearly $11 million to a politically connected firm at a higher cost.
A new report from District Attorney Kim Ogg says that bail reform has led to declining community safety and disintegration of the purpose of bail reform.
Mayor Turner promised more officers, but Harris County has moved funds away from constables while funding interventions managed by the public health department.
Abbott called the regular appeal process too slow to address Harris County's mask mandates. The Supreme Court of Texas was unconvinced.
Only representatives from county Judge Lina Hidalgo’s office and the county’s public health department were allowed to participate in vendor selection.
Although Abbott's orders restrict local mask mandates, Houston Mayor Turner announced a face-covering requirement for city employees regardless of vaccination status.
Decrying other proposals as “splashy headlines,” Hidalgo and Garcia sought a 6-month expansion of criminal courts but passed a resolution condemning a legislative fix to felony bond policy.
Despite demand for more time to review a plan only unveiled last week, Hidalgo and Democratic commissioners pushed through a vote to approve a substantial restructuring of county government.
Community leaders and elected officials are sounding the alarm on a proposal from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo to realign county government under an appointed administrator.
After the Federal Highway Administration heeded Democrat calls to shut down the I-45 expansion project, Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey condemned the decision as one that would hurt underserved communities.
Recently approved policy says Harris County employees must continue to wear masks unless they qualify for certain exemptions that include obtaining a “visible identifier” showing they are fully vaccinated.
After maintaining Harris County at the highest threat level for 47 weeks, Judge Lina Hidalgo announced a revision to the alert system allowing for a reduced COVID-19 rating.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner condemned a business coalition's “silence” on election legislation and canceled participation in upcoming events.
Reforms authored by Sen. Bettencourt would explicitly exclude epidemics from local emergency management, and reduce violations from criminal to civil penalties.
A resolution from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo opposes bans on sex-change procedures for children and efforts to prevent biological males from competing in girls’ sports.
