Texas Tribune Brief

When Gov. Greg Abbott let businesses start reopening, he pointed to two metrics as encouraging signs: the hospitalization rate and the infection rate, or the ratio of positive cases to tests conducted. Both of those metrics are on the rise in Texas.

State Rep. Tan Parker also said that he will file a bill in the upcoming legislative session to extend to-go alcohol sales past the coronavirus pandemic.

In the weekend edition of The Brief podcast, Fran Watson — a Houston attorney who is a lesbian and represents LGBTQ clients — explains how it feels to finally be protected in the workplace.

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President Donald Trump had tried to end the program, but the court ruled Thursday that the administration had not followed the proper procedure to do so.

A new ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court makes clear that firing an employee on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation is a violation of federal law. Now Texas lawmakers want to guarantee similar protections for LGBTQ Texans in housing, health care and other spheres.

The state reported Tuesday that the number of people hospitalized who are confirmed to have the coronavirus has reached a new peak of 2,518.

Texas has no laws on the books explicitly protecting people from workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, but the Supreme Court's ruling on Monday now gives federal protections.

Abbott cited the number of hospital beds available in the state as a reason.

While Howell says he’s pleased Austin police have vowed to stop using such tactics in crowds, he hopes his brother's story sparks real change. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast.

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Some of Texas' biggest cities appear headed in different directions with police budgets during nationwide calls to cut law enforcement funding.