Here’s what’s coming up on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
New state laws take effect this week in Texas
Several major state laws take effect this week, bringing changes to public education, abortion medication and how lawmakers are penalized for quorum-breaking. The new bathroom bill also raises questions about how enforcement will work across public buildings statewide.
Blaise Gainey of the Texas Newsroom and Alex Nguyen of the Texas Tribune join Texas Standard to explain the changes.
States and landowners continue efforts to protect lesser prairie chickens
After years of shifting federal decisions on whether the lesser prairie chicken should be considered endangered or threatened, states and private landowners continue conservation work to protect the bird’s shrinking habitat.
Harvest Public Media’s Anna Pope reports on how efforts remain underway across the southern Great Plains.
W.F. Strong revisits the history behind Texas lore
Inspired by a new book, W.F. Strong shares reflections inspired by gunfighters of the Old West, exploring how stories passed down over generations blend myth and history.
Where Texas college teams stand as playoff decisions near
With the regular season over, Texas college football programs face a mix of expectations and surprises. The Longhorns fell short of preseason projections, while North Texas and other programs surged beyond early predictions.
Danny Davis, veteran sportswriter for the Austin American-Statesman, joins the Standard to break down postseason prospects and where Texas teams may land.
New memoir examines life of pioneering Texas war correspondent
A new book explores the remarkable life of Pat Lochridge Hartwell, a Texan who became one of the first women hired by CBS Radio and the only female journalist to cover both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II.
Terese Svoboda, author of “Hitler & My Mother-in-Law,” sits down with Texas Standard to discuss Hartwell’s stories and her legacy.
Hundreds of Texas voters flagged as noncitizens may have been eligible all along
County officials reviewing voter rolls say many Texans flagged as potential noncitizens had likely already proven their eligibility at DPS offices when they registered. The episode is raising concerns about data-sharing gaps and the accuracy of the state’s review process.
Natalia Contreras, who covers voting and elections for Votebeat in partnership with the Texas Tribune, joins the Standard.
