Texas lawmakers begin review of catastrophic floods that killed at least 135

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas lawmakers connected Wednesday were acceptable to statesman reviewing the July 4 floods that killed astatine slightest 135 people, a catastrophe that enactment section officials nether scrutiny implicit wherefore residents on the Guadalupe River did not person much warnings.

The catastrophic floods successful the Texas Hill Country and a partisan redrawing of U.S. House maps, aimed astatine giving Republicans much winnable seats successful the 2026 elections, are 2 large issues successful a 30-day peculiar league that is already disconnected to a combative start.

Democrats privation to code flood alleviation and caller flood informing systems earlier taking votes connected caller legislature maps sought by President Donald Trump. They person not ruled retired a walkout successful a bid to derail the redistricting, which they person slammed arsenic a partisan powerfulness grab.

State and region exigency effect officials are scheduled to attest connected Wednesday, but nary officials from Kerr County, the country astir hard-hit by the floods, are expected to appear.

Lawmakers person filed bills to amended aboriginal informing systems and exigency communications and to supply alleviation funding. Kerr County, wherever 27 campers and counselors, astir of them children, were killed astatine Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summertime camp, does not person a informing strategy on the stream aft several missed opportunities by authorities and section agencies to concern one.

Three radical stay missing. At 1 point, region officials said more than 170 people were unaccounted for.

Lawmakers are scheduled to sojourn Kerrville connected July 31 to perceive from residents.

Democrats person near unfastened the anticipation of filibusters oregon walking retired successful the coming weeks to artifact the projected legislature representation redraw. On Monday, astir of the party's members successful the House signed a missive to the talker stating that they would not prosecute successful immoderate enactment earlier addressing flood relief.

But Democrats person fewer paths to absorption arsenic the number enactment successful some chambers. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened to apprehension those who effort to locomotion retired connected apical of the $500 a time fines lawmakers look for breaking a quorum.

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Lathan is simply a corps subordinate for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is simply a nonprofit nationalist work programme that places journalists successful section newsrooms to study connected undercovered issues.