Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
Counting down the biggest political stories of 2025
How did the past year has tee up Texas politics for what already promises to be a very consequential mid-term election year? But before we go there, we need to get a sense of where we’ve been.
Blaise Gainey, political reporter for The Texas Newsroom, and Andrew Schneider, who covers politics for Houston Public Media, joins us for a recap of the year that was.
Texas tackles Gulf shrimp labeling with new law
The more than 830 new Texas laws on the books touch on everything from education to healthcare to … shrimp. Senate Bill 823 requires food service suppliers and wholesalers to indicate whether shrimp is farm-raised. The hope is that it’ll give consumers confidence that the “Gulf” or “Texas” shrimp they’re about to eat is the real deal – and that the change will, in turn, help the struggling Texas Gulf shrimp industry.
The Texas Newsroom’s Ana Campbell reports.
Educators face new risks under law on inappropriate material
When some 835 new Texas laws went into effect Sept. 1, one removed a legal defense for teachers, librarians and even doctors accused of giving minors access to inappropriate material. The change marks a sharp turn in a debate that’s flared for years at the Capitol and beyond.
Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch reports.
Air travel grows, but ABIA’s controller shortage creates delays
Austin’s airport has expanded rapidly – but its air traffic controller staff hasn’t kept pace.
KUT’s Nathan Bernier reports on how that imbalance is creating ground delays and late arrivals.
Digging into the Drill Down’s biggest investigations
In 2025, the Standard, and our listeners, benefited from the extraordinary work of investigative reporters at our partner stations across Texas. These intrepid journalists have uncovered hidden facts about how government actually works, relationships between politicians and powerful business interests, and much more. And we learn about it all right here, in our monthly series, The Drill Down.
Lauren McGaughy leads these efforts. She’s the Texas Newsroom’s investigative editor and reporter. She joins us with a look back at some of the work covered this year, as well as a preview of projects to come.
What will be the biggest Texas politics story of 2026?
What is 2026 likely to shape up to be for Texas politics? From property taxes and border security to schools and energy – perennial issues often find their ways into the mix. But what is poised to dominate the Texas political conversation in 2026?
Blaise Gainey, political reporter for The Texas Newsroom, and Andrew Schneider, who covers politics for Houston Public Media, return to close out the show with a look into the crystal ball of 2026.
