Latest Texas Headlines

All the headlines from our Texas Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Texas Grape Growers Sue over Damage from Cotton Herbicide

Jun 21 2021 // Wine grape growers in Texas and surrounding states have filed a lawsuit against drug maker Bayer-Monsanto and chemical giant BASF for the damage their cotton herbicide has caused to vineyards.Attorneys for the grape...

Rise in Texas Workers’ Comp Claims in 2020 Ends 20-Year Downward Trend

Jun 21 2021 // Despite the economic slowdown resulting from the COVID-19 business closures, the total number of workers’ compensation claims reported to the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation rose in 2020 by 34% compared...

Texas Company to Pay $1M Fine in 2016 Louisiana Pipeline Accident

Jun 18 2021 // A Texas company pleaded guilty to a federal Clean Water Act violation and agreed to pay a $1 million fine for damaging a pipeline that leaked more than 5,000 gallons of oil in a Louisiana bay in 2016, the U.S....

Texas Tortilla Factory Fined $218K for Workplace Safety Violations

Jun 16 2021 // A San Marcos, Texas-based tortilla manufacturer has been cited for repeat and serious workplace safety violations, and faces penalties of more than $200,000, federal regulators say.The Occupational Safety and Health...

Vehicle Crashes into Guard Rail at Texas Racetrack, Injuring 8

Jun 15 2021 // Eight people were injured when a vehicle crashed through a guardrail and plowed into a crowd at a mud racing event in Texas.The crash happened at about 6:30 p.m. on June 13 at a racetrack in Fabens, Texas, about 40 miles...

Judge Dismisses Texas Hospital Workers’ Suit Challenging Covid Vaccine Mandate

Jun 13 2021 // A U.S. federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by 117 workers at a Texas hospital over its requirement that they be vaccinated against COVID-19.U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes upheld Houston Methodist...

Texas Healthcare Providers to Pay More than $1M in False Claims Case

Jun 11 2021 // Three separate Texas healthcare providers will pay a collective $1,056,340.50 to resolve liability under the False Claims Act for the alleged improper billing of electro-acupuncture devices, the U.S. Attorney’s...

Texas Grape Growers Sue over Damage from Cotton Herbicide

Jun 10 2021 // Wine grape growers in Texas and surrounding states have filed a lawsuit against drug maker Bayer-Monsanto and chemical giant BASF for the damage their cotton herbicide has caused to vineyards.Attorneys for the grape...

Waymo, J.B. Hunt to Test Self-Driving Trucks in Texas

Jun 10 2021 // U.S. truck fleet operator J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. and autonomous vehicle technology company Waymo will test human-supervised, self-driving trucks to deliver cargo between Houston and Fort Worth, Texas, expanding...

Uptick in Texas Workers’ Comp Claims Ends 20-Year Downward Trend

Jun 9 2021 // Despite the economic slowdown resulting from the COVID-19 business closures, the total number of workers’ compensation claims reported to the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation rose in 2020 by 34% compared...

Texas Gov. Signs Bill to Punish Businesses Requiring COVID Vaccination Proof

Jun 8 2021 // Texas businesses that require customers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 will be denied state contracts and could lose their licenses or operating permits under legislation Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into...

Texas Records $884.75M in Surplus Lines Premiums in May

Jun 7 2021 // The Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas (SLTX) recorded a record-breaking $884.75 million in surplus lines insurance premium for May, with a total of $3.63 billion year-to-date.This results in a 14.5% increase in...

People Moves: Brost Joins BSBD in Texas as EVP; Russell Named Oklahoma WCC Chairman, Liotta Resigning

Jun 7 2021 // Boyd, Shackelford, Barnett and Dixon (BSBD) based in Plano, Texas, has hired Matt Brost as executive vice president and Benefits Practice leader.Brost brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the employee benefits...

TAGA Partners with Main Street America on Texas Farm/Ranch Coverage

Jun 4 2021 // Cedar Park, Texas-based Tejas American General Agency (TAGA) has formed an exclusive partnership with Main Street America Insurance, a member of the American Family Insurance group, to distribute its farm and ranch...

Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires LDJ American Online Benefits Group in Texas

Jun 2 2021 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Addison, Texas-based LDJ American Online Benefits Group LLC (AOBG).Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2013, AOBG designs, markets and services supplemental...

People Moves: Upland Capital Adds Jones; Texas DWC Promotes Craddock ; GeoVera’s Garfield Joins HOAIC

Jun 2 2021 // Dallas-based Upland Capital Group, the excess and surplus (E&S) casualty, property, and specialty insurance provider that launched earlier this year, has hired Mark Jones to be its chief risk officer, chief actuary,...

Power Plant ‘Weatherization’ Bills Sent to Texas Governor

Jun 1 2021 // The Texas House and Senate on May 30 approved sweeping legislation to overhaul the state’s power grid following the disastrous and deadly winter storm in February that left more than 4.8 million homes and businesses...

Employees Sue Texas Hospital Network to Halt Vaccine Mandate

May 31 2021 // A group of 117 healthcare workers at a Texas hospital filed a lawsuit in state court against their employer’s mandate requiring all staff to get COVID-19 vaccinations, Washington Post reported on Saturday.Employees...

Experts Say Texas Is Missing Chance to Avert Deadly Blackouts

May 28 2021 // Elzie Ford lost power in his freezing home for nearly a week during February’s catastrophic blackouts in Texas. By the time the 68-year-old widower was found on the floor, his hands were purpled with frostbite. He...

Texas Asks Feds for $750M More in Harvey Relief Funds

May 28 2021 // Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush said he is requesting $750 million in federal funds to be sent directly to Harris County after the county and Houston were awarded $0 out of the $1 billion pot in the latest round of...