Skip to main content

MySA Homepage

Austin Bureau Intern

Sami Sparber

Sami Sparber is a reporting intern at the Houston Chronicle's Austin Bureau. She is a junior at The University of Texas at Austin studying journalism and government. Sami is the news editor at The Daily Texan, and previously reported on politics for the student-run campus newspaper.

Stories By Sami Sparber

Texans can carry handguns without a license or training this fall

Texans can carry handguns without a license or training starting Sept. 1, after Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday signed the permitless carry bill into law. SAMI SPARBER, The Texas Tribune

Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other Republicans who were initially noncommittal about the bill were under immense political pressure this session from conservatives and gun rights advocates, who have long lobbied the Texas Legislature for... SAMI SPARBER

House Bill 1927 would nix the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun. Sami Sparber

Alcohol to-go is now official in Texas

House Bill 1024 allows beer, wine and mixed drinks to be included in pickup and delivery food orders, securing a revenue stream made available to restaurants during the pandemic when their dining areas were forced to close. Sami Sparber

Permitless carry in Texas nearly law, after Senate OKs bill

House Bill 1927 would nix the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a gun. Sami Sparber and Shawn Mulcahy

This bill would allow Texans to buy alcohol from restaurants

House Bill 1024 would allow beer, wine and mixed drinks to be included in pickup and delivery food orders, securing a revenue stream made available to restaurants in the last year during the pandemic. SAMI SPARBER

The lower chamber gave initial approval Monday to a series of bill responding to this year’s catastrophic power outages during a deadly winter storm. Sami Sparber

Why Texas Republicans defying federal gun rules is symbolic

The push to steel Texas against new federal rules comes as gun violence nationwide — including a recent shooting in Bryan — has sparked Democrats to call for an assault weapons ban and stronger background checks, among other changes. Sami Sparber

Texas Republicans are eager to push for 'constitutional carry'

The momentum follows a shake-up in House leadership and comes as the practice is gaining traction in statehouses across the country. Meanwhile, gun control advocates are sounding the alarm about making it easier to carry guns after recent mass... Sami Sparber

Texas GOP leaders double down on protecting gun owners

Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday there is an even greater urgency this legislative session to pass laws expanding gun rights because of Joe Biden’s presidency. SAMI SPARBER AND REESE OXNER

As TX expands COVID vaccination eligibility, disparities persist

In January, advocates for communities of color worried they would have more trouble accessing vaccines than white Texans, given that the state’s distribution centers are more common in white, affluent neighborhoods. MARISSA MARTINEZ AND SAMI SPARBER

Lawmaker pushes to allow concealed weapons in TX public schools

One Texas Republican is pushing hard for concealed carry in public schools. Sami Sparber

Supreme Court voids rules that upheld Texas abortion ban

The high court vacated two rulings from the lower U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that sided with Texas GOP officials arguing that Gov. Greg Abbott’s March 2020 executive order prohibited abortion under all but a few narrow circumstances in an... BY SAMI SPARBER

U.S. Supreme Court voided rules that upheld Texas' abortion ban

The high court vacated two rulings from the lower U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that sided with Texas GOP officials arguing that Gov. Greg Abbott’s March 2020 executive order prohibited abortion under all but a few narrow circumstances in an... BY SAMI SPARBER

Paxton didn't sign letters condemning Capitol insurrection

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is the only state attorney general in the United States who did not sign on to one of two letters sent this week condemning the Capitol insurrection. SAMI SPARBER, The Texas Tribune

Bill to raise smoking age to 21 in Texas gets its first hearing

Senate Bill 21, which would raise the smoking age in Texas, is one of the top priorities of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. By Sami Sparber

Educators call on lawmakers to “do better” when it comes to teacher pay raises

Thousands of school employees, students, parents and community members from across the state - including 275 from San Antonio and 350 from Houston - descended on the state Capitol on Monday, demanding that the House and Senate work out their... By Sami Sparber

At SXSW, Sen. Amy Klobuchar pitches new tax for Big Tech profits on consumer data

2020 Democratic presidential contender seeks way to tax tech companies ‘When they use us, and we’re their commodity and we’re not getting anything out of it.’ By Sami Sparber

At Texas Capitol, Matthew McConaughey and Gov. Abbott praise hometown football squad

Matthew McConaughey stopped by the Texas Capitol on Wednesday to congratulate his former high school’s football team on its recent state championship. By Sami Sparber

Two dozen groups call for Medicaid expansion in Texas, which leads nation in uninsured

Bills in the Legislature call for putting the matter on the ballot, as a poll shows 64 percent of Texans support expanding the health care program for the poor. By Sami Sparber