New Laws, Pearland and Texans Preview: Monday’s Show (August 31, 2015)

Starting tomorrow (9/1/15), the majority of the laws passed during the state’s 84th legislative session will take effect. All this month, the Texas Tribune has reported how these new laws may change some Texans' lives. We discuss how on this edition of Houston Matters, as we welcome your questions for Texas Tribune Managing Editor Ayan Mittra.

Also this hour: Following the murder of a Harris County Deputy while he was filling up his patrol car at a suburban gas station Friday night, some law enforcement officials tied the murder to national rhetoric about police violence, noting a growing disconnect and mistrust of police by the community at large. We’ve discussed this divide, and efforts to bridge it, over the last year. We listen back to one of those conversations, with criminologist Dr. Everette Penn. He's director of Houston’s Teen and Police Service, or "TAPS" Academy, which connects at-risk teens with police officers to form positive relationships.

Then: We take a Houston Matters field trip to the city of Pearland, for the latest installment in our “Neighborhoods” series. Edel Howlin talks with some longtime Pearland residents about how their community has changed over the years.

Plus: The Houston Texans‘ 2015 season kicks off a week from Sunday. We preview the upcoming season with Houston Chronicle sports columnist Jerome Solomon.