Free college for seniors at 31 schools, tax code revamp, abortion ban on trial: Your Friday morning news roundup

November 03,  2017 By Tara Bryant Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines as we start the day. 🌞 Weather: [Mostly sunny and a bit cooler](. High: 79 degrees. 🔎 Prefer the online view? [It's here.]( House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, touted a sweeping tax overhaul plan unveiled Thursday as long-overdue relief. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press) Washington House GOP unveils sweeping tax revamp, pitching rate cuts for businesses and most individuals House Republicans on Thursday unveiled [a sweeping plan to overhaul the nation's tax system]( for the first time in decades, pitching tax cuts for businesses and many middle-income families in exchange for the elimination of longstanding tax breaks. The GOP — following the lead of Texas Rep. Kevin Brady — touted the $1.5 trillion legislation as long-overdue relief. And though the 429-page bill provides the most dramatic boost to the corporate world, top Republicans sold the proposal as a boon to average Americans. "It's tax cuts. It's tax reform, and we added the word 'jobs' because it's jobs," said President Donald Trump, explaining the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act." Now the hard part begins, as Washington whips into a frenzy over the GOP's plans to deliver the tax bill by the end of the year. Texas politics: Is Donald Trump [the reason two powerful Texas lawmakers are retiring](? 2016 presidential election: Before she was her party’s nominee, [Hillary Clinton was given control over Democrats](, ex-party chair Donna Brazile says. SPECIAL OFFER [special offer unlimited digital access]( Dr. Bhavik Kumar listens to a question from a patient considering abortion during her ultrasound at the Whole Woman's Health clinic in Fort Worth. (2016 File Photo/The Associated Press) abortion ban lawsuit Women's health groups go to trial over Texas' controversial ban on common abortion procedure A lawyer from the attorney general’s office brandished two types of forceps to make a point Thursday during the trial over [Texas’ latest law to restrict second-trimester abortions](. Whole Woman’s Health and other abortion rights groups sued in July over the law, which could prevent abortion providers from performing the most common type of second-trimester abortion. Senate Bill 8, which was supposed to take effect Sept. 1 but has a temporary restraining order in effect until Nov. 22, would ban “dismemberment" abortions. The phrase is not a medical term, but medical professionals worry the description could include “dilation and evacuation” abortions, which are widely considered safe. During the procedure, forceps and other instruments are used to remove a fetus from the womb. Previously: What are the [“dilation and evacuation” abortions]( that could be banned under Texas' new law? Yesterday: A House subcommittee debated a bill Wednesday [that would ban nearly all abortions nationwide](, a measure backed by 22 Texas Republicans. Lead counselor Al Marks (left) talks with Grand Prairie High School student William Jenkins, 17, during his Senior Chat in Grand Prairie on Oct. 27. (Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer) education Students at 31 schools can go to college for free under new Dallas County Promise Every senior at 31 area high schools [can go to community college for free next year]( under a new program called the Dallas County Promise. That’s more than 9,000 students eligible for free tuition regardless of grades or income level. The new initiative will pay for an associate’s degree or up to three years at a Dallas County Community College District campus. Students can then continue on tuition-free at UNT-Dallas or seek scholarships set aside for some of them at Southern Methodist University. And: Dallas ISD trustees told the superintendent to [slow down on a massive plan]( that includes three DISD campus closings and converting at least 13 campuses into charter schools. Also: Houston ISD, the state's largest school district with 215,000 students, [will be closed Friday](, allowing students and staff to revel in the Houston Astros’ World Series title.  Advertisement (Smiley N. Pool/Staff Photographer) Photo of the Morning The moon rises behind members of the Sachse band as they play during the first half of a District 11-6A high school football game against Naaman Forest at Williams Stadium on Thursday in Garland. [Check scores for Thursday’s games]( and [SportsDayHS.com]( tonight for live scores during Friday night high school football. Around The Site - Editorial: Hurricane-hit schools are having [to crowdfund replacement textbooks](, and Austin could be helping. - Dallas Mavericks: With one win and no identity, is the Mavs' season already over? [Mark Cuban explains why it's not](. - Crime: A former Dallas business consultant [received probation for a bribery charge]( in the John Wiley Price corruption case. - Collin County: A [$120 million mixed-use project]( will bring new restaurants and retail to McKinney's booming Craig Ranch development. Finally... Metro columnist Jacquielynn Floyd has chronicled her husband’s medical emergencies and recovery processes during the past few years. Mike Hashimoto, a former columnist at The News, is facing a new obstacle this month: My husband's most recent meal was unremarkable: a microwave-nuked salisbury steak with gluey gravy; a little macaroni and cheese; a glass of instant iced tea. That was his lunch on Tuesday, Oct. 3. If he'd known it was the last thing he would eat or drink for more than a month, he would have chosen something he liked better — fried catfish or sushi or smoked ribs and a Guinness draught almost too cold to hold. By suppertime that day, Mike was in the hospital — again — with emergency complications from a surgery the previous week. [The remedy: "NPO,](" which is brisk doctor-talk for "nil per os," which means "nothing by mouth." AdVERTISEMENT 👋 That's all for this morning! For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out [DallasNews.com](. 💖 Share the love! If you like this newsletter, please forward this email to a friend and [check out our other newsletters here](. 📧 Do you have feedback? Send your thoughts, questions, praise and corrections to [newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com](mailto:newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com?subject=). STAY CONNECTED WITH US  [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [Tumblr]( [Google]( [Reddit](  [OTHER NEWSLETTERS]( [SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS]( [Unsubscribe](  |  [Manage Preferences](  |  [Privacy Policy](  |  [Contact](  |  [Advertise]( You received this message because you signed up for this Dallas Morning News newsletter or it was forwarded to you. Copyright 2017 - [The Dallas Morning News]( | [508 Young St., Dallas, TX 75202](#)