Texas House, Senate Bills Would "Rein in" DAs

[#TexasPolitics365]

In what is an emerging theme at the Texas Capitol, key Republican leaders and lawmakers say they want to "rein-in" district attorneys in Texas who disregard state law.

State Representative David Cook, R-Mansfield, filed a bill in the House, HB 1350, and State Senator Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, filed an identical bill in the Senate.

Cook said, "This is a very straight forward bill."

(Full story HERE
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Texas House Bill Would Penalize Venues That Host Kiddie Drag Shows

[#TexasPolitics365]

When is a man wearing a dress inherently sexual, and when is it frivolous fun? If you ask Rep. Nate Schatzline, R-Fort Worth, about the time he wore a dress for a school theater project, it was just a joke. But when it comes to other men performing in dresses in bars, that’s sexual.

At least according to a law he’s proposing that would classify places that host drag shows as “sexually oriented businesses,” which comes with additional taxes and licensing restrictions.

House Bill 1266 was assigned to the House State Affairs Committee on Friday, two days after a video of Schatzline wearing a dress surfaced. The video shows the lawmaker frolicking in a black dress along with classmates during his school days.

(Full story HERE.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Texas Senate Passes Murder Charges For Fentanyl Dealers

[#TexasPolitics365]

The Texas Senate passed a "Combating Fentanyl" bill Wednesday that would open the door for state prosecutors to charge fentanyl distributors with murder.

Senate Bill 645, introduced by Sen. Joan Huffman, a Republican representing the Houston area, would change the classification of drug overdoses to "poisonings," according to the Texas Tribune.

(Full story HERE.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

State senator Wants Illegal Voting To Be A Felony

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

An East Texas state senator wants to make illegal voting a felony, as it was for years before an amendment was made to legislation passed last session. Senate Bill 2, filed by Republican Bryan Hughes of Mineola, would also change the standard related to intent.

“The punishment should fit the crime,” Hughes said. “Voting illegally is a big deal in Texas, and the law should reflect that.”

Before Hughes’ sweeping election law was passed last session, an amendment was made by another lawmaker lowering the penalty for illegal voting to a misdemeanor.

(Full story HERE
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Bill Would Make Murder Trials A Priority

[#TexasPolitics365]

Proposed legislation could require Texas courts to prioritize murder and capital murder trials, even as the Harris County criminal justice system continues to recover from its crippling backlog of felony cases.

The state senate bill would thrust the county’s most violent cases to the front of the line — alongside those involving domestic violence, child abuse and jailed defendants, which state law already requires trial courts to prioritize. The legislation does not specify how cases should receive preferential treatment other than to instruct judges to “regularly and frequently set hearings.”

Gov. Greg Abbott says he supports the legislation.

(Full story HERE.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Biden's DOJ investigating Abbott's Operation Lone Star

[#TexasPolitics365]

Gov. Greg Abbott's Operation Lone Star border initiative is reportedly under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) for alleged civil rights violations, reports liberal news site Newsweek.

The investigation was first reported by The Texas Tribune and the nonprofit news organization ProPublica, which said that they had obtained state records.

(Full story HERE.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Texas Supreme Court Allows Trans Child Abuse Investigations To Resume

[#TexasPolitics365]

The Texas Supreme Court has allowed the state to resume investigations into parents of transgender youth for child abuse while also ruling in favor of one family that was among the first contacted by child welfare officials following an order by Gov. Greg Abbott.

(Full story HERE.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Sen. Cruz Hails Draft SCOTUS Decision On Roe v. Wade; Condemns Leak

[#TexasPolitics365]

Texas Senator Ted Cruz is among many republican elected officials who are hailing the leaked draft decision of the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.  

“I think the right outcome is to overturn Roe versus Wade. Roe vs. Wade was wrong the day it was decided. It was seven unelected lawyers who declared to the American people that the voters no longer have the right to make decisions about abortion," Cruz told CNN's John Harwood.

But Cruz took to Twitter Tuesday to condemn the leak of the majority decision, which is subject to change before being made public. 

"The decision of an immoral and unethical individual to leak the Court's confidential working documents is the predictable consequence of a multi-year effort by Senate Democrats to politicize and undermine the Court." Said Cruz. "I hope whoever is responsible for the leaked draft opinion is fired, prosecuted, and has to serve real jail time."

It is exceedingly rare in modern times for a draft decision of the court to be lead to before it is made, officially.

Texas passed the heartbeat bill in 2021 which effectively bans abortions in Texas, and would act as a trigger for further restrictions if Roe is actually overturned.

It has not been successfully challenged in the courts since it was passed.

--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

West Won't Be Charged In Airport Mask Altercation

[#TexasPolitics365]

Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen West will not be prosecuted over a face mask-related altercation at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, an official said. 

A Grapevine Municipal Court administrator said Monday that West would not be charged in connection to a confrontation with a man who called him out for being unmasked last year, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Any altercation over not wearing a mask can only help West with Republican voters, who have been hostile to mask mandates and public mask-wearing in general, and especially hostile to those who attempt to shame those who don't choose to wear masks.

(Full story HERE.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

AG Paxton Ordered By Dem. DA To Hand Over Jan. 6-Related Emails, Texts

[#TexasPolitics365]

The Travis County district attorney's office in Austin informed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) on Thursday that he had violated the state's open record laws by refusing to release any of his communications from around last Jan. 6, when Paxton was in Washington, D.C., and appeared at the rally that preceded the Capitol siege. 

Democrat District Attorney José Garza gave Paxton four days to "cure this violation" by turning over the documents or face a lawsuit. 

(Full story HERE.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Federal Judge Blocks Social Media Censorship Law

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

A Federal judge in Austin Wednesday blocked Texas' social media censorship law, which prohibits large social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter from censoring users "based on their political viewpoints." The law, known as House Bill 20, was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 9 and was set to take effect Thursday.

However, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, an appointee of Pres. Barack Obama, wrote in his ruling that the measure interferes with platforms' First Amendment right to moderate content disseminated on their platforms.

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Texas Sues Biden Admin., Says Federal Worker Vax Mandate Is Unconstitutional

[#TexasPolitics365]

Attorney General Ken Paxton, on behalf of the state, sued the Biden administration on Friday over its coronavirus vaccine mandate for federal contractors.

The federal requirement, which is set to take effect Dec. 8, calls on all federal workers and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Texas lawsuit comes after similar suits filed by Florida and Georgia, along with several other states.

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Judge Denies Restraining Order Against Health Dept. Over Delta-8 Cannabis "Illegal" Label

[#TexasPolitics365]

A Texas judge has rules against a company that sells delta-8 and CBD products that had filed a temporary restraining order against state health officials, alleging that they did not ‘follow the proper procedures’ to claim on their website that delta-8 is illegal.

Court documents show that the judge denied the order from Hometown Hero, an Austin-based company that sells delta-8 and CBD products, because “the plaintiff has not met requirements of a temporary restraining order.” 

The health department responded to the emergency order by stating there was no emergency.

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Judge Blocks Round Rock ISD Mask Mandate

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

State District Judge Rick Kennon has temporarily blocked the Round Rock school district from enforcing its mask mandate.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who sued the school district along with several others, declared "Another WIN!" in his legal fight against school districts that have defied Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order banning schools from requiring masks.

"The Court finds that the State of Texas is thus likely to prevail on the merits and that a temporary restraining order is required to preserve the status quo and to prevent the irreparable harm of the continued violation of state law absent injunctive relief," Kennon's Tuesday order said.

A hearing on whether to extend the order will take place at 9 a.m. Sept. 28.

Round Rock ISD officials respond

Round Rock school district leaders said they would "comply with any lawfully issued court order."

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Bill Banning Classroom Mask Mandates Gets First Hearing Today

[#TexasPolitics365]

The Texas House of Representatives will hold a hearing before the House Public Education Committee today on a bill that would prevent local school districts or any other government body from imposing mask mandates on children in classrooms.

HB 141, authored by Republican Rep. Jeff Leach of Plano, states that, "Notwithstanding any other law, a student in any grade level from kindergarten through grade 12 may not be required to wear a face mask or face covering as a condition of the student's admission to, continued enrollment in, or attendance at any public school in this state."

In May, Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order banning mask mandates by government bodies, but several school districts have imposed them anyway, taking the governor to court. Some have suggested that legislation would be the only way to prevent these mandates.

Leach has been outspoken in his support of preventing mask mandates for children. On Twitter in late July, he posted a response to a Democrat suggesting a mask mandate for children in schools, saying,

"Not just no. But hell no! We must ensure our children - whether 12 or 2 - are not forced to wear masks."

Leach's Bill is co-sponsored by Republican Reps. Cole Hefner (Mt. Pleasant) William Metcalf (Conroe) and Valoree Swanson (Spring.)

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

#Texas Supreme Court Upholds Governor's School Mask Ban

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

The Texas Supreme Court on Sunday ruled in favor of upholding Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) order prohibiting mask mandates, a win for the governor after local entities across the state attempted to defy him.

The state Supreme Court action blocked temporary restraining orders that came from district judges. The orders, upheld Friday by intermediate appellate courts, made it possible for local authorities to temporarily override the state mask requirement ban, the Austin American-Statesman reports.

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Justice Dept. Sues Texas Over Transportation Of Illegal Aliens

[#TexasPolitics365]

 

US Attorney General Merrick Garland made good on a threat to sue the state of Texas, filing a lawsuit Friday challenging an executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott that limits nongovernmental organizations from transporting illegal aliens from the southern border.

The Wednesday order from Abbott effectively made it illegal to transport undocumented immigrants in a car, citing the need to prevent the pandemic's spread. Many, of not most, undocumented migrants are unvaccinated.

It bars anyone other than federal, state or local law enforcement from transporting migrants back to the border - something Garland warned in a Thursday letter would impede border officials' ability to contract with various groups, while civil rights groups claimed it would lead to racial profiling.

Meanwhile, Politico reported that the Biden administration on Friday resumed fast-track deportation flights to Central America following another spike in families crossing the border into the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, responding to building pressure on the White House to increase enforcement at the Southern border.

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

AG Paxton Applauds Texas Court Ruling Holding Facebook Responsible For Sex Trafficking On Its Platform

[#TexasPolitics365]

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is applauding a recent Supreme Court of Texas ruling that Facebook can be held liable for the actions of sex traffickers who use its platform to recruit and prey on children.

"The opinion makes it very clear that Big Tech does not have the authority to “create a lawless no-man’s-land on the Internet," Paxton said, in a statement. 

In denying relief to the social media giant, the Court held that the federal Communications Decency Act (CDA) does not leave states powerless to impose liability on websites that knowingly benefit from participation in human trafficking. 

Holding internet platforms accountable for their users’ words or actions is unlawful under the CDA, the Court held; but state and federal laws may still hold them accountable for their own misdeeds.

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.

Bills Seek To Ban Testimony From Hypnosis

[#TexasPolitics365]

Senate Bill 281 and House Bill 1002 aim to ban evidence gleaned through the use of hypnosis from being introduced as evidence in a criminal trial.

So-called hypnotically-refreshed testimony is inadmissible in court in at least 21 other states.

(Full story here.)
--------------------------------------------------

** We are dedicated to bringing you Texas Politics, 365 days a year! Tips? texaspolitics365@gmail.com

Advertisement

For advertising opportunities, email us.