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But first, this is the Texas Minute for Thursday, June 15, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Abbott Threatens Mass Vetoes If Tax Relief Deal Isn't Struck

• Gov. Greg Abbott indicated Wednesday he could veto a large number of lawmakers' legislation if no compromise is reached between the House and Senate on property tax relief. That sparked a heated rebuke from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who said the threat would "destroy" the work of the Legislature. Brandon Waltens has the details.

        
• Abbott made his comments during a bill signing ceremony on Wednesday; this coming Sunday, June 18, is the last day he can sign bills into law or veto them. In Texas, any piece of legislation not specifically vetoed by the governor becomes law.
       
• “As we get closer and closer to this Sunday, all of these bills that have yet to be signed face the possibility, if not the probability, that they’re going to be vetoed,” said Abbott.
        

• Abbott has said he wants all of the $12 billion currently allocated for property tax relief to be used for "compression"—or, buying down the local school property tax rate. While the House approved this plan on the first day of the current special session, Patrick and the Senate have stood firm in their desire for some of the money to be used to increase the homestead exemption. According to Patrick, this is a way to prioritize relief for homeowners over businesses.

      
• “The Governor’s suggested threat today to veto a large number of Senate bills is an affront to the legislative process and the people of Texas. He has now made his position clear – he doesn’t want homeowners to get the $100,000 homestead exemption that is the hallmark of the Senate Plan,” said Patrick.
       
• There were 4,550 pieces of legislation passed by the Texas House and Senate and sent to the governor as part of the 88th Session of the Legislature. As of Wednesday night, Abbott had signed 873 pieces of legislation into law and vetoed five.

Texas Wins Appeal Against Biden’s COVID Vax Mandates on National Guard

• In January 2022, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against President Joe Biden's policy forcing the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard to get coronavirus vaccinations. As Emily Wilkerson reports, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the Constitution and laws of the United States deny Biden the power to punish members of the Texas National Guard if they refused to get injected with the vaccine. 
        
• Paxton had persuasively argued that neither the president nor federal military officials can force the state’s National Guard to comply with vaccination mandates. “President Biden is not those troops’ commander-in-chief; Governor Abbott is.”
       

• Abbott took to Twitter to praise the decision, writing, “The Texas National Guard are operating under my authority not Biden’s. They follow my command of no vaccine mandate.”

Texas Military Forces Honor LGBT Activism With A 'Fun Run'

• Camp Mabry, the Austin headquarters for the Texas Military Department, will host a “Unit Fun Run” later this month in support of the LGBT political agenda.
        

• The event is to honor an organization called OutYouth, which provides services to gay and gender-confused minors. Camp Mabry officials sent a notice advertising the run through official channels using government resources. 
          
• Gov.  Abbott serves as the commander-in-chief of the Texas Military Department. His office has not responded to a request for comment.

Tarrant County Democrats Want Feds to Investigate Republicans

• Biden administration officials have agreed to meet with Democrat representatives in North Texas over claims that elected Republicans are threatening minorities’ voting rights. Erin Anderson has the details.
      

• U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D–Fort Worth) sent a letter in May asking the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a federal investigation into actions by Tarrant County’s recently elected county judge and district attorney, both Republicans. He said earlier this week that he has secured “the commitment” of DOJ officials to meet with him and several others.
       

• Veasey specifically mentioned the Tarrant-based conservative activist group True Texas Project multiple times in his letter to the DOJ.
      

• “I find it interesting that whenever election integrity and enforcement of election laws are mentioned, the Democrats immediately shout voter suppression and racism,” said Fran Rhodes, the president of the True Texas Project. “There is nothing wrong with expecting election laws to be enforced and investigating and prosecuting those who violate the law.”

Texas Power Grid Faces Record Electricity Demand

• As summer heats up, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is warning that triple-digit temperatures may strain the state’s power grid. Katy Marshall has the story.

      
• “ERCOT has issued its first Weather Watch to let Texans know that we are forecasting increased demand due to the higher temperatures expected this week and into next week,” said Pablo Vegas, the CEO of ERCOT. “Grid conditions are normal when we issue a Weather Watch.”
       

• Although ERCOT claims the power grid can handle increased stress, the organization has repeatedly come under fire for failing to supply electricity to Texans in extreme weather conditions.
      

• Last summer, ERCOT urged Texans to raise their thermostat temperature and refrain from using large appliances.
      

• Critics maintain the state's over-reliance on unreliable power sources is to blame. ERCOT itself has warned that low wind speeds and increased cloud coverage could severely limit energy collected from wind turbines and solar panels.

Houston Mom Moves Child Out of Texas to Continue Gender Mutilation

• Following the Texas Legislature’s passage of a measure to ban child gender mutilation, a Houston-area mom who claims her child is “transgender” has moved her family out of state so the child can continue receiving destructive “treatments.” Soli Rice has the heartbreaking details.

      
• Luisa Montoya has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and believes her 13-year-old daughter is a boy. Montoya also has a 17-year-old whom she claims is "non-binary."
     

• Montoya claims her 13-year-old daughter first announced she felt like she was a boy at the age of 2.

        
• Gov. Greg Abbott has signed legislation into law that takes full effect in September. The new law will protect children from being chemically castrated by puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and prohibit mutilative surgeries to “transition” their physical appearance.

Biden Administration Appoints New Border Patrol Chief

• Jason Owens is set to replace Raul Ortiz as acting U.S. Border Patrol Chief at the end of June. As Matthew DeLaCruz reports, Owens will be the third person to hold the position in the Biden administration.
      
• Up until now, Owens has served as chief of Border Patrol in Del Rio since 2021. He has been in the Border Patrol for 27 years.
       
• “I fear that Jason Owens will be, at best, a scapegoat to shoulder the blame for President Biden’s failing border policy,” said Chris Russo, president of Texans for Strong Borders. “Unfortunately, without a significant change in policy from DHS Secretary Mayorkas or President Biden, we will continue to see the same failed policies in place.”

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