Good morning!

Thinking about the sum total of the Texas House's performance in 2023, this week's One Click Survey asks who you think is running the chamber.

But first, here is the Texas Minute for Monday, July 24, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

State Agency Refuses to Release Records on Human Trafficking

• For several months, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has been working to avoid providing records to Texas Scorecard about their human trafficking team. Soli Rice has the story.

         

• At issue are records related to reports, goals, internal metrics, and expenditures from TDLR’s human trafficking team. The agency has employed numerous delaying tactics, ranging from claims of confidentiality to the imposition of large fees for access to the records.

         
• The TDLR is overseen by a board appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott. It is unclear why the commission does not want Texans to see these documents.

Lawsuit Targets Gag Rule Ahead of Paxton Impeachment Trial

• A newly filed lawsuit is challenging a gag order placed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on all those involved in the upcoming impeachment trial against Attorney General Ken Paxton. Brandon Waltens has the details.
       
• The gag order prohibits House members, their staff, prosecutors, Paxton, and his team from publicly discussing the impeachment.
     
• A lawsuit filed against Patrick and the Senate on Friday in a Travis County court by conservative activist Steven Hotze takes aim at the order, saying it violates freedom of speech. The lawsuit also challenges the Senate’s rule barring State Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney), the A.G.'s spouse, from voting on the impeachment.

Texas A&M President Resigns After Public Outcry Over DEI

• Texas A&M President Katherine Banks has announced her immediate resignation following a public outcry against A&M’s attempted hiring of a DEI proponent as the university’s new journalism director. Valerie Muñoz has the latest twist of the story following her explosive reporting last month.

     
• As Muñoz previously reported, Kathleen McElroy was hired as A&M’s new journalism director. She was a promoter of DEI and other far-left activities at UT Austin and the New York Times. Following Texas Scorecard’s reporting, A&M began changing McElroy’s proposed contract, ultimately settling on a one-year deal as a professor without tenure, and a three-year appointment as the director of the journalism program, with emphasis that she could be terminated at any time. She withdrew herself from consideration for the job.
     
• Texas A&M’s interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, José Luis Bermúdez, resigned in the wake of the exposure. This was followed on Friday by A&M's president stepping down from her post.
      

• In February, a Claremont Institute investigation into A&M’s DEI policies detailed various actions approved under Banks’ tenure.

University of Houston Pushes LGBTQ Agenda With Taxpayer Money

• As Texas lawmakers crack down on “woke” policies in higher education, Micah Rice reports that the University of Houston runs a “LGBTQ Resource Center” on the taxpayers’ dime that promotes radical gender ideology to faculty and staff.

Texas Family Project Releases Legislative Report Card

• The Texas Family Project has released its legislative ratings for the regular 88th Legislative Session. Sydnie Henry reports the group is rating lawmakers according to votes on family issues such as gambling, school choice, parental rights, and child protection measures.
       

• According to the TFP report, State Sen. Robert Nichols (R–Jacksonville) received an A – instead of an A+, like the other 18 Republican senators.
     
• “I think the biggest takeaway is that the Senate did a really good job this session at getting things passed,” said Brady Gray, president of Texas Family Project. “I think that’s a testament to how Dan Patrick has run that chamber.”
       
• Only eight of 150 state representatives received A+ ratings, with the highest three going to Tony Tinderholt (R–Arlington), Steve Toth (R–The Woodlands), and Matt Schaefer (R–Tyler) at 97 percent out of 100. State Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth was the lowest-rated Republican with 52 percent out of 100, a mere 4 percentage points higher than Democrat State Rep. Eddie Morales of Eagle Pass, who scored 48 percent.

South Texas Coach Caught Soliciting a Child for Sex

• Investigators running an online sex crimes sting arrested a girls’ basketball and track coach from Lasara Independent School District for attempting to meet up with a 15-year-old girl in Houston. Erin Anderson has the story.

         

• Miguel Angel Carlos, 46, is charged with two counts of online solicitation of a minor, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison.

            
• Lasara ISD is located in Willacy County and has two schools serving fewer than 400 students in pre-K through 12th grade.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

Setting aside the "R" and "D" next to the names of legislators, and based on the results of the legislative session as it relates to conservative priorities and the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton, does it seem to you that the Texas House is actually controlled by...

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!