Good morning, 

If you haven't listened yet, the first two episodes of the seventh season of EXPOSED were released this week. Each season is a self-contained podcast story about Texas culture and government... and the people who influence both. This season, hosted by Valerie Muñoz, is titled "The Beast of Austin."

This is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Land Commissioner Buckingham Opposes Biden Wind Sale

• Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is opposing the Biden administration's proposal for an offshore wind energy sale in the Gulf of Mexico. Emily Medeiros has the details.
      
• Last year, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management auctioned off proposed wind farm leases, including two areas that are 24 miles off the coast of Galveston. No companies have yet to bid on the Galveston leases—one listed at 102,480 acres and the other at 96,786 acres. Now, the Biden administration intends to try again with a 410,060 acre lease.
       
• Buckingham has sent an official letter to the Biden administration calling the introduction of hundreds of wind turbines “reckless.” She pointed out risks associated with building wind turbines in an area rife with hurricanes that could destroy them within 20 years.
      
• “The Biden Administration appears hellbent on force-feeding Americans failed ‘green’ policies. On my watch, I will never allow the federal government to endanger the people of Texas and our state’s beautiful wildlife with untested, unproven, and ineffective technology when reliable, clean, and safe energy is already available.” – Dawn Buckingham

US Supreme Court Denies Pornography Industry Efforts to Block Age Verification Laws

• The Supreme Court of the United States has denied efforts from the pornography industry to block Texas’ age-verification legislation. Will Biagini reports the order came out yesterday.

      
• The order came in response to an emergency appeal from a coalition of companies within the pornography industry. They had asked the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling in a lower court that allowed Texas' law to remain in effect.
      
• The law requires the companies' websites to establish “reasonable” methods for verification that users are 18 years old or older. Some companies have chosen to block all access to Texas rather than comply with the law.

Billions in Bonds on Ballots Around Houston

• On May 4, 270 local jurisdictions across the state will hold bond elections totaling $17.4 billion. Charles Blain reports more than $1 billion of that long-term debt is being proposed by local jurisdictions in Harris County.
        

• Harris County’s largest request—half of the total amount across the county—is for Galena Park ISD, which is asking voters to approve $530 million in debt.

        
• Across the state, 58 percent of the debt requested—$10.4 billion—is just for school districts.

Fort Worth ISD to Return Potentially Inappropriate Books to Library Shelves

• Last fall, the Fort Worth Independent School District removed more than 100 books for further review over concerns of inappropriate content. Now, the district is planning to return some books to the library shelves.
        
• Legislation passed in 2023 prohibits school libraries from housing materials that are sexually explicit, vulgar, or educationally unsuitable. As reported by The Dallas Express, Tarrant County Citizens Defending Freedom had found 76 different books to be sexually explicit and violent. Another 118 books were flagged by district officials during their own review.
        
• It is unclear which of the challenged books in Fort Worth ISD will be put back on the shelves and available for student consumption. 

In Their Own Words: Runoff Candidates on Gun Rights

• Texans' rights under the Second Amendment have been a topic of conversation for voters in the upcoming primary election runoff as the Biden administration seeks to impose new limits on citizens' ability to own firearms. Amelia McKenzie reports on what Republican candidates in the May 28 runoff believe lawmakers can do to protect the Second Amendment.
             

• As significant as the answers are, the lack of responses can be just as telling...

Quote-Unquote

"Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!"

– Pericles​

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