Good morning, 

Here is the Texas Minute for Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

– Sydnie Henry 

Texas Secures Temporary Stay of ATF Rule Restricting Gun Sales

• A federal court found the state is likely to prevail in its defense of the Second Amendment. Erin Anderson has the story. 
   
• Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on May 1 challenging new ATF regulations that redefine who is "engaged in the business" as a firearms dealer. The 126-page Final Rule would have the effect of criminalizing law-abiding Americans for private gun purchases and sales.
   

• Paxton announced Sunday that a federal court issued a two-week temporary restraining order, delaying enforcement of the rule until June 2 while the state seeks longer-term relief.
   

• "I am relieved that we were able to secure a restraining order that will prevent this illegal rule from taking effect. The Biden Administration cannot unilaterally overturn Americans’ constitutional rights and nullify the Second Amendment." - Ken Paxton

What a 1,000 Mile Bus Trip Says About the Shifting of Power in Austin

• Incumbents campaigning against colleagues has been a forbidden practice. Now it’s a three-day tour. Brandon Waltens examines the implications of the Silver Bullet bus tour. 
   

• There’s been an unwritten rule in the Texas House for a long time: incumbent members should never campaign against other incumbents. Known by some as the "Incumbent Protection Program," the "tradition" was so pervasive a few years ago, that the Texas House Republican Caucus actually enshrined the prohibition in their rules and has threatened to censure members who dare to violate it.
   

• So when a group of incumbent and incoming legislators hit the road for three days to travel 1,000 miles around the state exposing their colleagues for cozying up to liberal leadership and killing conservative priorities, it's remarkable.

Carroll ISD Moves Forward with Legal Action Against Title IX Rewrite

• After Carroll Independent School District trustees passed a resolution denouncing President Joe Biden’s rewrite of Title IX, the district is now moving forward with legal action. Emily Medeiros has the story. 
   
• The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve allowing its legal counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, to proceed with litigation.
   

• "The board takes its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all CISD students, staff, and parents seriously and will always take the necessary steps to preserve that responsibility. In particular, this is about protecting our daughters and girls from boys accessing their bathrooms and locker rooms and competing on their athletic teams." - Carroll ISD School Board President Cameron Bryan
   

• Last month, the Biden administration released a nearly 1,500-page rewrite of Title IX rules—the federal civil rights law designed to prohibit sex-based discrimination in education. The new version would add “gender identity” as a protected class. It would also force schools to allow biological males to use female spaces. If a school refuses to comply, federal funding would be withheld. 

Former Starr County DA Employee Pleads Guilty to Human Smuggling

• Nearly two years after an employee with the Starr County District Attorney’s Office was arrested for human smuggling, she has pleaded guilty to the charges.
   
• Bernice Annette Garza, who worked as a crime victims coordinator, was arrested in December 2022 by federal authorities on a charge of conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens into the country. Garza allegedly transported the illegal aliens to Houston using a Starr County vehicle with the help of two other individuals.
   
• The group’s crimes were discovered after the county vehicle was stopped for a tinted window violation in Victoria County. The Victoria County Sheriff’s Department had received previous tips that the vehicle had made several unauthorized trips to Houston and was suspected of being involved in criminal activity.
   
• When talking to authorities, Garza allegedly admitted to participating in more than 40 human smuggling events since June 2022.

Covey Squares off Against Speaker Phelan for House District 21

• The hotly contested race between House Speaker Dade Phelan and David Covey has all eyes on southeast Texas. Amelia McKenzie previews the race. 
   
• You can find all of our election coverage here.
   
• Early voting is ongoing through Friday and primary runoff election day is next Tuesday, May 28.

Quote-Unquote

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."

– Thomas Jefferson

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