Read this in a browser.

Good morning, 

This is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Legislation Would Eliminate In-State Tuition for Those Illegally in the Country

• In 2001, Gov. Rick Perry allowed Texas to become the first state to provide in-state tuition for illegal aliens enrolled in public universities. Now, State Rep. Terri Leo Wilson (R-Galveston) wants to repeal that law. Addie Hovland has the details.
       
• Her legislation would disqualify illegal aliens from receiving discounted in-state tuition when attending public colleges and universities in Texas. Wilson filed similar legislation in 2023, but the measure never moved out of committee.
      
• Repealing in-state tuition for those in the country illegally has long been a priority for border security activists and the Republican Party of Texas.
       
• There are believed to be more than 59,000 illegal aliens enrolled in colleges and universities across the state.

Second Democrat Enters the Speaker Race

• State Rep. John Bryant of Dallas has filed for Speaker of the House, becoming the second Democrat lawmaker to challenge incumbent Dade Phelan for the position. Brandon Waltens has the story.
   
• Bryant joins Democrat State Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos in the race. She announced her candidacy in September.
       
• He first served in the Texas House from 1974-1982 before heading to Washington, D.C. where he spent six years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He returned to the Texas Capitol in 2023.
       
• With Republicans having grown their majority in the Texas House to 88 seats out of 150, Bryant is unlikely to win the position. Some around the Capitol have speculated his candidacy is an attempt by Democrats to gain leverage over Phelan as he faces a more legitimate challenge from fellow Republican David Cook.
        
• RELATED: An unofficial headcount among Republican lawmakers—put out this week by Texans United for a Conservative Majority—shows Phelan with 11 votes in the caucus and Cook with 45. However, 32 Republicans are listed as either uncommitted or unknown.

Texas A&M’s DEI-based 'Education' Classes

• Texas A&M is offering four classes during the Fall 2024 semester that push the discredited leftist "diversity, equity, inclusion" agenda in education. Robert Montoya reports that two of these classes include a project regarding sexually explicit books parents have objected to in government schools.
          
• According to the syllabi, one of the objectives is for students to understand the "potential forms of privilege, oppression, and discrimination."
           
• In one assignment, students are to use the leftwing American Library Association list of so-called "banned books"—that is, sexually explicit titles parents have deemed inappropriate for young children. A&M students are supposed to identify "what group is being silenced" by not making the books available to children.
      
• Texas Scorecard asked Texas A&M and the Texas A&M University System for comment on these classes. No response was received before publication.

Dr. Mary Talley Bowden Exposes Texas Medical Association’s Ties to Gender Mutilation Procedures

• Celebrated Houston-area physician and medical ethics champion Mary Talley Bowden is exposing the Texas Medical Association's ties to gender mutilation procedures on children.
          
• Last week, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Dr. M. Brett Cooper for illegally prescribing cross-sex hormones to children and altering patient records to avoid detection. 
        
• In a series of posts on social media, Dr. Bowden has described Cooper as leading the TMA's efforts to promote gender mutilating surgeries, cross-sex hormones, and puberty blockers for children.
        
• Bowden has argued that—thanks in part to the TMA—Texas has become a testing ground for far-left public health policies.

Legislators Start Filing Legislation

• As implied by the story leading today's Texas Minute, yesterday marked an important milestone: the beginning of pre-filing legislation.
      
• Lawmakers now have until the 60th day of a session—which in 2025 will fall on March 14—to file proposed legislation for consideration during the regular session. The session ends on Monday, June 2, 2025.
      
• Legislation addressing major issues is already being filed, including ending in-state tuition for illegal aliens, protecting Texas land from foreign ownership, property tax relief, and more.

Directory of Your Current U.S. & Texas Lawmakers

This information is automatically inserted based on the mailing address you provide to us. If you'd like to update your contact information, please visit our subscriber portal.