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Good morning,

The Texas Lottery was recently slammed as a "money laundering" operation by members of the state senate. In this week's One Click Survey, we want to know your thoughts on the agency's future.

This is the Texas Minute for Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Paxton Seeks Injunction Against NCAA To Protect Women’s Sports

• Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the National Collegiate Athletic Association, seeking a temporary injunction to halt what he claims are "deceptive trade practices." As Sydnie Henry reports, the action comes as the NCAA's athlete eligibility policy still allows men to participate in women’s sports.
       
• Paxton alleges that the NCAA’s recently amended policy—presented as aligning with President Donald Trump’s executive order to "Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports"—is actually a misleading “illusion of change” that still allows biological males to compete in women’s sports.
      
• A spokesperson for the NCAA defended the organization's policy in a statement to Texas Scorecard, asserting that "there are no waivers available, and student-athletes assigned male at birth may not compete on a women’s team with amended birth certificates or other forms of ID."

Lottery Commissioner Resigns as Commission Faces Scrutiny

• As the Texas Lottery Commission faces growing scrutiny over allegations of misconduct, one of the five appointed members of the commission has resigned. Brandon Waltens broke the story last night.
          
• Clark Smith’s resignation comes as the Texas Lottery Commission has been embroiled in controversy following reports detailing ethical concerns, conflicts of interest, and questionable practices within the agency. In recent days, the commission has faced allegations of improper ties between lottery officials and third-party online couriers.
      
• Smith was appointed to the commission by Gov. Greg Abbott in November 2023 and had served for just over a year before stepping down. The resignation comes just ahead of a key hearing in the Texas.
       
• Later today, the Senate Committee on State Affairs will consider legislation by State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) that will outright ban the sale of lottery tickets through online courier services. The legislation has been deemed a priority by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Related News

• The report, first uncovered by the Houston Chronicle and now drawing legislative scrutiny, revealed a controversial scheme in which a single buyer purchased nearly all possible number combinations for an April 2023 Lotto Texas drawing. The paper recently reported on a video circulating the capitol, which reportedly shows children working at state-authorized lottery terminals as part of the operation, raising serious legal and ethical concerns.

Legislation Filed to Safeguard Texas Land From Foreign Enemies

• Individuals and entities from countries identified as national security threats would be restricted from purchasing land in Texas under a measure filed in the Senate. Will Biagini has the details.
      
• Currently, the four countries identified as threats by the U.S. intelligence community as national security threats are China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. 
       
• The legislation, authored by State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), would apply to individuals and entities from those countries. The legislation prohibits them from acquiring agricultural land, commercial property, industrial property, residential property, or even mines.
           
• Kolkhorst said her legislation will make it clear that "Texas is not for sale to any nation deemed a threat to our national security."

Senate Education Committee Advances Teacher Pay Raise Bill

• Members of the Texas Senate Education Committee unanimously passed a measure to raise teachers’ salaries based on tenure. Luca Cacciatore reports that this is the first part of a “Texas Teacher Bill of Rights” legislative package being championed by State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe).
       

• For school districts with 5,000 or fewer students, pay raises begin at $5,000 but double to $10,000 for teachers with five or more years of experience.
       

• In districts with more than 5,000 students, the measure would give an additional $2,500 per year to teachers with three to four years of experience and $5,500 to teachers with five or more years of experience.
       

• The legislation also expands the Teacher Incentive Allotment program, a system established in 2019 to provide performance-based bonuses to teachers. It would allow up to 50 percent of a school district’s teachers to participate in TIA, up from the current cap of 33 percent.

     
• Under this new legislation, all "instructional staff" will be eligible for raises. The TIA bonuses are restricted to those "employed as a classroom teacher."
      
• According to an August 2024 study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, half of newly hired teachers in Texas now lack certification and classroom experience.

Teacher Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Relationship With Student

• Erin Anderson reports that a now-former female teacher and coach in New Caney Independent School District was sentenced to four years in prison for having sexual relations with a student.
      
• Samantha Shea Cummings was sentenced last week in a Montgomery County district court. She was found to be having sex with a 17-year-old female student at New Caney High School. District officials allowed Cummings to resign after the allegations came to light in early 2023.

Houston Public Works Has 1,400 Unresolved Work Orders

• As Houston grapples with a water plant crisis that could cost taxpayers up to $15 billion, separate issues stemming from aging infrastructure are causing widespread disruptions. As Michael Wilson reports, there is a backlog of 1,400 active work orders related to water problems.
       
• City data reveals that water leaks are by far the most common service requests from residents, further underscoring the scale of the problem.
      
• Local officials say aging infrastructure and adverse weather conditions are to blame for the ongoing issues.

Today In History

On Feb. 24, 1836, William Barret Travis wrote a letter from the Alamo addressed "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World." Surrounded by Mexican troops, Travis was calling for reinforcements but promised to keep fighting for liberty. He ended the letter with "Victory or Death."

Quote-Unquote

"The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls."

– William Barret Travis​

(Listen to Brian Burns read the letter.)

One Click Survey

It has been revealed that the Texas Lottery Commission facilitated a foreign group to rig a jackpot in what one state senator described as a money laundering operation. In recent days, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has put a spotlight on the commission allowing illicit resellers (so-called "courier services") to operate outside the bounds of state law.

Should the Texas Lottery be:

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