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Good morning!

In the latest installment of her show [[link removed]], Kambree Nelson celebrates the end of what she calls "illegal aid." You'll find her show below, as well as the rest of our current line-up.

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, February 27, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

State Rep. Targets Free Speech in Texas A new proposal in the Texas House is causing significant concern among free speech advocates and legal experts. As Daniel Greer explains [[link removed]], legislation by Republican Mano DeAyala is designed to undermine citizens' First Amendment rights through abusive lawsuits.

DeAyala's legislation would undermine the Texas Citizens Participation Act, legislation that shields Texans from expensive lawsuits designed to silence criticism. Known as "Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation," the SLAPP suits have long been used to attack whistleblowers and political opponents. The TCPA is an "anti-SLAPP" shield that keeps frivolous lawsuits out of the courts.

Ironically, Texans for Lawsuit Reform has long advocated for degrading the TCPA and putting citizens at risk of drawn-out lawsuits. TLR has provided DeAyala with the bulk of his financial support. Texas House Suspends Rules to Honor Group Opposing Voter ID Just days after a series of Republican-backed resolutions faced roadblocks, the Texas House leadership swiftly suspended the rules this week to pass a resolution recognizing a group with a history of opposing voter integrity measures in Texas. Brandon Waltens has the story [[link removed]].

Democrat State Rep. Mihaela Plesa of Dallas authored the resolution to honor the "League of Women Voters of Collin County." While it claims to be nonpartisan, the group has consistently opposed election security laws, including voter ID requirements.

The House’s willingness to bend the rules for this resolution follows closely on the heels of another controversial decision: blocking a resolution memorializing the late Jill Glover, a conservative activist and former member of the State Republican Executive Committee. For the First Time, House Majority Backs School Choice Bill A school choice proposal in the Texas House has reached a historic milestone, with a majority of members signing on as co-authors [[link removed]]. House Bill 3 by State Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado) would establish an education savings account program, providing approximately $10,000 per child.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who has made school choice a legislative priority, called [[link removed]] the milestone a “remarkable achievement” for parents and educators.

None of the House co-authors are Democrats.

A similar measure was passed earlier this month out of the Texas Senate. Paxton Investigates Texas Lottery Over Suspicious Wins An investigation by the attorney general’s office is the latest development in the scandal-plagued Texas Lottery Commission. Ken Paxton is citing suspicious and possibly unlawful [[link removed]] lottery “winnings” involving bulk ticket purchases and third-party couriers.

The move comes just days after Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Rangers to investigate similar concerns, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick demanded that the probe be expanded.

Paxton’s investigation [[link removed]] will examine whether state or federal laws were violated, particularly in cases where large quantities of tickets were obtained in a short period of time. One of the incidents under scrutiny involves the recent $83.5 million Lotto Texas jackpot, where the winning ticket was purchased through an illicit ticket resale service, known as a "courier"—an industry that Texas officials have now rushed to ban amid intensifying criticism.

The Lottery Commission, which until recently insisted it lacked the authority to regulate couriers, reversed course Monday by announcing a statewide ban on courier services.

Chief Justice Blacklock Calls for Judicial Reform, Higher Pay In his State of the Judiciary address, Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock declared the Supreme Court of Texas’ commitment to the rule of law and reforms to improve the state courts. He also asked lawmakers to protect families, raise judges' salaries, and help hold the judiciary accountable. Robert Montoya has the details [[link removed]].

Blacklock asked lawmakers to rein in the power of the state and judges to terminate the parent-child relationship, calling this power “the civil death penalty.”

“Using the coercive power of the state to take children from their God-given parents, to destroy a family, should never be our first instinct,” said Blacklock [[link removed]]. “It should always be our very last resort.”

He also asked lawmakers to hike judicial pay by 30 percent. He pointed out that judicial base pay in Texas hadn’t been increased since 2013, while inflation had gone up more than 34 percent.RELATED... Texas Scorecard is expanding! We're looking to hire a journalist interested in covering the state's judiciary [[link removed]]—specifically the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, and the new business court. Middle School Custodian Arrested for Online Solicitation of a Minor A middle school custodian in the Allen Independent School District was arrested Monday after allegedly attempting to solicit an underage girl during an online sex trafficking sting. Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]] the Denton County Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Unit made the arrest.

Officers allege that during an undercover operation, Jason James Giuliani believed he was communicating online with a 15-year-old female about sex acts and sending her explicit photographs.

An Allen ISD spokeswoman said parents at the middle school have been notified. District officials said there was “no indication that this individual engaged in any inappropriate behavior with any Allen ISD student.” In Case You Missed It Hijacked? How Democrats Chose the Speaker of the Texas House Our new mini-documentary, Hijacked? [[link removed]], explores how Democrats hand-picked the third-most powerful political position in the State of Texas despite Republicans having a commanding majority in the House. Quote-Unquote

"If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter." – George Washington

Number of the Day

488

The number of district courts in Texas.

[Source: District Courts of Harris County [[link removed]]]

Today in History

On Feb. 27, 1850, a group of Mexican separatists in South Texas declared the formation of the "Territory of the Rio Grande." It floundered almost immediately.

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