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Good morning!

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, May 1, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Texas House Approves Former Speaker Dade Phelan’s Meme Regulation Bill

• By a vote of 102-40, the Texas House approved legislation by former Speaker Dade Phelan that would criminalize the distribution of altered political media, such as memes, videos, or audio recordings, unless they contain a government-mandated disclaimer. Brandon Waltens has the details.
      
• Originally pitched as a response to AI-generated “deepfakes” in campaign content, Phelan's legislation is significantly broader in scope. It doesn’t just apply to artificial intelligence, but also to any image, audio, or video that “did not occur in reality”—a definition that includes basic Photoshop edits and parody. First Amendment advocates warn it would chill political speech and satire.
      
• As passed by the House, the measure technically applies only to individuals or entities who fall into one of three categories—critics argue the definitions are too vague. Even the general counsel of the Texas Ethics Commission has said political content posted online could, in fact, fall under the bill’s jurisdiction.
       
• State Rep. Shelley Luther (R-Sherman) was jailed in 2020 after opening her hair salon during the Covid lockdowns. She took particular issue with Phelan's legislation subjecting individuals not only to a fine but also up to a year in jail.
      
• A year in jail for an unauthorized meme.... 
           
• The measure now goes to the Senate for possible consideration and action.

OTHER HOUSE NEWS

Senators Consider Ban on School Choice Funds for Lawmakers' Kids

• A measure pending in the Texas Senate would prohibit the children of legislators and statewide officials from utilizing Texas’ recently created education savings account program. As Luca Cacciatore reports, the measure is being pushed by the architect of the school choice program.
      
• On Tuesday, State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) presented his proposal to the Senate Committee on Education K-16, which he chairs. Creighton had included the ban in the version of the measure that passed the Senate, but it was removed by the House.
       
• Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the ESA/school choice legislation into law on Saturday at a ceremony in Austin.

A Russian Businessman’s Shady Connections to the Texas Lottery

• In February, federal prosecutors indicted Russian national Vadim Komissarov for leading a fraudulent scheme that inflated revenues at Lottery.com. As Daniel Greer reports, that company is tied to the Lone Star State because of the former executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission, who has reportedly gone missing.
          

• The indictment accuses Komissarov of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury. As CEO of Trident Acquisitions Corp., he orchestrated what prosecutors call a deceptive merger with AutoLotto, which operated as Lottery.com.
       

• Facing pressure to complete the merger, Komissarov and two Lottery.com executives allegedly faked transactions to inflate revenue, including sham data sales and a $30 million round-trip loan. After the merger, Komissarov sold $600,000 in stock before the fraud was revealed. By 2022, Lottery.com’s share price had collapsed, prompting federal investigations.
       

• Komissarov allegedly coordinated false narratives and deleted messages to obstruct investigators, later lying under oath to the SEC. Two former Lottery.com executives cooperated with authorities, raising scrutiny about the actions of the former Texas Lottery executive, Gary Grief, and other current members of the leadership team.
      

• The expanding scandal at the Lottery has triggered investigations by Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Attorney General Ken Paxton. The attention has revealed broader misconduct within Texas’ lottery system and its political enablers.

Abbott Pushes Bail Reform in Houston

• At a Houston Crime Stoppers roundtable yesterday, Gov. Greg Abbott pushed for a constitutional amendment reforming the state's bail system. Joseph Trimmer has the story.
      
• In Abbott's comments, he said there have been more than 200 cases of dangerous criminals free on bond killing an innocent person in the Houston area alone since 2019.
      
• Among other things, the amendment would require judges in most cases to deny bail to defendants accused of violent offenses such as murder, rape, and human trafficking. In cases where judges do grant bail to violent offenders, they would be required to provide a written, public explanation for their decision.
      
• As a priority of Gov. Abbott, the bail reform proposal passed out of the Senate in February but has been stalled in the House since mid-March.

Central Texas Teacher Accused of Using Student Photos To Create Child Porn

• A former Eanes Independent School District teacher is facing additional charges after previously being arrested for possession of child pornography. Now, reports Sydnie Henry, the man is accused of inducing the sexual performance of a child under the age of 14.
      
• The new charges against Zachary Barnett came about after a search of his home found devices containing thousands of photos of his female students.
      
• According to the law enforcement affidavit, “The majority of Barnett’s self-produced videos were zoomed into the female students’ skirts, their underwear, and/or their crotch area.” Barnett reportedly played a game with his students where they would freeze and pose. He would then take photos of them “in a sexually explicit manner.”
       
• Meanwhile, Austin ISD elementary teacher Carl David Innmon is also facing charges for using AI to manipulate images of his students to create child pornography.

Abbott Threatens To Cut San Marcos’ Funding if Officials Pass ‘Antisemitic’ Resolution

• Ian Camacho reports that a proposed resolution before the San Marcos council could result in the central Texas city being cut off from state grants. 
      
• At issue is a proposed city council resolution calling for the immediate and permanent ceasefire in “occupied” Palestine, an arms embargo on Israel, recognition of Palestinian sovereignty, and the protection of constitutional rights for all people under national and international law. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling the resolution “antisemitic” in a letter to San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson.
      
• The governor wrote that he has directed his office to review “active grants” that would be impacted by the passage of such a resolution. The San Marcos City Council will discuss the resolution on May 6.
      
• “Anti-Israel policies are anti-Texas policies,” wrote Abbott. “I have proudly signed legislation prohibiting government entities from supporting efforts to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel. That remains the law here.” 

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Quote-Unquote

"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech."

– Benjamin Franklin​

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