Good morning,

Government power has long drawn egomaniacs and sycophants. I end the week reflecting on how it is our job, as citizens, to weed out both.

This is the Texas Minute for Friday, August 29, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Women’s Privacy Act Overcomes Years of Resistance, Wins Passage in Texas House

• After years of failed attempts, Brandon Waltens reports the Texas House has finally passed the Texas Women’s Privacy Act. Democrats vocally opposed the effort, framing it derogatorily as “the bathroom bill” and warning that private individuals would serve as “potty police” to enforce it.
    
• The legislation requires state agencies and political subdivisions to designate multiple-occupancy restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, and other private facilities for use only by individuals of the same biological sex. Among other things, the law also requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to house inmates according to biological sex. Supporters say the measure is necessary to ensure the safety and privacy of women and girls in public spaces. 
      
• Efforts to pass the bill stretch back to 2017, when then-Speaker Joe Straus refused to allow it to reach the House floor. Since then, the Senate has advanced similar legislation several times—including three times this year—but the measure repeatedly stalled in the lower chamber.
      
• During the regular session, House State Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Ken King blocked it from receiving a hearing. The legislation only resurfaced after Gov. Greg Abbott placed it on the special session agenda.

OTHER HOUSE NEWS

• Unlike earlier pro-life laws that shuttered abortion facilities, this effort is focused squarely on the rise of mail-order pills. The legislation's author, State Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Allen) emphasized throughout the debate yesterday that women themselves cannot be sued for obtaining or taking abortion pills.
       
• Enforcement comes through private lawsuits rather than state officials, continuing the model pioneered by the Texas Heartbeat Act. The measure is expected to be approved early next week by the Senate before being sent to the governor.

Senate Moves To Ban Fundraising During Special Sessions

• In response to the Democrat quorum break earlier this month, the Texas Senate advanced legislation to prohibit lawmakers and statewide officials from raising campaign funds during special sessions.
    
• Under the proposed law, statewide officials and legislators would be barred from making or accepting contributions for the duration of the session—just as they are during the regular legislative session.
      
• The measure was filed after Democrats fled the state earlier this month to prevent passage of a new congressional map, using the time to solicit campaign contributions.
      
• The Texas House is slated to take up the legislation on Tuesday.

Lubbock County Commissioners Stop Property Tax Increase

• Three Lubbock County commissioners have stopped a county property tax increase, but not everyone is happy about it. Erin Anderson has the story.
    
• The five-member Lubbock County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 to approve the no-new-revenue property tax rate for 2025, which will be used to budget the county’s spending for the upcoming year. Some county employees fear that without a property tax increase, they may not receive raises.
       
• County Commissioner Jason Corley told Texas Scorecard that he believes some county department heads may have encouraged their employees to attend the meeting, which took place during work hours. “Money is tight and times are hard, but they’re still demanding more from taxpayers.”

Plano ISD Under A.G. Investigation Following Reports of Antisemitic Incidents

• Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced a formal investigation into Plano Independent School District after multiple reports of antisemitic incidents and school-sponsored activities perceived as anti-Israel. Sydnie Henry has the details.
    
• Concerns have been raised in the community that students have been exposed to biased materials promoting a pro-Palestinian perspective, and that absences for participation in pro-Palestinian walkouts were classified as “excused”—suggesting school support for anti-Israel protests. The Texas Education Agency is also investigating Plano ISD.
       
• As part of the ongoing investigation, Paxton sent a detailed letter to Superintendent Theresa Williams demanding extensive documentation, including walkout policies, anti-Israel curriculum records, and disciplinary records tied to antisemitic actions.

Houston Prohibits Sitting, Standing, or Walking on Narrow Medians

• As Michael Wilson reports, the City of Houston has prohibited standing, walking, or sitting on median strips less than six feet wide under a new ordinance passed Wednesday.
    
• This is the latest in a series of city efforts to address homelessness. In July, the city council adopted a 24-hour “civility ordinance” in downtown and East Downtown as part of a pilot program to reshape Houston’s broader response to homelessness.

This Sunday on REAL TEXANS

NOTE: Each of the announced candidates seeking the GOP nomination for attorney general have been invited to schedule an interview.

Friday Reflection
Glory Stealer

Glory hog. Credit-seeker. Spotlight-grabber. Brown-noser. Whatever you call them, we all know the type. They overstate the value of their work or take a little creative license in describing their contribution to a group effort. The political landscape is littered with such people.

Worse, though, is the class of people who loudly demand credit for something they didn’t do. We find a lot of those folks inhabiting public office.

When the truth emerges, as it always does, people roll their eyes. At worst, their propensity for fabrications costs them an election.

It could be worse.

Consider the fate of the unnamed Amalekite that we meet in the first chapter of the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel. This fellow must have thought he was a genius.

Let me back up. The last chapter in 1 Samuel describes how King Saul was in a fierce battle. All three of his sons were killed by the Philistines. Not wanting to be captured and humiliated by his enemies, Saul ordered his servant to kill him. The man refused, so Saul fell on his own sword.

The action picks up in 2 Samuel a few days later. We find a young Amalekite wandering into the camp of David. He brought with him two things: Saul’s crown and a story. You have to know, like this young man knew, that Saul had made David an enemy of the state. Saul knew that David should be the king, but—since Saul was the king—he wasn’t eager to give up the throne.

So, the young man told David that he had killed Saul—out of mercy, he claimed, to protect the king from being disgraced by the Philistines. And, as a bonus, he preserved the crown for David.

The man no doubt expected to be patted on the back. He was probably certain that David would appreciate the man who so kindly dispatched Saul and thus vacated the throne.

Instead, David ordered the man’s execution on the spot. David hadn’t sought power, and he didn’t want it on dishonorable terms.

The man sought credit for something he had not done, so he received the punishment as if he had. As someone craving the approval of others, the man had mistaken David’s divine appointment with royalty as a craven desire for power. 

Just as it did 3,000 years ago, government power draws egomaniacs and sycophants. Today, it is our responsibility to weed both out of public office.  

As sovereign citizens in this self-governing republic, we must be on guard against those seeking the accolades of public office and instead promote those willing to serve the interests of the people.  

Quote-Unquote

"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried."

– G.K. Chesterton

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