Good morning, 

This is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, January 7, 2026. 

– Brandon Waltens 

U-Haul: Texas Is America’s Top Growth State

• As Democrat-run states continue to hemorrhage residents, Texas has once again emerged as the nation’s top destination for Americans on the move.
   

• Texas has reclaimed its position as the nation’s top destination for inbound migration, according to the 2025 U-Haul Growth Index, as part of a continued streak for Republican-led states.
   

• The annual report, which analyzes more than 2.5 million one-way moving transactions, ranks Texas No. 1 for net in-migration for the seventh time in the past decade. 
   

• Florida followed closely behind, with North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina rounding out the top five. 
   

• California finished dead last for the sixth consecutive year, once again leading the nation in resident departures.

Unsolicited Seed Packages From China

• Texas agricultural officials have issued a warning for residents to stay on the lookout for unsolicited packages containing unidentified seeds that are being sent throughout the state. Addie Hovland has the details. 
   

• The issue was first brought to the attention of the Texas Department of Agriculture last February when a resident of Clute received an unsolicited package from China that contained an unknown liquid and unidentified seeds.
   

• Since this initial report, TDA has collected 1,101 unsolicited packages of seeds from more than 100 locations.
   

• The TDA warns that these packages of unidentified seeds pose a serious threat to Texas’ agriculture biosecurity and the entire nation.
   

• Officials stress that anyone receiving an unsolicited seed package should not open it and should contact the Texas Department of Agriculture at 1-800-TELL-TDA for instructions.

Texas Rolls Out New Bond Debt Database

• A new database proposed by grassroots activists is now online, allowing Texans to easily find information on local governments’ property tax-backed bond debt and tax rate increases. Erin Anderson has the story.
   
• A new law, passed by the Texas Legislature last year, required the comptroller to develop and maintain a database containing current and historical information on property taxes imposed and bonds issued.
   

• No upcoming 2026 bond or tax elections are listed in the database. The deadline for local governments to place elections on the May 2, 2026, ballot is February 13.
   

• Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock called the database “Big news for taxpayers” and a “BIG step for transparency and accountability.”

Teachers Union Sues Texas Over Investigations into Charlie Kirk Death Celebrations

• Texas’ largest teachers union is suing the Texas Education Agency and Education Commissioner Mike Morath in federal court, claiming a new state policy weaponizes educator discipline to punish teachers who posted “vile content” to social media about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.​ 
   
• Sydnie Henry writes the Texas American Federation of Teachers is arguing the TEA policy violates its members’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by targeting them for speech made as private citizens on personal social media accounts about a high‑profile matter of public concern. 
   
• The union contends the policy is an unconstitutional viewpoint‑based restriction that is overly broad because it sweeps in protected speech.

Montgomery County Arrests Follow Crackdown on THC Vape Sales

• Montgomery County law enforcement officials arrested four individuals and seized more than 140 THC vape pens after an investigation found multiple smoke shop locations selling the products in violation of state law.
   
• Michael Wilson reports investigators with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Vice Unit and the Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team concluded a targeted investigation into the sale of THC vape pens to minors at four smoke shop locations operating under the same ownership in December.
   
• Undercover operations confirmed that the products were sold to underage buyers, prompting search warrants at stores in New Caney and Conroe.
   
• During coordinated searches, authorities seized 143 THC vape pens and arrested the alleged owner of the stores, Emad Aldin Jaddou, along with three store clerks.

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* The new congressional boundaries for representational purposes will not take effect until January 2027.

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