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Good morning,

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, January 8, 2026.

– Brandon Waltens

Heartbeat Act Back Before Texas Supreme Court Texas’ Supreme Court is set to hear a motion to dismiss a case challenging the constitutionality of the Texas Heartbeat Act, on the grounds that the lawsuit was retaliatory.

Travis Morgan reports [[link removed]] the dispute stems from a lawsuit filed by the Lilith Fund after a private citizen, Sadie Weldon, sought to depose the group for admittedly violating the Heartbeat Act.

Weldon argues the Lilith Fund’s lawsuit was retaliatory and should be dismissed under the Texas Citizens Participation Act, which protects Texans from lawsuits intended to silence them on matters of public concern.

Weldon was seeking evidence before filing a civil enforcement action under the Heartbeat Act, which allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or aiders. Instead, the Lilith Fund sued Weldon, asking courts to block the deposition and declare the law unconstitutional.

Lower courts sided with the Lilith Fund, but the Texas Supreme Court agreed to take the case. The justices will now decide whether the TCPA applies—and whether the lawsuit should be dismissed before any ruling on the Heartbeat Act’s constitutionality. Oral arguments are set for January 14.

AG's Office Detains 50 Illegal Aliens Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office says state investigators have detained 50 illegal aliens in the Houston area and turned them over to federal authorities for deportation. These immigration enforcement operations are being done in collaboration with President Donald Trump’s administration.

Sydnie Henry writes [[link removed]] the Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Investigation Division recently executed raids at multiple locations and businesses throughout the greater Houston area that were “known to promote or be connected with criminal activity.”

The operations reportedly led to the detention of 50 individuals in the country illegally, who were then transferred to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.

Paxton framed the detentions as part of a broader pushback against an invasion of illegal aliens under the Biden administration.

Former Longhorn Quarterback Appointed to Higher Ed Coordinating Board

Gov. Greg Abbott has announced three appointments to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which provides oversight for the state’s public universities. Adam Cahn has the details [[link removed]].

According to a press release from the Governor’s Office, Abbott appointed Colt McCoy of Aledo and Darryl Heath of Colleyville to the board on Monday. Abbott also re-appointed Ashlie Thomas of Victoria.

McCoy, a 2009 graduate of UT-Austin, played quarterback for the Longhorn football team. He led the Longhorns to the national championship game during his senior season. Since retiring, McCoy has gone on to work in the real estate industry in Fort Worth.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board oversees a variety of functions related to the state’s taxpayer-subsidized universities. These appointments will be subject to confirmation by the Texas Senate when the legislature returns in 2027.

Austin Teacher Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sex Abuse Material

An Austin elementary school teacher busted with hundreds of thousands of child sexual abuse images faces up to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.

Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]] Carl David Innmon, 51, entered a guilty plea Tuesday in a federal court in Austin. He was a 5th grade teacher at Baranoff Elementary School at the time of his initial arrest, and he had also worked as a substitute teacher at 20 other schools in the district.

He was first arrested in March 2025 on a state charge of possessing more than 50 images or videos of child pornography. The teacher’s phone, computer, and hard drive contained more than 365,000 images of child sexual abuse material.

Harris County Judicial Candidates Withdraw After Ballot Challenges

Four judicial candidates in Harris County have withdrawn from their Democrat primary races following legal challenges to their ballot filings, prompting a judge this week to order several names removed from the 2026 primary ballot. Michael Wilson has the story [[link removed]].

The candidates—Allison Mathis, Anna Eady, Angela Reese McKinnon, and Velda Faulkner—exited their races after incumbent judges and other Democrat opponents filed lawsuits alleging deficiencies in their applications for a place on the ballot.

The challenges ranged from procedural filing errors to allegations that some petition signatures were forged or otherwise invalid.

Texas courts have repeatedly held that candidates bear the responsibility for ensuring their filings comply with statutory requirements, including verifying petition signatures before submission.

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