Good morning, 

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens 

Wednesday, July 29, 2020
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Be sure to tune into our conversation with Martin Holsome, a candidate for Texas governor, today at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook Live!​

• Following up on similar actions he’s taken in this year’s scheduled elections, Gov. Greg Abbott extended early voting for the upcoming November general election on Monday, citing his continued concerns about the Chinese coronavirus.
   
• "By extending the early voting period and expanding the period in which mail-in ballots can be hand-delivered, Texans will have greater flexibility to cast their ballots, while at the same time protecting themselves and others from COVID-19" –Gov. Greg Abbott
   
• Under Abbott’s new executive order, early voting for the November 3 general election will now begin on October 13—a change asked for by Chris Hollins, a Democrat who serves as Harris County clerk and vice chair for finance of the Texas Democrat Party.
   
• Of course, the move isn't enough to satisfy Texas Democrats. They are now calling on Abbott to expand mail-in voting for all Texans, something Republicans are opposed to and have defeated in court.

• Is the University of North Texas becoming a hostile learning environment for conservatives? Conservative students at the University of North Texas expressed concern for their safety after a barrage of threats—and a hex—from an extreme-left coalition. They expressed they would like a statement from the university supporting their right to exist, freedom of speech, and for the extreme-left to show them “civility” and understand freedom of speech.
   
• Earlier this month, an extreme-left coalition of student organizations—led by the College Democrats—launched a petition to ban the Young Conservatives of Texas from the university. Threats of violence have also been leveled at the organization and its chairwoman, Kelly Neidert. Neidert was also threatened with doxxing (an attempt to publish private information on the internet) and a witch’s hex. Robert Montoya has the details. 
   
• "I feel worried going back to campus, especially, like I said, it’s an election year. I don’t want anybody to take that out on me, depending on the outcome. It doesn’t feel as safe as it did this past spring or fall before we left, for sure." –Kelly Neidert, YCT UNT Chapter Chairman

• Changes to the statewide standardized STAAR test are coming for the upcoming school year, although it’s not the cancellation some lawmakers have been calling for. 
   
• On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that grade promotion requirements for the test for grades 5-8 would be waived for the 2020-2021 school year in light of challenges brought on by the Chinese coronavirus.
   

• Typically, students in grades 5-8 are required to pass the STAAR mathematics and reading standardized tests for their grade level in order to progress to the next grade. If they fail, students are given an opportunity to retake the test during the summer. But not this year. Instead, students who fail the test will not be required to retake it.

• Additionally, Abbott stressed that the A-F ratings for school performance will remain in place, albeit with “certain adjustments due to COVID-19.”

• While Republicans across the spectrum argue over President Donald Trump's recent executive orders over drug pricing, Rachel Bovard makes the case for supporting the effort and why Trump should avoid any attempts to water it down. 
   

• Bovard writes, "Americans shouldn’t have to be overcharged for their drugs because Congress can’t get its act together and fix the program."

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