Good morning, 

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens 

Wednesday, August 5, 2020
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• Five Republican lawmakers in Texas are taking Gov. Greg Abbott to court, suing the governor over his decision to ink a $295 million, 27-month agreement with tech company MTX Group to bring coronavirus contact tracing to Texas.
   
• In May, the state government entered an agreement with Frisco-based company MTX Group to operate call centers, with thousands of agents dispatched to follow up with those who may have come into contact with those possibly exposed to the virus.
   

• Republican State Reps. Kyle Biedermann (Fredericksburg), Mike Lang (Granbury), Bill Zedler (Arlington), Steve Toth (The Woodlands), and State Sen. Bob Hall (Edgewood) filed the lawsuit in a Travis County district court against Abbott, MTX Group, and the Texas Department of State Health Services on Monday evening, arguing the contract should be voided by the court “for lack of DSHS’ authority to expend essentially unlimited funds toward a goal unidentified by the Legislature.”
   

• "[T]he Texas Constitution requires a separation of powers, and that separation leaves policy-making decisions with the Texas Legislature. These decisions are not changed by pandemics.”
   

• The contact tracing agreement is just one of several moves by Abbott that have drawn criticism from lawmakers in his own party. He has also taken heat over the past several months for his string of unilateral executive orders restricting businesses from operating, as well as a statewide face mask mandate.

• Which is better, funding local police or killing children? At least one city councilmember in Texas’ capital city unquestionably prefers the latter.
   

• Austin City Councilman Greg Casar, a self-proclaimed socialist, this week proposed cutting as much as $123 million from the Austin Police Department and instead spending the money on various city projects—including killing pre-born children. Casar suggested spending $500,000 of citizens’ money over the next two years on the “priority” of “abortion access.” Jacob Asmussen has the details.

• Texas craft brewers are struggling as they attempt to navigate confusing mandates in the wake of the coronavirus.
   
• Like many other businesses, craft breweries were forced to shut down their taprooms to in-person patronage in March, after Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order restricting restaurants and retail to “to-go” service only. Though there was a brief reprieve in May and June when Abbott allowed bars and breweries to reopen at reduced capacity, that victory was fleeting, as Abbott issued an executive order closing bars since June 26.
   
• Meanwhile, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has issued ever-changing rules on whether breweries may operate as a patio service "restaurant." While the new regulations have opened a small window of opportunity for a select amount of small breweries, many do not have the luxury of having an on-site kitchen or ownership of a food truck.
   
• A recent survey conducted by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild revealed two out of every three craft breweries in Texas believe they will not make it to the end of the year under current conditions.

• Robert Montoya reports Carroll ISD has delayed a final decision on its controversial proposal to create an LGBTQ+ student focus group and a system where students can accuse each other of “microaggressions” at a cost of nearly $1.5 million.
   
• At 9 p.m. on Monday, the elected board of trustees of the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake voted 5-2 to receive the drafted controversial “Cultural Competency Action Plan” (CCAP) but to take no action in implementing it until after a series of board workshops and events so the public could learn more about it.
   
• "It’s notable the board was so confused, they changed course and refused to adopt this plan. It would have been better if they directly voted it down. We will continue to fight for parents and students in Carroll ISD who oppose this forced radical LGBTQ agenda, because this issue is not over.” – Jonathan Covey, director of policy for Texas Values

• Last week, parents clashed with Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley over the county's ban on in-person education, and closed-door meetings being a regular occurrence in county political decision making about their kids.

• Tuesday, the county commissioners voted to end the ban, despite Whitley saying the ban wouldn't come up for a vote because it's "not something that even pertains to the commissioners."

• Despite this victory for families, the commissioners voted to extend their county mask mandate to August 31, but Tarrant County's District Attorney recently said Texas' statewide mandate "appears" to be unenforceable, and had expressed similar concerns about the county mandate back in early July.

• In an exclusive Texas Scorecard commentary, Katrina Pierson—a senior advisor to President Donald Trump's campaign—writes that Texas cities will go the way of Seattle if Joe Biden wins in November.
   

• "A Biden presidency ... would paralyze the forces tasked with upholding law and order across the nation, condemning innocent Americans to fear, insecurity, and physical danger. The best way to keep Texas communities safe is to keep Joe Biden out of the White House."

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