Good morning, 

The constitutional clock ticking on this second special session of the Texas Legislature will run out on Sunday.

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Thursday, September 2, 2021
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Election Audit Bill 

• Legislation moving through the Texas Senate would allow expanded audits of election irregularities. Erin Anderson has the details.
   
• Senate Bill 97 by Republican Paul Bettencourt of Houston would create a procedure by which election irregularities can be researched, documented, and resolved. Individuals who can initiate these audits include candidates on the ballot, a county party chair, a presiding judge, alternate presiding judge, or the head of a political committee either supporting or opposing a ballot measure.
   
• “We’ve got some type of irregularities in almost every election,” said Bettencourt. “It’s up to the legislature to provide an audit capability.”
   
• His colleague Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) described adding an audit capability as long overdue. “The Legislature has been remiss in not addressing it before now. If we’d had this in 2020, we would not have had as many questions.”

Property Tax Relief

• Paul Bettencourt has been busy. In the last four days, Jeramy Kitchen reports the senator has crafted, filed, and ushered through the chamber’s process a measure providing for across-the-board property tax relief.
      
• If the measure is approved by the House before Sunday and then signed by the governor, the owner of a home with a taxable value of approximately $300,000 could see savings of $100 on their property tax bill.
      
• This is accomplished by directing state money, amounting to a maximum of $4 billion, to “buy down” or compress local school districts’ Maintenance and Operation (M&O) tax rate for all property owners in the state.
      
• It is important to note that this would not be ongoing tax relief. Three other measures providing very targeted property tax relief to narrowly defined groups of taxpayers have already gone through the entirety of the legislative process and are awaiting Gov. Abbott’s consideration.

Fate Uncertain For Business Protection Law

• Debate was halted in the Texas House yesterday due to a parliamentary problem with legislation aimed at preempting local governments from creating a patchwork of regulations on private businesses and their employment practices. Jeramy Kitchen has the details.
      
• The legislation has been a priority for conservatives due to a new trend in local government. Cities and counties in Texas have been adopting ordinances regulating paid time off, sick leave, scheduling and even hiring practices. Experts have said the patchwork of conflicting rules creates burdens for small businesses while reducing employment opportunities and raising costs.
      
• The parliamentary problem identified by Democrat Joe Moody of El Paso, and supported by Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) means the measure must go back through the House committee process. The legislation originated in the Senate, and must be approved by both chambers before the special legislative ends on Sunday.

Allen West’s Wife Vindicated 

• New information from the Dallas Police Department shows Angela West, the wife of Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen West, was neither intoxicated nor under the influence of drugs when she was pulled over and arrested last month. Robert Montoya has the full story.
   
• A great many questions have been raised about her treatment by DPD, including reviews of the heavily edited video footage released by the department which nonetheless showed the arresting officer administering the field sobriety test in a sloppy manner. 
   
• “My wife’s honor and reputation should have never been assailed.” – Allen West

Special Runoff

• A special election to fill the vacant state legislative seat in Texas House District 10 is headed to a runoff between two Republicans, former Trump administration official Brian Harrison and former State Rep. John Wray. For the full results, check out Erin Anderson’s report.

Beto Gearing Up For Another Loss

• Liberals are getting excited about Robert “Beto” O’Rourke making a run for governor in 2022. Given that will make three loses in a row for him, I’m pretty excited, too.
   
• Smug liberal, white Democrats want “Beto” to run so they can pretend to support a Hispanic for office, instead of the white, trust-fund snowflake he actually is.

Politicizing The Classroom

• Teachers in the Keller Independent School District are politicizing the classroom, writes education analyst Emory Martin.
   
• Parents who might disagree with the district’s left-wing agenda are being singled out and “doxed” on social media.
   
• “Keller ISD is teaching [critical race theory]. Teachers are politicizing the classroom and doxxing parents who speak out about it. Something needs to change.” – Kris Kettle

Final Thought…

• Yesterday saw 666 laws take effect in Texas, but left-wingers were incensed over two: the Heartbeat Act, and Constitutional Carry. 
     

• Democrats are only happy when babies are butchered in the womb and the few who survive are unable to defend themselves. Save a baby’s life, and DEMs shriek in horror; let people defend themselves from wrongdoers, and the DEMs go apoplectic.
     

• The American left is a death-cult.

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