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Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Thursday, October 14, 2021
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Patrick: More Money For Higher Ed

• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to let the state’s public universities increase spending. To that end, he requested that Gov. Greg Abbott add the consideration of Tuition Revenue Bonds to the ongoing special session agenda. Jeramy Kitchen has the details.
   
• Tuition Revenue Bonds, or TRBs, are one of two types of bonds used to finance expansion in public higher education. Revenue financing system bonds are repaid by the university’s own budget, whereas TRBs are repaid directly by the state taxpayers.
   
• The Austin-based Texas Public Policy Foundation has long criticized TRBs. The organization has written that “besides concerns with the growing cost of TRBs are concerns over how much scrutiny TRB requests actually face. Under standard practice, a majority of TRB requests are bundled into an omnibus TRB bill, the passage of which authorizes many lower priority projects that might not have received approval on their own.”
   
• In 2015, the legislature authorized the largest TRB legislation in Texas history, costing $3.109 billion in principal and an additional $2.24 billion in interest. In comparison, the legislature had previously only authorized $2.6 billion between 1971 and 2014 to retire TRB debt.

A Conversation With Don Huffines

• “I’m gonna prove to the whole world what it means to be sovereign. We won’t bend a knee because this is Texas,” said Don Huffines in an interview with Brandon Waltens. This week Texas Scorecard has been presenting uncut, unedited one-on-one interviews with the Republican gubernatorial candidates. 
      
• As a former member of the Texas Senate, Huffines offers a behind-the-scenes perspective of why conservative legislation often fails to pass, and what he would do about it as governor. Huffines says he welcomes a fight with the federal government on many fronts, ranging from abortion and school prayer to returning “all illegals to the Mexican side of the river.”
       
• Huffines believes Texans are fed up with having the highest property tax burdens in the nation. “Texans are tired of renting their property from the government,” he said, noting that “the rent just keeps going up and up.” His plan involves capping state spending in order to provide property tax relief while phasing out property taxes over the course of eight years – relying instead on consumption (sales) taxes.
   
• The series began Tuesday with former Texas GOP Chairman Allen West and continued yesterday with media personality Chad Prather. Incumbent Greg Abbott did not respond to the invitation to participate.

Still No Protection For Kids

• With six days remaining in the third special session of the Texas Legislature, Gov. Greg Abbott has refused to expand the agenda to include a ban on the chemical and psychological transitioning of children’s genders. Jacob Asmussen reports the governor’s refusal to address the issue has citizens wondering why.
   
• In Dallas this week, Abbott was asked about his refusal to place it on the agenda of the special session – which only the governor can do, constitutionally. He demurred, placing blame on the Texas Legislature for failing to act.
   
• “And so, I didn’t want to waste any time on this in hoping or trying to get the Legislature to do that which it has not done before,” said Abbott.
   
• Of course, the Texas Senate has passed legislation protecting children from these procedures, and State Rep. Matt Krause (R-Haslet) has claimed to now have the support from his fellow House members.
   
• Frankly, Gov. Abbott is probably right in at least one regard: no one in the Texas House Republican Caucus can be trusted to tell the truth on this matter, let alone faithfully fight to protect kids.
   
• If you have not already, check out this week’s edition of the Luke Macias Show – he explains how Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-Arlington) killed the issue in the House.

‘Liberal Lyle’ Leaving The Legislature

• One of the most liberal Republicans in the Texas House announced he will not be returning to the Legislature. First elected in 2010, Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) announced his departure in an email Wednesday morning. Brandon Waltens has the story.
   
• In 2018, Gov. Greg Abbott called Larson “one of the most liberal Republicans in the Texas House of Representatives.” That designation was based on Larson’s opposition to Republican priorities and conservative principles, as evidenced through his ratings on various watchdog organizations’ rankings. (Two years later, Abbott endorsed Larson for re-election despite Larson only getting worse.) 
   
• As Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi described it, Larson’s retirement is an “[o]pportunity for Republicans to pick up a House seat.”

House Approves Maps

• Concluding several hours of  orchestrated debate between Republicans and Democrats, the Texas House approved of the proposed boundaries for all 150 state house districts as a part of the decennial redistricting process early Wednesday morning. Jeramy Kitchen has the wrap-up.
      
• The proposed boundaries will now have to be considered by the Texas Senate. The Senate Special Committee on Redistricting has already scheduled a public hearing on the proposed boundaries for Friday, October 15.
      
• Meanwhile, proposed boundaries for the 31 Texas Senate districts, 15 State Board of Education districts, and 38 U.S. congressional districts are still awaiting consideration by the House.

Employer Vax Mandates Intrude On ‘Dignity’

• In a new commentary, former state judge Jim Pikl explains the view that forcing employees to take an experimental injection as a condition to keeping their job infringes on their dignity by coercing them to violate their conscience.
     
• “An employer may not require an employee, as a condition of employment, to violate their conscience when the required action does not actually advance the legitimate interests of the business in any way and may in fact cause the employee serious injury.” – Jim Pikl

• Please join me in wishing a very happy birthday to my brother-in-law, David Lockhart!

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