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Do you think Texas should still be under a COVID-19 emergency? Sound off in today's One Click Survey!

This is the Texas Minute for Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Pressure Grows for Abbott to End ‘Never-ending’ COVID Emergency

• More than 1,000 days after Gov. Greg Abbott first issued a state of emergency declaration over COVID-19, Republican State Rep. Brian Harrison of Waxahachie is putting pressure on the governor to end it, saying never-ending emergency authorities are “antithetical to representative government.” Brandon Waltens has the details.

        

• It all began in a crowded press room in the Capitol on March 13, 2020. Gov. Greg Abbott announced he would be declaring a state of emergency over COVID after 39 cases were reported in the state of Texas. The original order was set to expire after 30 days. Instead, it has been extended every month since. 

       
• Harrison’s push may be working. Yesterday, one day after his previous 30-day order expired, there is no record on the governor’s website or the Legislature Reference Library of another extension. 
     

• Abbott’s office has not responded to inquiries from Texas Scorecard as to whether or not he extended the most recent order, which was issued on December 16. Texas has been just one of two Republican-led states currently in a state of emergency over COVID – the other state being Kansas.

Lawmakers Want Paxton to Review TASB Transgender Push

• Last week, Texas Scorecard exclusively reported on the "transgender" guidance given to school districts by the taxpayer-funded Texas Association of School Boards.
   
• Yesterday, State Reps. Bryan Slaton, Tony Tinderholt, Brian Harrison, and Mark Dorazio – all Republicans – sent a letter to Attorney General Ken Paxton formally asking him to weigh in on the "highly disturbing" push by TASB.
     
• Let's be clear: TASB is operated at the expense of taxpayers, for the benefit of left-wing ideologues who use government schools as indoctrination centers. Lawmakers should end the corrupt entity’s status as a “training” platform for school board members.

Federal Ban On Chinese Land Ownership Proposed In Congress

• Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Kerrville filed legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to protect American real estate from the Chinese Communist Party’s influence. Sydnie Henry has the story.

      

• Roy’s proposal, known as the “Securing America’s Land from Foreign Interference Act,” would prohibit the purchase of U.S. real estate by members of the CCP or any entity under the control or influence of the CCP.

         
• “There is no reason we should allow one of our greatest adversaries — the Chinese Communist Party – to buy up land in the United States,” said Roy. “If the Soviet Union had been doing this in the [’80s], we’d have recognized the threat. China is not our friend; they want to dominate us and destroy our way of life; we need to wake up and start acting like it.”
      
• Texas Scorecard chronicled China’s incursions into Texas in a recent special investigative series and Exposed, an exclusive podcast series.

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Hall Legislation Would Combat Gender Identity Radicalism in Schools

• Under legislation filed by Republican State Sen. Bob Hall, Texas school districts would be required to notify parents of any change regarding a student’s emotional, physical, or mental health. As Emily Wilkerson reports, the legislation would require school districts to advise students to talk with their parents about such issues.
       

• The law would also prohibit school district employees from discouraging or otherwise interfering in “parental knowledge of or involvement in critical decisions affecting a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being.”

Phelan Pushes Crony Gambling Effort

• Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan said last week he wants to let “high-quality” casinos operate in the state, after he and other elected officials received high-dollar campaign contributions from major gambling interests. Erin Anderson has the report. 

      
• According to Transparency USA, the pro-gambling Texas Sands PAC doled out $2 million to Texas candidates during the 2022 election cycle, including $300,000 to Phelan, $225,000 to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, $200,000 to Gov. Greg Abbott, and $50,000 to Comptroller Glenn Hegar, all Republicans.
     

• Bringing casino gambling to Texas would require an amendment to the state constitution, which must be approved by two-thirds of the House and Senate and a majority of Texas voters.

     
• Lt. Gov. Patrick has historically been opposed to expanding the footprint of gambling in Texas.
       
• NOTE: There is nothing "free market" about the Phelan push for crony-run gambling. Only politically connected individuals would be allowed to get permission to run a casino, giving rise to corrupt patronage-seeking behavior by the politicians and bureaucrats handing out the limited licenses. As in every state with the system Phelan endorses, the winners will be labor unions and Democrats.

Library Conference Promotes Drag Queen Story Hour

• At their annual LibLearnX conference later this month, the American Library Association will host workshops promoting drag queen story hour and other "LGBTQIA+" programs. Katy Drollinger reports the programs are geared toward school librarians.

Dickson: 50th Texas City Outlaws Abortion

• With a population of just 2,048, Little River-Academy – located 10 miles outside Temple – is now the 50th city in Texas to outlaw abortion. Mark Lee Dickson explains how it happened.

One Click Survey

Last week saw Tarrant County revoke its "emergency" declarations regarding COVID-19. Almost immediately, State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Waxahachie) called on Gov. Greg Abbott to end the statewide declaration of a COVID emergency.

Should Greg Abbott put an end to Texas' COVID emergency declaration?

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