The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - April 16, 2025

Episode Date: April 16, 2025

Want to support The Texan and help us continue providing the Lone Star State with news you can trust? Subscribe today: https://thetexan.news/subscribe/Learn more about the Data Center Coalition at: https://www.centerofyourdigitalworld.org/texasThe Texan’s Daily Rundown brings you a quick recap of the latest stories in Texas politics so you can stay informed with news you can trust.Want more resources? Be sure to visit The Texan and subscribe for complete access to our in-depth articles, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, videos, podcasts, and more.Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to subscribe and leave a review!

Howdy folks, today is Wednesday April 16th and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lauschus and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the Texas House is taking up its Texas two-step education package comprising House Bill 3, the school funding bill, and Senate Bill 2, the education savings accounts legislation. HB 3 passed to engrossment after hours of debate and amendments on the floor and the chamber is now taking up SB 2. Follow the Texans reporters

Cameron Abrams, Brad Johnson, and Mary Elise Cosgrae on X for live updates on the progress of this legislative session's marquee issue. Next, a bill intended to reform classroom policy and create greater capacity for school discipline was the subject of extended debate and sharp disagreement among lawmakers on Tuesday as both defenders and opponents of the legislation argued about the necessity of the proposal. House Bill 6, authored by Representative Jeff Leach, aims to amend school discipline policies in Texas public schools, particularly in terms of suspension and alternative education programs. The bill, also known as the Teacher Bill of Rights, has already been subject to personal and far-reaching testimony in a House committee hearing where parents, school administrators, and teachers detailed their experiences with escalating acts of violence in Texas classrooms.

Stay tuned for more news updates after this short message. Data centers fuel 364,000 Texas jobs, generate $3.5 billion in state and local taxes, and power essential services like banking, healthcare, and video calls. With 21 connected devices per household and soaring data demands, these hubs drive Texas' booming economy, shape its technological future, and keep your data here in the U.S. To learn more, visit centerofyourdigitalworld.org. Now returning to your daily Texas news. In other news, nearly two and a half years after the fact, one judicial election in Harris County is still unresolved even though a visiting judge ordered the county to hold a new election in May 2025. Last year, Visiting Judge David

Peoples declared that the 2022 election for the 180th District Criminal Court, pitting Democratic incumbent Judge Deshaun Jones against Republican challenger Tammy Pierce, was void due both to illegal votes and disqualified votes that were cast after hours. Peoples ruled that the true outcome of the election could not be known. Although Peoples ordered a new election to take place on May 3rd, Jones filed an appeal effectively staying the judge's orders. On January 30th, 2025, a three-judge panel of the first court of appeals heard oral arguments from both parties, but the court has not yet issued a ruling. The deadline for the county to mail military

and overseas ballots for the May election was March 19th. The next possible window for holding a new election will be November 4th, 2025. Also, Governor Greg Abbott made the establishment of a Texas Cyber Command an emergency item during his State of the State address earlier this year. Now, the Texas House has presented a bill to coordinate online threats, develop strategies,

and respond to cyber attacks against the state. House Bill 150, co-authored by a number of members and led by Representative Giovanni Capriglione, would establish the Texas Cyber Command as a component institution of the University of Texas system and administratively attached to the University of Texas at San Antonio. It will be led by a Governor-appointed chief, subject to Senate confirmation, who, quote, must possess professional training and knowledge relevant to the functions and duties of the command. The fiscal note on the bill places the cost of the Texas Cyber Command at $135.5 million

in the first biennium through the General Revenue Fund. The Legislative Budget Board notes that, quote, the bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. Last but not least, the world's leading manufacturer of graphics processing units and advanced chips has announced that it will build new plants in Texas amid global economic shakeups. Nvidia has announced partnerships with Foxconn and Wistron to build, quote, supercomputer manufacturing plants, end quote,

in both Dallas and Houston. These global companies say they are expanding their global footprint and their international presence for the purposes of quote, hardening supply chain resilience, end quote, in their partnership with Nvidia. The announcement states quote, manufacturing Nvidia AI chips and

supercomputers for American AI factories is expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs and drive trillions of dollars in economic security over the coming decades. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.