The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - April 17, 2025

Episode Date: April 17, 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 Thursday, April 17th 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, in what was described as a historic day on the House floor, the 89th legislative session's marquee public school finance and school choice bills were passed on second reading. Prior to the day kicking off, Governor Greg Abbott, who has pushed for school choice in Texas for years both with his political capital and fundraising prowess, gathered Republican

members of the House to speak on the issue. The conversation between members and Abbott took on greater significance when President Donald Trump called into the meeting to encourage the House to pass the proposition. The first bill to be taken up by House members on the floor Wednesday was House Bill 2, which would address teacher pay raises and public school finance by making significant revisions to existing funding formulas, teacher incentive systems, and administration procedures. Senate Bill 2 took up the majority of the day and night, where both Democratic and Republican

members voiced their support and opposition to the Education Savings Accounts Plan. The fully universal school choice bill includes a $1 billion appropriation for the ESA program and ties the individual amount of the ESA to 85% of the statewide average state and local funding per student in average daily attendance, with an additional amount for children with disabilities. Homeschooled students have a capped ESA amount of $2,000 per account. After over 12 hours of deliberation over the course of the day, SB2 passed by a vote of 86 ayes to 63 nays.

Two Republicans, Representatives Gary Van Deaver and former Speaker Representative Dade Phelan, broke with their party and voted against the proposal. Governor Greg Abbott called it, quote, an extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children. Coming into the 89th legislative session, Abbott had successfully rallied for many pro-school choice candidates in the 2024 Republican primaries, which ultimately shifted the vote on Thursday in his favor. President Donald Trump praised House members as well as Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dustin Burroughs for bringing a, quote, gigantic victory for students and parents in the great state of

Texas. Patrick was similarly congratulatory toward the House and leadership in the lower chamber for passing school choice, saying, quote, this is a historic day for Texas and America. Visit the Texan.News for a list of how each House member voted on SB2. 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's 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. To learn more, visit centerofyourdigitalworld.org slash Texas. Now returning to your daily Texas news. Next, a group of conservative House members succeeded in killing Thursday's local and consent calendar after protesting the inclusion of a memorial resolution for Cecile Richards, the daughter of Texas Governor Ann Richards and president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Richards died of brain cancer in January. Also included on the calendar were memorial resolutions for the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Corey Comperator, the firefighter who was killed

in the failed assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania in July of last year. In other news, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the American Health Care Association, and nursing home plaintiffs prevailed in a lawsuit challenging a Biden administration rule that may have negatively impacted many of the nearly 1,200 nursing homes in Texas. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kasmarick and Amarillo agreed with Paxton's argument that the rule promulgated in 2024, quote, attempting to remedy chronic nursing home deficiencies, end quote, was not consistent with congressional legislation governing nursing homes.

Most nursing homes participate in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs and are thus required to meet statutory and regulatory requirements that fall under those funding programs. Last but not least, during a hearing of the Texas House Transportation Committee on Thursday, a representative from the Texas Central High Speed Rail Project revealed there is no construction timeline or projected completion date for the railroad. Texas Central revealed in a response to a request for financial and project information by the committee two weeks

ago, quote, at this time, we are not proposing construction of the project. Andy Ghent, who works with lead investor, John Klein Heinz, told the committee that if things go as they hope they'll complete the planning effort and financing, then submit the Surface Transportation Board application by the end of the year. 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.