The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - April 29, 2024

Episode Date: April 29, 2024

TODAY ONLY — get an annual subscription to The Texan 50% OFF: https://thetexan.news/subscribe/The 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 Monday, April 29th, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lausches, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. Today, the Texan is celebrating its fifth anniversary of providing Texas with news you can trust. To celebrate, Senior Editor Mackenzie DeLulo sat down with founder and CEO Connie Burton to talk about the history of the company and staying true to our mission. Plus, we give an inside look to what life is like behind the doors of our office. The episode is out now, available on our website or any podcast platform. The Biden administration and the U.S. Department of Education issued a new Title IX rule that includes changes to how federal civil rights law protects against, quote, discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. A key provision in the rule change now, quote,

recognizes that preventing a person from participating in a recipient's education program or activity consistent with their gender identity subjects that person to more than de minimis harm. Title IX is a federal program that instructs educational institutions that receive federal funds from the DOE to carry out their educational programs in a non-discriminatory manner free of discrimination based on sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity. Included in the issue areas of Title IX are athletics, financial assistance programs, admissions, recruitment, and sex-based harassment investigations. Governor Greg Abbott issued a letter on Monday to President Biden stating, Texas will not adhere to the new rules. I am instructing the Texas Education Agency to ignore your illegal dictate. Last week, Amarillo residents turned in signatures through a

citizen initiative to advance an ordinance providing greater protections for the unborn within the city. On Thursday, April 25th, the Amarillo Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance Initiating Committee brought petitions with 10,322 signatures to the city secretary. The group began gathering petition signatures on December 29th. To be successful, the citizens must present signatures representing not less than 5%, or 5,761, of registered voters who are Amarillo residents. Robin Ross helped gather and verify petition signatures. She told the Texan that the group was able to validate at least 7,417 of the signatures based on voter roll information. A valid citizen initiative petition forces the city council to vote on the ordinance.

Sanctuary City for the Unborn Initiative founder Mark Lee Dixon said of the process, If they don't pass it, then it will go to the voters in November. Both state and federal lawmakers in Texas are voicing their concern over whether Mexico is honoring its obligations under the utilization of the waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande Treaty, arguing that economic damage is being done along the border due to the United States not receiving its share. U.S. Representative Monica de la Cruz issued a joint letter with Representative Jody Arrington to U.S. Trade Representative Catherine Tai, requesting a meeting to discuss the water crisis. Quote, In 1944, the United States signed a treaty with the Mexican government to receive an average of 350,000 acre-feet of water from Mexico every

year, over a five-year cycle. For over 30 years, there have been consistent delays in meeting these obligations, which have severely affected U.S. agriculture. At this time, Mexico owes the United States over 750,000 acre-feet of water, the most they have ever owed at this point in the cycle, the letter states. The letter also notes that in 2023, Texas exported $7.3 billion in agriculture products, but that because of the economic impact already caused by the water shortage, that number is unlikely to increase. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has released an update on how a new state grant program to assist rural law enforcement agencies and prosecutors is performing after it was passed into law last year by the Texas legislature.

Senate Bill 22 by Senator Drew Springer was named one of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's legislative priorities for the Texas Senate last year. The bill created a new grant program aimed at counties and jurisdictions of under 300,000 in population. That means 236 of Texas' 254 counties are eligible to apply for the funding. And so far, the comptroller has received 503 applications and disbursed $126 million. Texas comptroller Glenn Hagar added that the program will help agencies in local jurisdictions that, quote, defund the police. Thanks for listening. Be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.