The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - August 11, 2026

Episode Date: August 11, 2026

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? Visit The Texan for complete access to our in-depth articles, newsletters, videos, podcasts, and more.Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to follow us and leave a review!

Well, howdy, folks? Today is Tuesday, August 11th, and you're listening to The Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texan senior editor Rob Lausis, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, Galveston County is once again drawing a legal challenge over redistricting after county commissioners redrew boundaries again in June 26, months after the state's primary elections. Now, a new set of plaintiffs are seeking an emergency. intervention from the Supreme Court of Texas. Boundaries for Galveston County commissioners adopted in 2021 led to a federal lawsuit on grounds that the map violated the Voting Rights Act. In the case, Pedaway v. Galveston, plaintiffs alleged that Commissioner Precinct 3 was illegally redrawn

because it did not group black and Hispanic voters together to create a minority coalition. Although a federal district court judge initially ruled in favor of Pettaway, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the county to use the 2021 map while the case was under appeal. Then in 2024, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that the VRA, quote, does not authorize coalition claims either expressly or by implication, end quote, a decision that led to mid-decade redistricting in Texas and across the country. The Pedaway lawsuit remains under appeal, but the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kaleigh v. Louisiana further dismantled the requirement implied in the VRA to consider race in redistricting. In other news, a Texas-based federal judge reigned in enforcement of the National Firearms Act last

week, siding with the state of Texas and a group of firearm companies against the federal government. In an August 5th order, Judge James Wesley Hendricks of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and joined the federal government from enforcing certain NFA provisions against the plaintiffs, which include 15 states as well as a coalition of business and advocacy groups. Hendricks stopped short of a nationwide injunction and his order only applies to certain provisions of the law. The constitutional basis for Hendrix's ruling is not the Second Amendment, but rather Article 1 of the Constitution, which authorizes Congress to levy taxes. Until last year, the NFA imposed a $200 tax on those who made or transferred certain firearms,

including short-barreled shotguns, short-barreled rifles, and suppressors. The ruling identifies Congress's power to tax as the authority for the NFA. The 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act included a provision that cut this tax to $0. As a result, Hendricks ruled that it obviated the federal government's regulatory power over the now-untaxed weapons. Last but not least, Governor Greg Abbott announced the initial goals for the Texas Classroom Coalition, a teacher-led initiative to which he appointed 21 educators earlier this month. In a Monday press conference at the governor's mansion, Abbott stated that the purpose of the TCC is to, quote, ensure enduring progress toward our goal of ranking number one in America for

educating our kids. The governor highlighted three main areas of focus for the commission, improving math and reading proficiency, reducing screen time in the classroom, and identifying strategies to attract and retain high-quality teachers. Abbott said the goal of limiting screen time comes in addition to the law banning cell phones in classrooms that pass during the 89th legislative session. TCC Chair Courtney Boswell MacDonald is a former math teacher who previously worked on the Texas Senate Education Committee and served as executive director for Texans for education reform, the Texas Institute for Education Reform, and Texas Aspires. McDonald's said her involvement in education policy came from a desire to, quote,

ensure that the teacher perspective had a meaningful place in the decision-making process. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit the texan. News to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.