The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - August 18, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy folks, today is Monday, August 18th, and you're listening to The Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans assistant editor Rob Lauchess, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, days after Governor Greg Abbott called lawmakers back for the second special session of the 89th legislature, Texas House Democrats returned to Austin on Monday following their quorum break. during the first special session. Texas House Democratic caucus chairman Gene Wu lauded the move that, quote, killed the corrupt special session in a press release Monday, saying that the quorum break has, quote, allied Democrats nationwide to join this existential fight for fair representation, reshaping the entire 26 landscape. Leaving Austin on August 3rd, the quorum-busting House

Starting point is 00:00:55 Democrats strategically landed in blue cities across the country. They threat, to never make quorum again during the first special session, and would only return if certain demands for the second were met. Next, much of the Texas House Democratic caucus returned to the lower chamber on Monday at noon, allowing it to make quorum following their two-week bust, protesting and preventing immediate passage of the Republicans' congressional redistricting map. There were 120 members present as House Speaker Dustin Burroughs called the lower chamber to order at noon, allowing it to make quorum for the first time since July 30th. The prior two weeks left the house with around 95 present members each time it gabbled in, five or so shy of

Starting point is 00:01:39 reaching a quorum. While 120 were present, there were 30 unexcused absences. Representative Claudia or Daz's request to be excused for important business in the district was denied by a floor vote. In other news, the Texas Education Agency released its A-Thru-F accountability ratings for the 2024- 2025 school year, along with the delayed 2023-2020 ratings to the public on Friday, showing marked improvement. Last month, an appeals court lifted a judicial block on the TEA releasing their 20-23-2020 ratings. This marked the second consecutive year the courts were involved over the ratings. A lawsuit from 120 school districts delayed the 2022-2020 results until an appeals court dismissed the case in April 2012. During a media roundtable on August 14th, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Marath addressed

Starting point is 00:02:34 the legal backlash, saying, quote, for two years we had a coalition of school districts sue us to prevent us from issuing a draft rate, basically blinding the parents and the taxpayers as to how well those schools are performing. Also, Austin property taxpayer and registered voter Jeffrey Bowen filed a lawsuit in the state's third court of appeals on Monday, claiming that the city's proposed ballot language for a property tax election in November misleads voters. Bowen's attorney Bill Ayleshire said, quote, the Austin City Council is trying to trick voters into approving a huge tax increase with slick unlawfully misleading ballot language. This is not a one-time tax increase. If approved, it is a forever tax increase this year, next year, and beyond, end quote.

Starting point is 00:03:23 Bowen argues that the ballot language fails to meet the standard for clarity established by the Texas Supreme Court in 2015, which requires that the language be written, quote, with such definiteness and certainty that voters are not misled. He hand delivered a notice to the mayor and city council on August 13th outlining the deficiencies in the ballot language. Last but not least, Harris County's management of policing is again in the spotlight as lawmakers consider reforms to a program under which local school districts and neighborhoods contract with law enforcement agencies for extra patrols. Although the sheriff and eight elected county constables contract with homeowners associations, neighborhood associations, and public school districts for extra patrols, the commissioner's court has in recent years sought to restrict or eliminate the deputy contract

Starting point is 00:04:14 program altogether. Now, legislation filed by state representatives Mike Schofield and Tom Oliverson would stipulate that the commissioner's court may not prohibit or otherwise restrict the county sheriff or constable, quote, from entering contracts or determining the terms of a contract, regardless of whether the commissioner's court approves of the contract or the terms. Since the bills only apply to counties with populations of 3.3 million or more, only Harris County would be affected. On Monday afternoon, Oliverson's House Bill 193 was refiled as HB 26, the lower bill number indicating the issue will be given priority over several hundred bills filed so far in the second special legislative session. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure

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The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - August 18, 2025

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