The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - February 17, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy folks, today is Monday, February 17th, 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. First up, a state senator has introduced legislation that would prohibit government organizations from assisting abortion providers, whether logistically or monetarily through taxpayer funds, and tighten the reins against government-funded abortion-related travel. Senate Bill 730, introduced by Senator Donna Campbell, expands the definition of an abortion assistance entity to include anyone that helps a woman procure an abortion, through providing lodging, food, transportation, funds, or through distribution of an abortion-inducing drug.

Starting point is 00:00:51 SB730 ensures that the government does not participate in financial transactions involving taxpayer money or logistical support contracts for providing abortion services. Logistical support includes child care services, transportation assistance of any form to or from an abortion provider, food, housing, counseling that encourages a woman to have an abortion, and any other form of service that assists a woman in procuring an abortion. 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, health care, and video calls. With 21 connected devices per household and soaring data demands,

Starting point is 00:01:38 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 slash Texas. Now returning to your daily Texas news. Next, state and local law enforcement arrested three illegal immigrants and seized nearly 350 pounds of methamphetamine near Liberty County's Colony Ridge settlement this week. Liberty County Sheriff Bobby Rader announced the drug bust on Facebook. He wrote, quote, The Liberty County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit conducted a joint investigation with the Houston Police Department,

Starting point is 00:02:16 along with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Texas Department of Public Safety in the Plum Grove area in reference to the distribution of large amounts of methamphetamines. Plum Grove is adjacent to Colony Ridge, also called Terenos Houston, a Hispanic-heavy settlement north of Houston that has more than 50,000 inhabitants. In other news, Johnson County leaders are taking action to try to limit the impact of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, on humans, animals, soil, and water in the county. At a specially called meeting on February 11th, the Johnson County Commissioner's Court passed a resolution asking Governor Greg Abbott to declare an emergency. Due to high levels of PFAS being found in soil and water in the county,

Starting point is 00:03:04 Johnson County Judge Christopher Bedecker also issued a county disaster declaration. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS are widely used long-lasting chemicals that are often found in biosolids, organic matter derived from wastewater and often applied to the ground as fertilizer. PFAS break down very slowly and can build up in people, animals, and the environment over time. According to the EPA, PFAS may have harmful health effects on humans, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, and increased risks of cancer. Also, health insurance companies would be required to cover medical gender

Starting point is 00:03:44 transition reversal services per a new proposal introduced in the Texas Senate, tapping back into one of the last session's hottest debates. State Senator Brian Hughes introduced Senate Bill 1257 on February 13th, one of the first of its kind in the state intended to address adverse medical results of gender modification procedures. It comes in the wake of various presidential executive orders recognizing only two genders, a ban on transition surgeries for minors, and the dismissal of a whistleblower case involving gender transition activity at Texas Children's Hospital. Regardless of whether the individual was enrolled in the insurance plan while undergoing gender medical modification procedures or not, the patient would be eligible to receive reversal services paid for by the insurance company. This change would only be applicable to health benefit plans that already cover medical and

Starting point is 00:04:35 surgical expenses induced by a health accident or injury, and would provide corresponding pharmacy benefits. Last but not least, a resident of Keller Independent School District has filed a federal complaint against the district and its Board of Trustees, seeking injunctive relief based on the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit filed in federal district court in Fort Worth on Friday, February 14th by plaintiff Claudio Vallejo claims that the current at-large district arrangement of the Keller ISD Board of Trustees dilutes the voting rights of minority voters. Vallejo, who said he moved to a subdivision in Fort Worth so his children could attend Keller ISD, wrote in a press statement,

Starting point is 00:05:17 quote, I am bringing this lawsuit to improve political opportunity for local voters and to help ensure that every child, school, and section of the community is represented. He continued, quote, the current controversy over potentially splitting the school district brings to light the underrepresentation of diverse voices on our board. 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.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - February 17, 2025

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.