The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - February 26, 2025

Episode Date: February 26, 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 Wednesday, February 26th and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Senior Editor Mackenzie DeLulo and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the Texas Lottery Commission is undergoing increased scrutiny, with all three branches of the state government now announcing investigations into recent winners and ticket courier services. Governor Greg Abbott took the first step on Monday when he announced that he would be directing the Texas Rangers to investigate two incidents regarding bulk purchase winners of the Texas lottery that had won through a courier service.

This was followed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issuing a letter asking the Texas Rangers to expand their investigation to include any and all matters related to lottery couriers and all possible crimes internally or externally arising from the lottery commission's actions or failures to act. Now Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is launching his own investigation into the Texas lottery, focusing on suspicious and possibly unlawful lottery winners that involved bulk lottery ticket purchases and the utilization of a third-party courier service. 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, 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. Now returning to your Daily Texas News. Second, lawmakers and agency heads met in a committee meeting Tuesday to discuss the ongoing complexities of the state's education system, including the balance between fiscal

responsibilities and support for both teachers and students. Public education chair Brad Buckley set the stage for the day when he spoke about the challenges lawmakers will face while discussing education issues. There will be bills before this committee that will be hotly debated, but make no mistake, we're going to make certain that we provide the largest investment in public education in the history of this state, he said. He went on to discuss how the House plans to implement strong discipline reform for our teachers, get rid of the star test, and debate issues such as reforming the A-F system and giving parents the power to be the primary decision makers in their kids' education future.

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath sat down to provide testimony and answer a bevy of questions from the panel of House members. Morath laid out his presentation, which included a number of eye-catching figures. For instance, 62 percent of Texas students are economically disadvantaged, meaning they are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Also, Texas has about 800,000 students in rural schools, about 286,000 students that attend private schools, and just over 494,000 in homeschool. When it comes to assessment and outcome, Morath detailed how only about half of kids entering kindergarten are ready for basic lessons, saying it sets up a significant challenge for teachers.

Next up, Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock focused on raising salaries for local judges following constitutional originalism, prioritizing keeping families together and making legal services affordable to the average Texan in his 2025 State of the Judiciary Address on Wednesday. Presented in the Texas House of Representatives with a room chock full of state lawmakers, media and spectators in the gallery, Blacklock set the tone for his speech off the bat, saying he's proud to present the news that the State of the Judiciary is strong. He notably endorsed the constitutional amendment regarding bail reform that was just successfully passed through the Senate,

which would require judges and magistrates deny bail to defendants charged with certain violent first degree felonies after thanking law enforcement for their work in stopping crime, which he said, justices in black robes have limited power over. Black law quickly shifted to his top priority.

If we want to attract and retain hard-working rule-of-law judges who are qualified to wield the extraordinary power our Constitution gives them, it is absolutely essential that we raise judicial salaries significantly this session," he said. The Texas Supreme Court has repeatedly held that originalism, not living constitutionalism, is the right way to interpret our constitution," he continued. In Texas, under this Supreme Court, the living constitution is dead. Lastly, reporter Cameron Abrams sat down with the Senate's Education Chairman, Senator Brandon Creighton, to chat through the legislative session and how school choice and public education proposals are making their way through the legislature. The conversation is available

wherever you listen to podcasts. 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.