The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - July 17, 2026

Starting point is 00:00:04 Well, howdy folks. Today is Friday, July 17th, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texan's senior editor Rob Lauchess, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, as Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson left office on Friday morning, Governor Greg Abbott appointed his Director of Legislative Affairs and Senior Advisor Robert Houdon to the position. Abbott wrote of Howden in a June 17th press release, quote, His experience in the legislative process and extensive public service have prepared him to protect the integrity of Texas elections and represent our state with strength on the global stage. The office oversees the state's elections and also manages official and commercial business records. Howden will serve as interim secretary of state until his confirmation by the Texas Senate when the legislature reconvenes in January.

Starting point is 00:00:59 Nelson announced her retirement on June 3rd, highlighting accomplishments such as having presided over seven statewide elections with a total of 27 million ballots cast, secured funding for a military ballot initiative to be used in the November general election, and launching the Texas Express, described as a, quote, expedited filing service allowing businesses access to same day and next day filing options. Next, a Lavaca County Justice of the Peace who was arrested earlier this month on felony charges committed suicide on Thursday as law enforcement agents attempted to arrest him a second time. Precinct 2, Justice of the Peace, Travis Mitchell Hill was arrested on July 11th on first-degree felony charges of compelling prostitution, second-degree sexual assault, and solicitation of prostitution,

Starting point is 00:01:51 but reportedly had been released on bond. Usually, compelling prostitution is upgraded to a first-degree felony when the victim is a minor. The Lavaca County Sheriff's Office was made aware of allegations against Hill six weeks ago, but since Hill was an elected official and a practicing criminal defense attorney, Lavaca County Attorney James Reeves recused himself and referred the case to the Texas Office of the Attorney General. The Texas Rangers were leading the investigation. Hill did not appear for a pretrial appointment on Monday when he was supposed to receive an ankle monitor. The U.S. Marshals' office was assisting local law enforcement with locating him

Starting point is 00:02:30 on Thursday. In other news, Austin City Councilmember Jose Cito Vela admitted of the city's dwindling property tax base during a budget discussion on Thursday, saying, quote, we're settling into a new reality. Property values are declining in Austin for the first time since the Great Recession, prompting the city to consider budget cuts and a tax hike after years of dependable revenue growth. Under pressure to limit spending, council members disagreed on which departments to trim, with police and social services programs especially coming under scrutiny and dividing the council. The city expects its total taxable property value to shrink 3.4% from $230 billion in fiscal year 2026 to $22 billion in fiscal year 2017, according to the Austin Budget and Organizational

Starting point is 00:03:21 Excellence Office. Austin isn't the only local government suffering from post-pandemic housing deflation. San Antonio and Dallas also face budget shortfalls due in part to a decline in property tax revenue, and Harris County's expected property value growth might not materialize. Austin will adopt a final budget between August 12th and August 14th. Last but not least, Texas climbed from 31st in 2025 to 19th this year in the First Liberty Institute's annual ranking of state religious liberty protections. The rankings come from the 2026 Religious Liberty and the States Index, created by the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy, which is intended to encourage the

Starting point is 00:04:04 support and promotion of religion as a public good. The center is a division of First Liberty and non-profit legal group that defends religious freedom. The center evaluates states using 50 legal measures across 20 categories, which it refers to as safeguards. A score of 100% would mean the state provides the center's ideal safeguards for religious freedom. No state achieved a perfect score, but Arkansas, which ranked number one, was well ahead of Texas. Arkansas earned 89% while Texas received a score of 43%, up from its 2025 score of 34%. 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.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - July 17, 2026

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