The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - July 22, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy folks, today's Tuesday, July 22nd, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lauschus, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, Governor Greg Abbott has tasked the Texas legislature with taking up 18 issues during the special session that began on July 21, including regulating hemp derived THC products, congressional redistricting and flood response measures. Abbott joined the Texan to talk about the issues that state lawmakers will take up during the 30 day sprint.

Starting point is 00:00:41 Visit thetexan.news for a transcript of that conversation. Next, the Texas Legislature has been tasked with regulating the manufacture and sale of THC in Texas during this year's first special session, an issue that created a political firestorm from both inside and outside the Capitol. Senate Bill 3, commonly referred to as banning THC in Texas, flowered into one of the most attention-grabbing debates during the 89th legislative session. While it passed the House and Senate, Governor Greg Abbott sent its hopes up in smoke with a midnight veto, dropping it straight into

Starting point is 00:01:18 the legislative compost heap. Now lawmakers have another chance at the issue, as it has been named a top priority for the special session. The issue of banning hemp-derived THC products in the state was not front of mind for many Texans before Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick issued a press release in December last year. He made the bold statement that a bill will, quote, ban all forms of THC and keep these unsafe products off our streets. Current state law in Texas allows for the sale of cannabidiol, or CBD, industrial hemp products, and low THC cannabis derivatives such as Delta-8 and Delta-9.

Starting point is 00:01:57 Consumable hemp products like tinctures, snacks, and beverages cannot contain more than 0.3% THC. There is currently no minimum age to purchase consumable hemp products in Texas. In other news, legislation separating biological males from women's private spaces and vice versa is set to take the stage once again in the Texas Capitol as one of Governor Greg Abbott's items for this year's special session, after a similar bill died in committee during the regular session. The Texas Women's Privacy Act, or House Bill 239, was filed during the 89th regular session by State Representative Valerie Swanson, resembling a nearly identical piece of legislation filed in 2017 that was also brought up during a special session, although it ultimately failed to pass.

Starting point is 00:02:45 Swanson filed HB 32, the special session version of the so-called bathroom bill on July 14th. Identical to the legislation filed during the regular session, it seeks to establish a statewide standard for private spaces such as locker rooms or bathrooms in publicly funded facilities such as prisons or domestic violence shelters. The bill stated that such spaces, quote, must be designated based on

Starting point is 00:03:11 biological sex as stated on a person's original birth certificate. Also, the federal government has increased its attention on the New World screw worm after it reappeared in Mexico, with the Texas House Agriculture and Livestock Committee beginning the special session Monday by taking up issues concerning the man eater fly. The US previously conducted elimination efforts in the 1950s and successfully eradicated the New World screw worm in 1966. The parasite causes tremendous damage to livestock

Starting point is 00:03:43 such as cattle, pigs, and horses by laying eggs on the tissue of a wound, which hatch into larvae and then burrow and feed on the flesh, leading to tissue destruction, infection, and even death. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a sweeping five-pronged plan last month to combat the growing New World screwworm issue after it re-emerged in recent months. The US has had to close the southern border to livestock trade on multiple occasions. Last but not least, Keller Mayor Armin Mizani announced last week that the city will become the first in Tarrant County and the largest in Texas to formally partner with US Immigration and Customs

Starting point is 00:04:23 Enforcement through the 287G program. Section 287G with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement through the 287G program. Section 287G of the Immigration and Naturalization Act authorizes agreements between ICE and local law enforcement agencies to, quote, perform limited immigration law enforcement functions after receiving appropriate training. Mizani said in his statement, quote, in Keller we enforce the law and we keep our family safe. As mayor, I push to see our city partner with ICE so that criminals can be held accountable

Starting point is 00:04:53 under both state and federal law. This is exactly the kind of bold Trump style policy we need more of in Austin, end quote. Mizani has announced his candidacy for Texas Senate District 9. 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.

Your Ad Here

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - July 22, 2025

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