The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - July 28, 2025

Episode Date: July 28, 2025

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Howdy folks, today is Monday, July 28th, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lauschis, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the Texas House and Senate began their appraisal of the flooding calamity that hit the Hill Country earlier this month, with a lengthy initial hearing last week and another to come in Kerrville later this week. More than 130 people across central Texas died during the flash flood that occurred along the Guadalupe River and its tributaries. The worst of the damage occurred in Kerrville, which suffered

more than 100 casualties, including nearly 30 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic. The death and destruction stretched from San Saba to Williamson County. As of earlier this week, two people in Kerr County remain unaccounted for from the flood. The legislature's Joint Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding convened on Wednesday in their first of at least two hearings with members of both chambers. Next, House Bill 5 is also being passed. The House Bill 5 is also being passed. The House Bill 5 is also being passed. Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding convened on Wednesday in their first of at least two hearings with members of both chambers. Next, House Bill 5 is authored by Representative Gary Van Deaver, a different author than the one who carried the regulation bill during the regular session.

Both the House and Senate are proposing a prohibition on any product with cannabinoids other than CBD or CBG from being sold in Texas, with a 21-year-old age restriction on who can purchase the remaining legal products from retailers. With no variation in language between the chambers on the issue, both bodies begin in the same place on the intended direction of regulating and controlling the sale of these products, just as they did at the end of the regular session. In other news, the Houston branch of US Immigration

and Customs Enforcement arrested 214 illegal aliens who have either been charged with or convicted of child sex offenses over the past six months, more than it arrested in all of fiscal year 2024. Among the five illegal aliens captured and highlighted in an ICE press release issued on Monday, four were from Mexico and were deported back there following their arrests.

ICE enforcement and removal operations, Houston Acting Field Office Director Paul McBride said in the press release, quote, bringing together the resources and expertise of the entire federal law enforcement community to confront the overwhelming surge of illegal immigration that we saw over the past four years has resulted in the arrest and removal

of historic numbers of violent criminal aliens, transnational gang members, and child sex offenders. Also, three Dallas residents, via their legal representation through the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, serve notice to the city of their intent to sue under the state preemption law known as the Death Star Bill. In a July 23rd letter to the city of Dallas, the prospective plaintiffs claim that the city has, quote, injured them by enforcing ordinances that are preempted by state law in violation of the Texas Constitution.

House Bill 2127, also known as the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, preempts local governments from adopting ordinances that exceed what is allowed by the state government in nine areas of code. Agriculture, Business and Commerce, finance, insurance, labor, local government, natural resources, occupations, and property. Last but not least, after the upheaval that took place in Keller Independent School District earlier this year,

when it was considering a plan to divide the district and spin off a new Alliance ISD, some operations appear to have settled down in the Northeast Tarrant County District. The Keller ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to hire a new superintendent, elevating interim superintendent Corey Wilson to the permanent position.

Wilson replaces Tracy Johnson, who resigned during the detachment controversy. Keller ISD Board President John Burt said in a press statement, quote, Since his appointment as interim superintendent, the board has been pleased with Dr. Wilson's leadership. This vote confirms the board's full confidence and faith in Dr.

Wilson's ability to lead KISD, and we're excited to have him at the helm. Wilson has been a part of Keller ISD for 23 years, having joined the district in 2002 as a fifth grade science and math teacher. He moved into an administrative role in 2004 as an assistant principal, and in 2013 moved into district administration.

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