The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - May 13, 2025

Episode Date: May 13, 2025

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Howdy folks, today is Tuesday, May 13th and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans reporter Cameron Abrams and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, state lawmakers moved closer to approving one of Governor Greg Abbott's key priorities Monday night with a vote on legislation that would require the mandatory detention of certain violent suspects without bail, among other criminal justice reform. During a meeting of the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, Chair John Smithy brought forth a substitute bill for Senate

Joint Resolution 5, a companion bill to his House Joint Resolution 15, a proposal to amend the Texas Constitution's stipulation that suspects must be given bail. Earlier this session, the Texas Senate gave bipartisan approval to SJR 5, authored by Senator Joan Huffman, but constitutional amendments required the support of two-thirds of each chamber and House Democrats and a few Republicans balked at some aspects of the proposal. Next, legislation expanding Texas residents' ability to crack down on chemical abortion products and distributors through civil lawsuits passed the Texas Senate while its House companion

remains pending in committee. Senate Bill 2880 by Senator Brian Hughes and its companion Rep Jeff Leach's House Bill 5510, also known as the Women and Child Protection Act, allows Texas residents to file private lawsuits against vendors producing and distributing chemical abortion drugs, which would result in a fine of $100,000. It also allows the parents of a child aborted through chemical abortion pills to sue under

quote wrongful death claims, which would be utilized in cases where either parent seeks to penalize the producer of the pills, the mother who took the pills unbeknownst to the father or the father made the mother take the pills by fraud or force. In other news, a resolution that would have amended the Texas Constitution to prevent the legislature from imposing attacks on carbon emissions sparked fiery discussion between the State House of Representatives front and back mics on Monday prior to its unsuccessful passage through the lower chamber.

With 93 a's and 47 a's, House Joint Resolution 138 by Representative Daniel Alders ultimately failed the House on Monday afternoon, leaving a cloud of dust behind it as it highlighted one of the major priority differences between the Democratic and Republican Party platform, climate change, or the lack thereof. HJR 138 sought to take preemptive action, anticipating a time when the Republicans may not have a majority in the legislature and Democrats could seek to impose a tax on carbon content of fuel or greenhouse gas emissions. Also, this week, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill aimed at expanding and reforming

the Texas Compassionate Use Program by broadening access to medical cannabis for Texans suffering from a wide range of qualifying conditions. Representative Ken King laid out House Bill 46 on the floor, arguing the legislation is necessary because, quote, Texans still struggle to get access to the medicine they're legally allowed to receive. The Texas Compassionate Use Act enacted in 2015 allows physicians to prescribe low dose THC for patients with specific medical conditions

such as incurable neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder. With HB46, T-Cup will be expanded to new qualifying medical conditions, including glaucoma, traumatic brain injuries, Crohn's disease, or any terminal illness or condition where a patient is receiving hospice or palliative care. Last but not least,

the Tarrant County Commissioner's Court is considering five maps for redistricting the current four commissioner precincts, with all looking to make significant changes to the maps for precincts one and two. The decision is currently planned for June 3rd. In April, the Commissioner's Court voted three to two to approve a $30,000 contract with Public

Interest Legal Foundation to provide quote advice and consulting services regarding redistricting for county commissioners districts for the upcoming 2026 primary election and 2026 general election. After the 2020 census, the Tarrant County Commissioner precinct map were not redrawn. Now, three of the commissioners voted to have them reconsidered and possibly redrawn mid-decade. In 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court largely upheld the Texas Legislature's drawing of new districts mid-decade in LULAC v. Perry. Thanks for listening. To support The Texan, please be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access

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