The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - October 1, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy, folks, today is Wednesday, October 1st, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans assistant editor Rob Lauchess, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, judicial scrutiny of Texas's new congressional map will begin this week before a three-judge panel in El Paso, in a continuation of a year's long lawsuit over the state's redistricting. after the last U.S. census. At the behest of President Donald Trump, Texas Republicans in 2025 underwent a mid-decade redraw of the state's congressional map, intended to net the GOP five more winnable seats next year. But before the elections are held under the new lines, the courts must consider the legal challenge against them by Democratic-aligned groups and individuals.

Starting point is 00:00:53 The underlying case had already been underway since the current maps passed in 2021, and a for week bench trial was held in May before the legislature began its redraw during this summer's special sessions. Existing plaintiffs, including the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, asked the court to reopen that trial for testimony following political developments that unfolded during consideration of a new map. But the court denied that request, instead choosing to wait for the new map to pass. The legal challenge against the 2025 redistricting was then folded into the existing 2021. case. Next, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has proposed new rules requiring a student to be lawfully present in the United States to be eligible for in-state tuition waivers.

Starting point is 00:01:42 This move from the board comes after a series of events, including actions from both the state and federal governments that resulted in a U.S. District Court judge scrapping the Texas Dream Act. In June, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a legal complaint in Texas, arguing that provisions of the Texas Education Code allow illegal aliens to qualify for in-state tuition. The Texas Dream Act, which was passed in 2001, extended qualification for in-state tuition to non-citizen residents who lived in Texas for three years before graduating from high school, lived in Texas the year before enrolling at a university in the state, and signed an affidavit declaring their intention to apply for permanent residency. In other news, in a new twist on the legal

Starting point is 00:02:28 dust up over a restaurant chain named after the 45th and 47th president, the owners of Trump Burger Kima filed a federal lawsuit Friday, accusing landlord Archie Patterson of trademark infringement, breach of contract, and civil theft, and are asking the court for damages and injunctive relief. According to the complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the four owners of Trump Burger Kema LLC entered a five-year commercial lease with Patterson's company in January 2025. The owners agreed to pay $20,000 for the transfer of Patterson's liquor license, but say that Patterson refused to transfer the license unless all Trump Berger employees were transferred to the payroll of his entity, All Tech's personnel. On April 8th,

Starting point is 00:03:17 Patterson officially created Maga Burger Houston LLC and listed himself as the managing member. He then registered the name Maga Burger USA LLC as an assumed name for Trump Burger on April 14th. Following a disagreement over the purchase price and Patterson eliciting Kima Police to remove Trump Burger employees from the premises, the plaintiffs allege the location has continued to operate using their equipment and merchandise since June, initially as Trump Burger, but now as Maga Burger, and all credit card payment systems have been rerouted to Patterson's companies. Last but not least, the Texas Education Agency updated its teacher incentive allotment program, expanding opportunities for teachers to qualify for performance-based raises and standardizing

Starting point is 00:04:06 the statewide scoring system. The TIA program was originally created through House Bill 3 in the 86th legislative session, with the stated goal of, quote, providing districts with systems and funding to recruit promising new teachers, retaining their best teachers, and incentive intensivising teachers to work in high-needs schools and difficult-to-staff positions. TIA funding was expanded during the 89th legislative session in House Bill 2. Teachers will now be evaluated with a two-part system that combines observation data with student growth measurement. In the past, districts could determine their own waiting for these factors, but new rules standardized the scoring statewide. Thanks for listening.

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The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - October 1, 2025

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