The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - September 9, 2025

Episode Date: September 9, 2025

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Howdy, folks, today's Tuesday, September 9th, 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, State Representative James Talariko finally made official his long-expected run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Senator John Cornyn on Tuesday. For years, Talariko has cemented himself as one of the most prolific spokesman for the minority party in the Texas House, most recently as one of the go-to interviews for national outlets during the August quorum break. His July appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast prefaced a bid for higher office, showing his desire to expand the audience for his brand of progressive politics. He joins a Democratic field headlined by former Congressman Colin Allred,

the 2024 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate against Senator Ted Cruz. Next, Governor Greg Abbott has called for the firing of a Texas A&M professor, a senior lecturer in the English Department of the College of Arts and Sciences. State Representative Brian Harrison posted multiple screenshots and videos to social media on Monday, alleging to be from a children's literature course, including themes such as, quote, my gay agenda, end quote, queer melancholia theory, and the idea that sex does not determine gender. Harrison shared a video with audio of a student questioning the legality of, quote,

promoting gender ideology, end quote, in class, citing one of President Donald Trump's executive orders from earlier this year. The professor told the student on video, quote, if you are uncomfortable in this class, you do have the right to leave, and, quote, what we are doing is not illegal, and if you would like to make the claim, you need to talk to the department head. Also, the Texas Education Agency has released updated guidelines for how Texas public schools should approach the implementation of Senate Bill 12, known as the Parent Bill of Rights, after recent reports of school nurses not providing first aid to students. One aspect of SB 12 that caused distress and confusion among lawmakers,

parents and schools alike is the requirement for school districts to receive documents, documentation of notice and consent from parents for their child to receive, quote, medical, psychiatric, and psychological treatment. State Representative Jeff Leach posted a letter on social media that he sent to T.EA Commissioner Mike Marath last week regarding, quote, concerns with the implementation, end quote, of SB 12, after reports of how, quote, some school districts are taking an all or nothing approach, end quote, to the new policy requirements. which has resulted in band-aids and ice packs being withheld from children. Following the publication of the letter, which was also signed by the bill author State Senator Brandon Creighton, reports of children not being treated for certain general care services began being made public. In other news, following a three-year legal battle and defiance of a state lawmakers' requests for information, the city of Kima has released an investigation report on former police chief Holland Jones,

which was written by an attorney who represents the city in multiple lawsuits, including one mentioned in an officer's complaint. After receiving written complaints about Jones in April 2022, the city hired attorney William Bill Helfand of law firm Lewis, Brisbaw, Biscard, and Smith, to conduct an investigation. Healthend is often hired to represent the city through the Texas Municipal League. In a version of the report released by the city this week, he concluded that Jones likely violated city and police department policy

and improperly reported officer discharge designations to the Texas Commission on law enforcement. The investigation did not find any information to suggest Jones violated state or federal law, quote, regarding hostile work environment, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, or improper denial of overtime wages. Last but not least, The 139th State Fair of Texas will include a new set of safety and security measures for the more than 2 million attendees of the North Texas event, including a ban on carrying firearms. The State Fair of Texas came under scrutiny from state lawmakers and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2024 after it announced that all firearms would be banned on the fairgrounds. The decision came following a shooting at the 2023 State Fair.

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