CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS | By Gary Borders
The Texas Senate last week passed a bill to allow school districts to set aside time for in-school prayer and gave initial approval to require all schools to post a copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
The Austin American-Statesman reported the two measures were priorities of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over that chamber.
“Religious freedom is a bedrock principle upon which America was founded, recognizing our rights come directly from God, not the government,” Patrick said in
a statement. SB11 would give districts the option to schedule time each day for employees and students to pray or read “the Bible and other religious texts.” Anyone who participates would have to sign a waiver they are taking part voluntarily and would not sue the district.
State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, questioned whether the bill violates the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, which states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”
SB10 would require a copy of the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every classroom.
A similar measure in Louisiana has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge.
Bill filed to abolish TPWD
A Waco lawmaker has filed a bill to abolish the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and transfer its duties to the Texas General Land Office, Department of Agriculture and Department of Public Safety, the Houston Chronicle reported.
State Rep. Pat Curry, R-Waco, filed the legislation to disperse TPWD’s various duties but did not respond to requests for comment on what spurred filing the bill.
Under his proposal, the land office would take over parks, natural areas, wildlifemanagement areas, fish hatcheries, historic sites, and other public land. The agriculture department would oversee conservation and management of native plants and wildlife, as well as hunting and fishing.
DPS would manage all law enforcement duties, such as game wardens.
TPWD employees would be transferred to the agencies overseeing the new duties.
An emailed statement from TPWD said, in part: “Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proud of the important role our agency plays in managing Texas land and waters in coordination with our partners and private landowners to provide for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation. Our 89 state parks welcome more than 9 million visitors each year.”
Paxton mulls 2026 run against Cornyn
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is raising money for a possible primary challenge against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn next year, the Chronicle reported.
“I think I can win if I have $20 million,” Paxton, 62, told Punchbowl News.
Cornyn, 73, spent more than $36 million on his 2020 successful reelection campaign and had $4 million in his campaign account when the year began. He is completing his fourth six-year term as a U.S. senator.
While Cornyn, a Republican, has never won less than 75% in previous Senate primaries, Paxton says he’s vulnerable.
“I think it’s just time,” Paxton said. “He’s had his chance. He hasn’t performed well and the voters know it. You can go a long time without people paying attention, and they’re paying attention now.”
Bill seeks to improve state’s wildfire response
A Panhandle legislator whose district and his own property were affected by last year’s wildfire that burned more than 1 million acres has filed a bill to create a statewide system connecting all first responders and government agencies to the same network, The Texas Tribune reported.
State Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, filed House Bill 13 earlier this month. It would create The Texas Interoperability Council, which would be charged with creating a statewide plan for the use of emergency equipment and infrastructure.
King led an investigative committee last year after the wildfires. “The first-responder community will tell you it takes three meetings in the middle of a disaster before everybody starts moving in the same direction,” King said. “When that wildfire is moving 60 mph, that’s too long.”
A similar measure has been filed in the Senate.
As of March 23, the Texas A&M Forest Service was assisting with three active wildfires. The largest was the Pauline Road Fire in San Jacinto County, consuming 2,421 acres and 65% contained. Currently, 147 counties have burn bans in place.
Measles cases now top 300 in state
The number of confirmed measles cases in Texas now totals 309 as of March 21, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, with 40 hospitalizations and one fatality.
Of that number, 211 have been in Gaines County, in West Texas. All but two of those contracting the disease were not vaccinated, according to DSHS.
Declining childhood vaccination rates have left parts of the state vulnerable to a measles outbreak, Dr. Peter Hotez told the Chronicle last week. Hotez is the codirector of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.
He said he expects the outbreak will continue to grow due to an increase in non-medical vaccine exemptions among Texas children over the past decade.
“It’s like a hurricane passing over warm Caribbean waters,” Hotez said. “As long as there’s warm Caribbean waters — in this case, large populations of unvaccinated kids — this epidemic is going to continue.”
Two-thirds of the reported cases involve children younger than 17.
DOJ drops stateimmigration law case, others don’t The U.S. Justice Department has dropped its lawsuit against a 2023 state law that allowed local and state law enforcement to arrest and deport undocumented migrants, The Dallas Morning News reported.
However, El Paso County and two migrant advocacy groups are continuing their case, which is set for trial on July 8.
The law has been blocked from being enforced by multiple rulings until the trial is concluded.
Under former President Joe Biden, the Justice Department sued Texas, arguing the federal government solely is responsible for enforcing federal immigration laws.
Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@ texaspress.com.
