Pratt on Texas

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Taylor County Republican Party Chairman Ryan Goodwin joins us to explain why the TCRP has begun a Rule 44 censure process against HD71 State Representative Stan Lambert of Abilene. A formal meeting the public may attend is set for Monday, 9 June 2025 at 7 p.m. at  the MCM Elegante hotel.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.State sales tax collections come in strong for May.Nolte: Sen. John Cornyn's Reelection Poll Numbers Worsen. More hints from voters that Cornyn should retire.Key items, not previously covered, out of the 89th Legislature: Texas to expand voting on weekends for next presidential election – Two bad things here. We don't need more early voting and election workers need the break before the Tuesday Election Day. Also, holding Early Vote results until Election Day vote is counted is ridiculous. Conflict of Interest? House Republicans Urge Abbott to Veto Appraisal Board Bill. – This is a terrible Democrat bill that Stan Lambert and others voted for. It is a terrible conflict of interest. Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Today endeth the 89th Texas Legislature as the 140 days have come to an end. Three big bills that were thought to be likely to pass did not. One of them puts election integrity in Texas in peril and is a handout to the “community organizers” of the Left; another is a big surprise to the public school folks as the effort to end the STAAR test failed at the last moment, and; the third is that a much needed judicial pay raise bill failed all because the old problem of legislators having linked their substantial pensions (yeah, I know you thought they didn't really get paid) to that of the state's judges.But, they did manage to spend a bunch of money and provide a meaningful property tax relief package (it could have been much larger.)Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Bad news: U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear GOP activist's lawsuit challenging Texas Ethics Commission's lobbying fine.Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Major Victory Against Border NGO Allegedly Harboring Illegal Aliens. The ruling from the Texas Supreme Court is very interesting, read it here.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: More coverage from the final days of the 89th Texas Legislature which must end on Tuesday, 2 June.Election integrity still in jeopardy; a bill passes stripping school districts of asserting Sovereign Immunity in sexual abuse cases, and; much more including: Gun Rights Advocates Achieve Big Legislative Victories Legislation on school funding, water, land ownership advances  SB 4 & SB 23 Head to Gov's Desk, Part of $10 Billion in Property Tax Cuts & Relief Concrete Plants, Microchip Manufacturers Fight in Closing Days of Legislative Session New rules over state employees' ability to work at home are on their way to becoming law Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Governor Abbott names student regents for state universities.Oil and gas rig count.Border and illegal immigration news including: 600-foot protective buffer zone established around Anson's Bluebonnet Detention Facility Supreme Court Lets Trump Strip 500,000 Migrants Of Legal Status Illegal Aliens, Texans Arrested in 29 Count Drug Trafficking Indictment Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Bills that have passed; bills still in play, and; bills that were killed or failed – another update in these closing days of the 89th Texas Legislature.Also, you'll hear from Senator Bettencourt and Lieutenant Governor Patrick on the successful property tax relief package that has passed. We are very fortunate that the House decided to largely go along with the Senate's focus on increasing the Homestead Exemption. You can watch the full press conference from this afternoon here.Other items covered: Paxton Urges Texas House to Pass Legislation to Ensure the Prosecution of Voter Fraud and Uphold Election Integrity TPPF Urges Members to Oppose House Bill 2512 Gov. Abbott Signs $16B Housing Fix, HB 21 to End Abusive Housing Finance Tax Deals Sen.Bettencourt's SB 38 to End Texas' Squatters Crisis Heads to Gov's Desk to Become Law! Texas to expand how schools discipline students HB 4 Passes Senate 23-8 to Restore A-F Ratings, Replace Outdated STAAR, & Halt Lawfare ‘Orphan' oil wells targeted in new law headed to Gov. Abbott's desk State Lawmakers Approve Judicial Pay Raise, New Transparency and Accountability Standards $1.5B investment in Texas' film program headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk – Investment!? Give away to the movie industry. Local Gun “Buyback” Ban Heads to Abbott's Desk Texas House Kills Bill That Could Have Saved 19,000 Babies a Year– more on this travesty in this story:  Abortion pill crackdown, trans ‘bathroom bill' die in Texas House Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Houston Ends Traffic Stop Quotas in Unanimous VoteListen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: A big deadline for the Texas House passed this morning and as usual, many good bills died because leadership waited until the very end of the session to get to work hearing and voting on bills. I review key items that failed and passed including: Texas bill allowing colleges to pay athletes OK'd in Senate Automatic Denial of Bail for Certain Violent Crimes Narrowly Fails in Texas House –  absences give Dems a big win that will cost lives Bill that holds local governments accountable to follow state law allowed to time-out in the House “The People's Veto” Approved by Texas Legislature Texas lawmakers say state documents must list biological sex (the only kind of “sex” there is!) Senate Passes Women's Bill of Rights “Anti-Red Flag Act” advances in House Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Dallas Fed report on the Texas Service Sector and retail sales.Space historian Robert Zimmerman of BehindtheBlack.com joins us to explain what went right and wrong in yesterday evening's SpaceX Starship & Superheavy launch test from Starbase, Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: It's the final days of the 89th Texas Legislature. Here are some of the late breaking items covered today: Texas Poised to Enforce Age Verification on Apple, Google App Stores House Approves Legislation to Protect Students From Sexual Content – or how the Leftist media characterizes it: Texas Legislature poised to implement sweeping restrictions on school libraries. $2.5 Billion Water Infrastructure Deal, Additional 20-Year Annual $1 Billion Struck Texas Legislature moves to observe daylight saving time year-round – federal law would have to change first Tort reform: New limits for personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits may become a reality in Texas. ERCOT would get a ‘kill switch' for large consumers under bill passed in House Democrats kill bill to stop bum encampments in Texas cities Dems run down the clock to defeat Texas ‘SAVE' act and Lege's most-restrictive abortion bill. – two important bills and who controls “the clock?” House leadership does. Leftist press pretends that “transgender” folk have special “rights” that Republicans are “targeting.“ Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas manufacturing production steady – Dallas Fed report.Texas Lottery scandal now includes guilty pleas in federal investigation. But lawmakers didn't have the guts to shut it all down.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The House and Senate are working in these final days of the 89th Texas Legislature with the House working all through the weekend. There is much to catch you up on and that includes the stories below plus much more on the show: House approves bill to save beleaguered Texas Lottery, here are the changes House committee pushes Texas [un]Ethics Commission out of sunset safety net bill Texas foods win round in fight over labeling high-fructose corn syrup as unfit for humans Texas bill OK'ing homes on smaller lots resurrected in House Bill banning DEI in public schools, tightening parental control clears House School Prayer Times and Classroom Ten Commandments Legislation Pass Texas Legislature, Head to Abbott House agrees to subsidize film industry with our money up to $300,000,000 per biennium Texas public universities on verge of having new restrictions after House approves plan Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.5th Circuit rules against library-libs in Llano: Library patrons have no First Amendment right to force libraries to include their points of view. This is an important and correct ruling and its reasons are well expressed in the opinion.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Much from the 89th Texas Legislature in its waning days filled with deadlines. There is a big stack of items related to government public schools: It's Time to Truly Protect Our Kids from Obscene Materials – SB 13 Lawmakers Look to Slash School Superintendents' Severance Pay – HB 610 Lawmakers begin negotiations on how to scrap the STAAR test Texas schools should get more flexibility on student discipline, Senate decides Also, Rep. Ken King's name comes up again as the person blocking key conservative legislation: Bill to stop flow of abortion pills into Texas clears House panel.Other bills mentioned: Senate hears HB 229 on defining sex terms in state law Texas bill requires health records list sex assigned at birth – moronic, ignorant people at the Texas Tribune; people are not “assigned” their sex at birth. People are born male or female. Time Running Out for Senate To Pass GOP-Backed Bill Ending In-State Tuition for Illegals SB 1333 passes the House with changes – deals with squatters Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.UT-RGV sued for allegedly discriminating against non-Spanish-speaking professors.Trump Admin. backs Texas A.G. Paxton's antitrust suit against financial titans to ‘Protect Coal.'Oil & gas rig count falls.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The Texas House gets it right, does not cave into the fallacy that selling THC to get people “high” is a productive “industry” we must save in Texas. I talk about this and the good role of Senator Perry and the bad role of Rep. Ken King.Other key items from the Legislature: Texas lawmakers OK bills on handgun licenses, cryptocurrency, AI abuses Texas House passes bill clarifying abortion ban exception – unnecessary and pleases the baby killers because it opens up a way to make more and more abortion legal. House Advances Legislation to Block Local Abortion Travel Funding Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Attorney General Ken Paxton Urges Congress to Pass National Constitutional Concealed Carry LegislationFrom the border and illegal immigration stack: 60 Illegal Aliens Convicted for Illegally Entering Trump's National Defense Area in Texas $12 billion for border spending reimbursement added spending bill in Congress Twice-Deported Sexual Predator Arrested Again At Texas Border VIDEO: Gunman Kills Top Mexico City Officials – but La Presidenta says “no help needed!” Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Report says a deal has been struck on the now $8.5 billion increase in funds for Texas public schools between the House and Senate.On the get-high THC front, where Rep. Ken King and other House members are working hard to keep THC-infused drinks and edibles for sale in Texas (shameful!,) the bill was postponed again yesterday and the House adjourned without hearing it. You really should read: Fight heats up over hemp-based THC on eve of House vote as Lt. Gov. Patrick weighs in Veterans, Parents, Liquor, and Beer: The Complicated Lobby Fight Over Texas' Proposed THC Ban Other items covered from the Legislature include: Rep. Ken King is still blocking the Texas Women's Privacy Act - call his office at 512-463-0736 and ask for a hearing of SB 240. Effort To Remove the Marvin Nichols Reservoir Project From State Water Plan Dies in House Texas passes bill to protect utility workers from assault Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Number of 'Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn' Grows to 58; Big Sandy passes full ordinance.As promised, this link: Northside ISD sued over teacher's alleged 'Go back to Africa' comment.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Texas House passes property tax relief package and we're lucky they went mostly with the Senate's version. Bail reform passes the House finally but not until Democrats significantly watered it down.And today is set to be the big “Rope, not Dope” vote on THC and hemp. See these two stories to get an idea of what a mess Rep. Ken King has the House in: Fight heats up over hemp-based THC on eve of House vote as Lt. Gov. Patrick weighs in Veterans, Parents, Liquor, and Beer: The Complicated Lobby Fight Over Texas' Proposed THC Ban Other items from the 89th Legislature mentioned: Texas State Fair Legislation Protecting 2A Rights on Public Property Advances from House Committee – contact members of the Calendars Committee immediately and demand it be set for a vote on the House floor. Special Interests Pressuring Abbott to Veto Real Housing Reform: Why HB 21 Deserves to Become Law – correct Schools could only use B.C./A.D. date system under Texas bill – important and needs to pass. House bill orders Reese Technology Center to strengthen partnership with Texas Tech Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Double Anti-Wimp Update: Armed robbery fails due to armed victim One home invader killed, another arrested Harris County DA dismisses charges against prominent Republican donor Dr. Steven Hotze previously charged by Kim OggHackers give Abilene, TX one week to pay ransom after cyber attack.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Lubbock native, Brownfield born, man to be the new chief of the George W. Bush Presidential Library as well as the overall Bush Center. Shilo Brooks was announced today as the new president and CEO of the Bush Center. The Lubbock High School graduate's mother, Bettina, still lives in Lubbock.“[His parents] named him Shilo, after a character in a novel by their favorite Western author, Louis L'Amour.He narrowly escaped his father's choice of Bocephus — Hank Williams Jr.'s nickname. “I'm the luckiest man in the world for not being named that,” Brooks said with a laugh.“Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Attorney General investigation finds insurance company did nothing illegal in compiling information on lawmakers and others but, legislators sailed through a bill to protect themselves from “spying” If anyone needs watching, it is elected officials!Taiwanese silicon wafer-maker GlobalWafers opens $3.5 billion factory in Sherman.Supreme Court lets Trump end Venezuelan migrants' protected status for now. Plus much other border news including: Tom Homan: Biden-Released, Sex-Trafficked 14-Year-Old Migrant Child Rescued in Texas ICE: Guatemalan Illegal Alien Faked Family Photo to Sponsor 2 Unaccompanied Teens Three U.S. State Department Advisors Gunned Down at Taco Stand in Mexico U.S. DOJ Slaps Terrorism Charges on Woman Accused of Getting Grenades for Jalisco Cartel Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: House leadership engineers a bill massacre, including many conservative priority bills, by running out the clock at midnight this morning. First legislative deadline of Texas session slashes 80% of bills in House. Texas House deadline leaves hundreds of bills as casualties.But, of course, the Burrows BurrowCrat leadership team found time to spend passing this law that has nothing but symbolic affect: Bill Decriminalizing Homosexual Conduct Passes Texas House.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas Senate Committee Passes New Version of Public School Funding, Teacher Pay Raise Bill.  Winners and losers in the Texas Legislature's school funding plan.Other items from the 89th Legislature: Lawmakers want penalties for local governments' campaign finance posting failures House bill requiring air conditioning in Texas prisons OK'd Senate advances ‘Trey's Law' to ban NDAs in sex abuse settlements Texas Labor Market Achieves Five Consecutive Months of Record High Jobs with More Than 37,000 Added in April – click for local unemployment rates.Baker Hughes' North America Rig Count Report – Texas loses the two gained last week.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Today is the first kill-the-bills-day in the Texas House. I comment on the following: Governor Abbott Signs Pro-Growth Business Legislation Into Law House Speaker Agrees to Senate's $8B School Funding Bill Texas bill passes to address ‘sexual abuse crisis' in public schools, more Ban on loudspeakers, masks at campus protests passes Senate Bill imposing caps on out-of-state campaign contributions passes Texas House House bill on lawsuits shelved after critics label it harmful to free speech – great news, the anti-SLAPP protection bill gets slapped down Junk science law changes pass Texas House – bad bill, lowers the standard so low that half the prison population could conceivably qualify; and at your expense. Texas House Passes Two Landmark Measures for Parental Rights Transactional Gold Legislation Moves Forward in Senate, Faces Pushback From Banking Lobbyist Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Attorney General Ken Paxton Reaches Agreement Requiring Travis County to Abide by the Texas Open Meetings Act and Other Government Transparency LawsMexico pays some water owed to U.S., a very small amount, before the October deadline.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Once again the Texas House and its Speaker appointed committee chairman are killing important legislation – with the clock. Why do they not have the integrity, or guts, to just admit they oppose certain bills? Well, because they have neither integrity or guts.But even with the sad reality of the same old bill killing going on, and much of it from Rep. Ken King, many good bills are making it through.Items from the 89th Legislature mentioned: Prohibition on Local Taxpayer-Funded Gun ‘Buybacks' Passes House TSRA calls for action today to support to important gun bills: SB 1362 and SB 1065. House Committee Kills Anti-ESG Effort in Late Vote Texas Values, National Groups Call for Texas House to Pass Texas Women's Privacy Act on ‘Women's Privacy Day of Action' Bill to protect parents against child abuse charges for refusing to go along with perversions of homosexuality and “trans” behavior passes House. House Passes Bipartisan Reform to Affordable Housing Tax Exemption Program House Transportation committee votes bill out that takes $25 million per year from Harris Co., gives it to City of Houston House panel debates proposal to penalize local governments any time a complaint is made that state law is being circumvented Details Emerge on Senate Remix of School Funding Bill Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.San Antonio mother accused of aiding in son's threats against local school.Five Texas cities make national cheapests cities in which to retire list. Amarillo, Brownsville, El Paso, Corpus Christi, and Lubbock.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Illegal use of foreign drivers is killing small Texas trucking companies, others are using the drivers illegal to underpay for labor, and we've had two decades of national emergency on the border importing 10 to 20 million illegal aliens into the country. Yet with all of that, Dumb, Deaf, and Blind – Drew Darby, Stan Lambert, and Ken King – voted for a Democrat's bill that has the State of Texas creating a guest worker program if the feds give permission. See: Texas House Rejects Mexican Guest Worker Program; 9 Republicans joined Democrats in an attempt to create the guest worker program.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Items from the 89th Legislature mentioned: Detransition Coverage Bill Clears Texas House, Heads to Governor's Desk Texas moves to restrict protests on college campuses Texas bill could eliminate Dallas' equity and inclusion office 1st Major Voter Integrity Bill Clears Legislature House OKs bill to expand medical marijuana provisions Texas Lottery critic is now providing the embattled agency a lifeline Senators Approve Measure Strengthening Right to Self-Defense What Do Bar Signs Have to Do with Gun Safety? House votes to scrap STAAR exam in favor of shorter tests U.S. Inflation Stays Cooler Than Expected, Prices Up 2.3%, Smallest Annual Increase Since February 2021. Oh, and: It Turns Out That Even More of Joe Biden's Jobs Creation Numbers Were Fake.Qatari 747 jumbo-jet Trump wants as Air Force One is in San Antonio.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: A Texas Supreme Court ruling last week is important in reminding local governments that the Legislature is in control of what they can and cannot do. It is also an important private property rights ruling: Texas Supreme Court Overturns Rulings in College Station Extra Territorial Jurisdiction Case.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.From the 89th Texas Legislature: Will $2.5B in new film incentives make Texas a conservative Hollywood? Texas allows certain children to get married. Lawmakers may close that loophole. – Dems are leading this and it is an almost complete contradiction of most all their positions on teenagers on other issues – the non-contradiction is their long held dislike of the nuclear family. Restrictions on minors' access to sexually explicit library books advances in Texas House. Texas House OKs excluding trans people from state records – the headline and parts of the story are blatant lies. Texas legislature passes bill addressing concrete batch plant regulation. Texas legislators target zoo trespassing with new bills – waste of time. Senate Leaderhip Fund poll shows Cornyn getting creamed by Paxton – as all other polls has shown. And, a far-Left union Democrat says he is running in TX19 to ultimately challenge Rep. Jody Arrington.Secretary Rollins Suspends Live Animal Imports Through Ports of Entry Along Southern Border, Effective Immediately. Sheinbaum calls US halt on Mexican cattle imports unfair. Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Much news out of the 89th Legislature in Austin including: Texas House Lawmakers Take Aim at Red Flag Laws Texas Renews Call for Convention of States To Curb Federal Power. TPPF Celebrates Passage of HJR 98, the Article V Convention of States Resolution How taxpayer funded “public media” sees the issue: Texas Senate passes bill that would allow teachers, students to misgender others without punishment Misgender protections for students, teachers, public employees passes Texas Senate House Lawmakers Pass Onerous Regulations for PAC Treasurers – from slime ball Darby. Tepper should have known to vote against this but instead supports the terrible bill. It should die in the Senate. Texas House Moves To Restore AG's Power To Prosecute Election Crimes Legislature Approves Bill Requiring Judges to Notify Attorney General Before Issuing Election Orders Age Verification, Parental Consent Requirement for App Downloads Passes Texas House Texas House OKs bill banning land sales to foreign entities Critical House Committee Hears Controversial Tort Reform Bill Texas Reacts to Delaware Musk Beef, Delays Business Court Growth Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.U.S. Rep. Jody Arrington (TX19) has a fine opinion piece in The Daily Caller: America Cannot Have Free Trade Without Fair Trade.Oil and gas drilling rig count – Texas up this week.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: A good concealed carry bill related to election polling places passes the Texas House. And, the “State Fair” bill has moved out of the Senate and needs a vote in the House.The Texas House, short of time, finds time to vote on a Democrat's bill to setup a state “guest worker” program but has not found time to move priority immigration items such as mandating e-Verify.Senate's time at school for prayer and scripture bill finally gets a hearing in a House committee.And the radical Left really hates this one: Bill to further restrict sexually explicit material from public school libraries gets House hearing.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Taylor County's judge and commissioners trending in the right direction on property tax breaks for a wind energy farm.Libs protesting at the illegal alien holding center in Anson miss the only point they have which is due process. People who entered our country without being subject to proper due process to get in, don't really deserve much of any due process to be deported.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Six indictments and arrests for alleged vote harvesting in South Texas follow a “multi-year investigation.” But don't worry, the media narrative remains: Vote cheating happens rarely, if at all. And, investigating allegations of such remains a way to harass minorities.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Local city sales tax numbers released by the Comptroller – report is much better than last month. Find your city's numbers here.89th Legislature items covered: Texas GOP closes in on goal of tightening bail rules Texas bill would allow Aoudad sheep to be hunted from helicopter Higher Education Employees Fight Reforms in House Hearing Increased oversight of Texas universities: micromanagement or strengthening workforce? Texas House may drop proposed restrictions on higher ed Texas bill would end in-state tuition for undocumented students Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Speaker of the Texas House Burrows, fires his general counsel and policy director. His holding the position to begin with shows the incestuous nature of the Austin power crowd and how they don't even notice such anymore. These types of conflicts of interests, often through self-serving “power couples,” are all too common in Austin and Washington.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Key bills are being held up by Rep. Ken King and pressure, from you, needs to be brought to bear.House State Affairs Committee Members:  Chairman Ken King (512) 463-0736 Vice Chairwoman Ana Hernandez (512) 463-0614 Rep. Rafael Anchia (512) 463-0746 Rep. Drew Darby (512) 463-0331 Rep. Yvonne Davis (512) 463-0598 Rep. Charlie Geren (512) 463-0610 Rep. Ryan Guillen (512) 463-0416 Rep. Lacy Hull (512) 463-0727 Rep. John McQueeney (512) 463-0608 Rep. Will Metcalf (512) 463-0726 Rep. Dade Phelan (512) 463-0706 Rep. Richard Pena Raymond (512) 463-0558 Rep. John T Smithee (512) 463-0702 Rep. Senfronia Thompson (512) 463-0720 Rep. Chris Turner (512) 463-0574  Also, pressure needs to be brought to the House Public Education committee to get a hearing and vote on HB 1313, banning taxpayer funded lobbying by school districts.Watch: Reining in the Texas Association of School Boards.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The Texas House and Senate appear to have made a deal on property tax relief that, if it holds, will remove a time consuming issue from the limited time left in the 89th Session. Overall it is a good deal. Read more here and here.Governor Abbott signed the landmark school choice bill, SB2, on Saturday. The unions are not happy: Texas AFL-CIO protests voucher program with banner at Governor's Mansion.More from the 89th Legislature: Texas House moves to end taxpayer-funded golden parachutes for local government officials Texas House sends bill on ‘harmful material' for minors to governor – media can't even admit that sexually explicit material is harmful, typical. Texas House bill would ban kids from social media Texas Republican lawmakers may “financially handcuff” cities that don't play by their rules – it's not “their rules” but state law at issue Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.About Cinco de Mayo and why it's good to celebrate a little!Starbase, Texas is now a thing after SpaceX employees and residents vote to incorporate.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: A nail-spittingly angry Texas Railroad Commissioner, Wayne Christian, tells how big oil has switched sides at the 11th our of the legislative session and joined with the enviro-left to undermine a major bill to firm up the Texas ERCOT electric grid. Click here to see Commissioner Christian's full email and op-ed on the issue.Commissioner Christian also points out how AEP has choked off a rebirth of Texas coal power made possible by the Trump Administration.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Oil and gas drilling rig count down; Texas sales tax collections up.We've seen this movie before – every two years!: Far too many Texas Republican priority bills are being held up in the Texas House. Members are rightly concerned and many fingers are accurately pointing at Rep. Ken King. But remember, the Speaker can fix all of this in a brief moment. House leadership is blocking a vote on banning Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying, says Rep. Money. Again, the Speaker can fix this in a heartbeat if he desires.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Speaker Dustin Burrows is lining up to have his legacy as the man who backdoor legalized the get-high THC marijuana/hemp industry in Texas. I have been following the fight in the legislature over THC and have read most every story about what is happening. Saying that, I can assure you that Karen Brooks Harper's story in The Dallas Morning News is accurate and the headline has a correct slant on the story: Bill that would save THC retailers from total ban advances in Texas House panel.The people pushing this the hardest are West Texas reps that Speaker Burrows put on the powerful State Affairs panel and are of his leadership circle. The BurrowCrats are directly fighting state Senator Charles Perry's effort to roll back this unintended legalization loophole that came from the Hemp bill in 2019. House leadership is using much time and energy to fight to SAVE the get-high retail business of selling THC infused products. This is nothing more than the backdoor legalization of a get-high drug culture.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick appointed Chairman of Presidential Religious Liberty Commission.Lawyer John Bash Withdraws From Texas AG Republican Primary. Sad to see it.Republican and Democrat polling shows Senator John Cornyn 10 to 20 points behind Ken Paxton if the Republican Primary for U.S. Senate were held today! This a shockingly big and consistent spread.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick points out that the Texas Senate has pass all top 40 “priority bills.” The Senate has, as of Friday, passed 631 bills while the BurrowCrat House has passed only 182. Both officially began work on the same day but as usual the House plays around with its internal politics for months before getting to the work it must do in the 140-day session.And speaking of convening for legislative work, Senator Birdwell has gotten a bill out of the Senate to the House that allows the Legislature to come back into session after the deadline for the governor to veto bills for the purpose of overriding vetoes.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.More evidence of how much legitimate bail reform is needed, a job the Texas House has failed on in the past: Harris County Magistrates Awarded More than 10,000 PR Bonds for Felonies in 2024.Governor Abbott goes after the City of San Marcos and its anti-Israel resolution.Abbott and Nimm appointed by President Trump to the new FEMA Review Council.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: A large, 33,000 student, Texas school district has lost in court and will be forced to adopt single member districts for its school board. I've no problem with single member districts but I have a huge problem with the bigotry, racism, and dirty trick that is minority-majority districts. Such do nothing positive for minorities and derive from a bigoted idea that all minorities of a similar trait think alike. The 1965 Voting Rights Act has much in it that was simply a trick on minorities by the Democrats.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.From the 89th Texas Legislature: Trump To Endorse Dustin Burrows For Texas House Speaker, and all who voted for SB2/school choice, Abbott Told GOP Caucus. Republican Lawmakers Challenge Speaker Burrows Over Stalled Party Priorities ‘Cannabis civil war': Why Texas lawmakers want to boost medical marijuana and end hemp sales Texas Senate Advances Bill to Reinstate Legal Consequences for Student Violence Against Teachers Uvalde Strong Act active shooter protocol bill passes Texas House Mexico increases its water deliveries to Texas for the Rio Grande.Dallas Fed: Growth resumes in Texas service sector; Retail sales increase but company outlooks deteriorated further.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: New levels of deception on Bond debt issuance claiming “it will not raise taxes” if passed: Bond Deception – Texas Public Policy Foundation.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas wins again: 21st year to be named Best State for Business by Chief Executive magazine. Note how the former powerhouses of Illinois, New York, and California, now the nation's most extreme Democrat Party machine states, remain at the bottom of the list.Dallas Fed: Growth in Texas manufacturing; outlook turns negative.A few Texas House conservatives flexed their muscle Friday and as is usually the case, the insider power crowd in Austin threw fits about it. Much credit to the Texas Tribune that most accurately described what happened and why. The Statesman went with the somewhat misleading but typical insider soap opera approach with this approach: ‘Burn it all down': Hardline conservative bloc declares war on Texas House GOP leadership. If you read the Tribune story it's as if this were a different event.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Much from the 89th Texas Legislature including: Burrows Blocks Effort Limiting Scholarship Program to US Citizens – ridiculous ruling Following Trump, Texas may recognize Gulf of America ‘Stopping Foreign Adversaries' Land Grabs' Bill Passes House Committee Year-Round Daylight Saving Time Bill Passes Texas House Bill could introduce air conditioning in Texas' sweltering prisons Texas House committee hears proposals to give AG Ken Paxton's office more power [to return powers taken away by a court ruling] McConaughey champions bill to create Texas film incentive fund Texas lawmakers consider barring counties from mailing unsolicited voter registration forms – only a moron could be opposed to what this bill does. Gov't should be neutral to the idea of voting, not working itself and funding others to turn out voters. Requiring voters to prove citizenship spurs concern that eligible Texans won't be able to cast ballots – same arguments used against Voter I.D. which turned out to be untrue. Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Lubbock County Commissioner Jason Corley joins with TPPF, others, in suing overreaching Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) rulemaking.ICE is reversing termination of international students' legal status, lawyer says. The whole thing has been an example of why conservatives should always be leery of government work, even the government actions you support. It's been a disaster that makes the original intent look terrible. Don't trust government to anything but that which it must do and then expect incompetence.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Much from the 89th Texas Legislature including: Senate hears bill to end Texas DREAM Act, restrict in-state tuition to legal residents only. You heard it here: “Nationality Squatters” House Leadership Accused of Holding Pro-Life Bill Hostage to Islamic Holiday Push Texas Senate Approves $950 Annual Property Tax Cut for Over 65 & Disabled Homeowners, 30–1 Texas House Passes Student Cell Phone Ban Bill Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Jones County's “Bluebonnet” facility is getting much press mention of late: Exclusive-Trump Administration Moved Venezuelan to Texas for Possible Deportation Despite Judge's Order.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Impeachment reform; stopping taxpayer funded lawsuits by school districts to keep the public in the dark on performance, and; much more from Texas' 89th Legislature.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas A&M to operate FAA's new Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies.City of Lubbock implements partial hiring freeze.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Things keep getting worse for the Texas Lottery and it has all been brought upon it by the actions of its management. Lawmakers need to not just threaten but actually end the lottery, completely, this session. Texas Lottery Commission director resigns amid scrutiny and investigations.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas Tech Young Conservatives get it right – the Lubbock ISD bond debt proposal delivers little, if any, value to education. See: As School District Shrinks, Lubbock ISD Asks Voters To Grow Bond Debt.Early reporting data show what we all suspected: Taxpayers are providing millions of dollars for tens of thousands of illegal aliens in Texas.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The City of Dallas continues to break state law and ban concealed carry license holders from carrying their weapons on property under city control. Attorney General Paxton has already sued them over Fair Park and the state fair, which has a bit of complication to the case. Now he is suing Dallas over the Majestic Theater and Music Hall at Fair Park.See what you get with soft on criminals but hard on law abiding citizens policies: Downtown Dallas' Crime Score 7X Higher Than Fort Worth, MCBA Finds.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Victory! Texas is born! Celebrate San Jacinto Day! Celebrating San Jacinto Day with Battle of San Jacinto from The Silent Generation by The Dimes. Hear the song here: https://thedimes.bandcamp.com/track/battle-of-san-jacintoJobs report shows Texas still leading the nation and setting records!After the House finally passed school choice last week, Lieutenant Governor Patrick is recommending that the Senate simply concur with the House version thus wiping out conference work, and following votes, where things could happen to derail the landmark legislation.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: It's not a finished deal yet but it is closer than ever before: School choice in Texas. I give a full review of the House finally passing school choice. If you read all the friendly to Democrat media, where you'd expect the strongest anti-school choice arguments from Dems to be featured, you will find that they had nothing of substance to offer. School choice plan clears historic hurdle with Texas House approval Texas House gives initial OK to $1 billion school voucher proposal In Historic First, Texas House Approves Private School Voucher Program How each Texas House member voted on school choice. (I see several opponents in the R-side voted for it – no doubt some trades with the Governor over key bills not being vetoed is involved – or they are just afraid of being targeted again in the primary election.)Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Responsible Texas House members knocked off the local and consent calendar today to scuttle an honorary memorial for the late Cecile Richards who is one of the loudest advocates of killing babies for the convenience of others. Way to go!Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: State Representative Hillary Hickland has an important bill, HB 1549 the Retail Decency Act, that needs passing but many of the insider leadership types don't want to deal with it. The bill needs a hearing in committee and you need to take action to call the committee chairwoman, Rep. Angie Chen Button, and tell her staff you want an immediate hearing on HB 1549, the Retail Decency Act by Rep. Hickland. Call both the Austin and Richardson offices and ask for an immediate hearing. As chairwoman, Button has the power to get this done.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Other items from the legislature covered: TSRA working on several gun issues that need support. Texas legislature passes bill to create state version of Trump-inspired DOGE Texas Senators Move to Ban Local Government Funding of Abortion Travel Entities Texas Cyber Command Legislation Passes Texas House Bill banning LGBTQ, other advocacy flags in public schools clears Texas Senate Texas House OKs bill expanding student discipline measures Effort to curb antisemitism in public schools and colleges advances in Texas Senate Texas' Sales Tax Holiday for Emergency Supplies is April 26-28.Sen. Mayes Middleton launches bid for Texas attorney general. Also, Mayra Flores to challenge Henry Cuellar in TX 28. Flores hospitalized shortly after announcement.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Abilene's state Rep. Stan Lambert demonstrates that he is a man of questionable integrity in House vote over restoring the attorney general's back pay.Other key legislative news needing attention: School choice debate set for tomorrow in the Texas House. Democrats are said to be threatening all HJRs (constitutional amendments) if choice isn't put to a statewide plebiscite. Texas Senators Approve Increasing Public Participation in Judicial Oversight – important bill and it takes away the Texas State Bar, run by leftists, right to appoint two to the committee. What compromising with the Left to get power does: Texas House Set to Honor Former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards. Budget, SB1, conferees set: Senate's are Huffman, Creighton, Kolkhorst, Nichols, and Schwertner. House's are Bonnen, Gonzales, Orr, Kitzman, and Walle. Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Sen. Mayes Middleton launches bid for Texas attorney general.Mexico to deliver water to Texas owed under the 1944 treaty.Pure B.S: Trump admin blocked from revoking status of over 500K migrants by federal judge.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Punishing local governments that violate Texas law is the subject of a bill, HB 4283, from Rep. Marc LaHood of San Antonio. His comments to TPPF on the bill tie in with a recent column of mine on the subject of “local control.”Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.America and Texas winning: Nvidia investing heavily in Texas to build AI chips in the USA and supercomputer manufacturing. Total investment could be as much as $500 billion!Border and illegal immigration news: Texas and New York Judges Broaden Temporary Protection for Venezuelan Migrants Facing Removal Newly Captured Los Zetas Cartel Lieutenant Spent Time Hiding in Texas Federal Agents Deport Imprisoned Mexican Former Governor Working for Cartels, Protected by Mexico's Government Qatar's Billion-Dollar Influence At Texas A&M Under Scrutiny.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The Texas House passed it's version of the biennial budget in the middle of the night. Republicans denied most proposed Democrat spending amendments but included many of their own. Like the Senate budget it grows state spending at the expense of bigger property tax cuts through school property tax buy downs. Texas House passes budget bill, defunds lottery. – anything can be put back in reconciliation with the Senate. Texas House Approves $70 Million Biennium Funding Amendment for Abortion Alternatives Program Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Is the Texas attack on property squatters, SB 38 & HB 32, strong enough? This victim says “no.”John Bash running to succeed Paxton as Texas attorney general.Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announces 2026 re-election campaign.Oil and gas drilling rig count falls.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Several “cost of housing” bills are being worked through the legislature and each deserves scrutiny. One, SB15 that has already passed the Senate, prompted this frightening headline: Why Do I Feel Like I'm Back in New Jersey? Yep, that got my attention too and it was written by a friend of the show who is an active Republican leader just outside of Austin in Bastrop. Carole Spencer joins us to give very informed opinion on SB15 and other related bills.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd to retire this summer.U.S. House passes a budget resolution with a 2-vote margin. Trump is pleased. Note that Trump touts a big tax cut but in reality the tariffs, whether ultimately good or bad, are a huge tax increase on Americans. Despite the rhetoric, tariffs are paid by buyers/consumers, not countries or companies.118 international students' immigration statuses revoked across Texas universities.  Media is going nuts over many college students losing their Student and Exchange Visitor status – they should be praising the fact that we finally have a government that is actually looking into who these people are. And stop it with the “due process” stuff, there is no such thing related to being let in the country to study. And, I'll bet you that all of the countries from which these people came have much stricter immigration rules, including for study, than our USA.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The Texas House and Rep. Ken King, RINO from Canadian, are trying to gut the Senate's much needed full ban on THC (the part of marijuana that gets you high) to protect the liquor lobby and ban everything else but keep THC-infused beverages. It's almost, well not in the case of Ken King, unbelievable!Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Ken Paxton makes it official that he will challenge John Cornyn for U.S. Senate in the 2026 Texas Republican Primary. Cornyn immediately engages in the Democrat tactic of projection by calling Paxton “a fraud” while himself engaging in an image makeover of being pro-Trump. The Turtle would be proud of his former right-hand man.Bill to keep primaries in the spring but move most local elections to November passes the Texas Senate.Local city sales tax receipts lower this April than April of 2025. Look up your city here.Judges to Bar US From Using Alien Enemies Act to Deport Some Venezuelans Held in Texas and New York – more of the same and the Texas judge is a Trump appointee.President Trump adjusts his tariff regime – for now. Punishes communist China even more.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The pro-abortion Democrats were lying in wait for the naive Republicans on the so-called Texas abortion “clarification” bill. It seems they got everyone aboard the “bi-partisan” bill, which is not needed by the way, and then launched their surprise plan to get an amendment to cancel out an 1857 law overturned that allows the person seeking an abortion to be charged. I've said from the beginning that this bill is about creating a legislative vehicle for them to chip away at pro-life protections in coming years.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Jasmine Crocked goes off again seemingly saying we need illegal aliens to “pick cotton” because black people are “done” doing so! Another part of this story that people miss is the full political activity at a church – how come it's never decried as mixing church and state when it is Dems doing so at liberal churches?Key legal rulings: Judge blocks Biden rule requiring more staff at nursing homes Supreme Court blocks ruling requiring Trump administration to reinstate fired federal employees Supreme Court slapdown of Judge Boasberg sends message to federal judges on overreach Immigration enforcement at an Eagle Pass park scaled back, Gov. Abbott's office says. – Right, so why are legislators budgeting the huge emergency level budget for Texas border enforcement? They could still leave DPS, etc. with billions and take 6 billion of the money and double the size of the proposed property tax break.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: A terrible example, one of too many, of why proper bail reform must pass the 89th Texas Legislature and not be stopped, once again, in the Texas House: Houston Convicted Murderer Released While Awaiting Sentencing Now Suspect in Murder-Suicide.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas Defense Attorney System for Illegal Aliens to End May 1.TX19's Rep. Jodey Arrington hits Senate GOP over ‘unserious' budget resolution.Tariff fight: Ted Cruz outlines risks of tariffs and trade war Ag Sec. Rollins: 50 Countries Already Coming to the Table on Tariffs Taiwan Proposes No Tariffs With US In Effort To Deescalate Trade-Tariff War EU Offers Trump ‘Zero-for-Zero Tariffs' on Industrial Goods with U.S. China Cuts Off Rare Earth Mineral Exports to U.S. in Trade War with Trump Trump Threatens China with Additional 50% Tariffs for Imposing Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. 7 GOP senators sign on to bill to check Trump's trade authority Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Big federal (DOJ) investigation, indictments, and raids of so-called “game room” across the Harris County region demonstrate what I have been saying about these places. Interestingly it was the feds doing the work. Why, in so many other places across Texas, are local law enforcement, including district attorneys, so uninterested in these places? Who, if anyone, is on the take from the illegal game room gambling racket in your town?Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tells Texas House leadership it is “time to get into action.” I give you the main reasons the House routinely runs out the clock instead of getting busy with bill debate early.Texas Senate passes bill to stop people from changing their sex on their Texas birth certificates.House education committee advances School Choice legislation. Texas' carefully crafted School Choice program from the Texas Public Policy Foundation.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Trump did have to do it, the political hit case against Ken Paxton was dropped by Biden's Dept. of Justice. As I said they never had a case just as the House impeachers never did. And rightly so, Paxton isn't letting Senator John Cornyn off the hook for his presumed guilty until proven innocent heresy in the matter.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Has the former Texas Lottery executive director gone missing?Anti-Wimp update:  Cell phone repair shop employee slain, his killer shot dead by armed associate.From the 89th Texas Legislature: Lawmaker's Real Estate Ties Raise Eyebrows in Texas House Deal. Tepper should not have joined Dems to vote for this. To have a better understanding on this, read this story I covered briefly yesterday: Over 100 Texas Lawmakers Back Affordable Housing Reform Bill, Competing Legislation Moves Forward. Senate passes Perry's giant water bill, SB 7 Senate passes SB 27, a so-called Teachers' Bill of Rights Senate Passes SB 988 to Crack Down on Fuel Pump Tampering and Fuel Theft Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: From the 89th Texas Legislature: Tax relief for business owners passes Texas House Texas Senate OKs bill requiring sheriffs to cooperate with ICE Over 100 Texas Lawmakers Back Affordable Housing Reform Bill, Competing Legislation Moves Forward – Gates' bill needs passing. Texas Senators Approve Religious Freedom, Transparency Measure Senate passes SB 16 – Stopping Non-Citizens from Voting State emergency communication system advances in Texas House (wildfire bill package) Women's Privacy Hearing in Senate committee tomorrow Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.State Sales Tax Revenue totaled $3.7 billion in March which is DOWN from March of 2024.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Why should Texas taxpayers subsidize movie industry producers and investors? It's a fantasy that somehow handing over taxpayer money to these people will change the values of Hollywood to Texas values. That and more from the legislature including: Ex-Texas House Speaker Gib Lewis honored by Silver-Haired Legislature – there is a nugget in this story echoing what I have said for decades about the first job of House Speakers. Texas Senators Consider $2.5 Billion Over Next Decade for Film Industry Texas Lawmaker Proposes Sending Illegal Alien Inmates to El Salvador Prison Texas Senate passes bill to ban junk food in food stamp program Formerly indicted Austin cop's state Senate confirmation in jeopardy Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Texas Land Commissioner Buckingham Calls for Federal Action To Secure Border Islands.San Benito sues Texas Regional Bank over ‘fraudulent' $3.4M lien.Growth decelerates in Texas service sector as company outlooks worse; retail sales fall.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Texas Democrats picked a white male liberal as chairman of their political party this past weekend – no word on whether they protested themselves afterward. The new chief Texas Democrat wants the party the pushes not working and making working people pay for those who won't work to focus on “working people.”I wonder what classic “working people” think of transvestite story hour at the local libraries and schools; burning Teslas; worrying day and night about homosexual issues, and; always favoring making working people pay for all the Leftist programs Democrats push?Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Much business related news today: Growth resumes in Texas manufacturing activity Trump Media Lists on NYSE Texas, Handing Early Win to Exchange Texas-base mortgage giant Mr. Cooper being bought by Rocket; All-Stock Deal Valued at $9.4 Billion Plainview facility, DSM Semichem, gets $7.87 million grant from Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces New Reporting Requirement to Rein in Rogue District Attorneys and Ensure the Prosecution of Violent CriminalsListen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Texas Democrats are picking a new party chairman this weekend. All their talk about trying to find someone who can win elections is for nothing until they stop living in a false, alternate universe. The often quoted Matt Angle, in this DMN story, demonstrates such. No matter how much you say it, Abbott, Patrick, and the Texas GOP is not “failed” and no person in touch with reality can make that general claim.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Now that the federal government is doing its job on the border, Texas officials don't want to stop the state spending. This is terribly irresponsible and very much Democrat-like.Army secretary: ‘Immigration facility' at Fort Bliss has been ‘greenlighted.'  HUD Cracks Down on Government-Backed Mortgages for Illegal Immigrants.Texas continues to set job growth records and outperform the country as a whole.Insurance company CEO fired after admitting to a House committee that he had citizens, a journalist, and elected officials investigated. Some of the reaction to this is over the top because such is not illegal and is quite common place. However, the question the AG will be looking into will be: Did this turn into something that is illegal?Oil and gas rig count from Baker Hughes.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: A federal judge has ruled that Texas prison heat (no A/C) is unconstitutional but holds short of ordering air conditioning. However, oddly in my opinion, he is still making the plaintiffs engage in a “bench trial” over the issue. What's the point of that given that he has already made the underlying decision. And on that note, even acknowledging that there are problems with heat in some Texas prisons, how in the world is no A/C unconstitutional when the framers and founders had no such thing at the time they wrote and passed the constitution?Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Lubbock Health Dept. says losing federal COVID funds will hurt its handling a measles outbreak – is it even legal to spend those funds on something else?RIP former Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton McClellan Rylander Strayhorn (Carole Multi-name). She was the inaugural inductee into the Pratt on Texas Liars' Hall of Shame (such a high, or should we say low, bar for entry that only two have made in 19 years.)More investigations underway into the East Plano Islamic Center: State Issues Cease-and-Desist to Islamic Group Over Funeral Violations Governor Abbott Announces Texas State Securities Board Investigation Into East Plano Islamic Center Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Issues CID as Part of an Ongo­ing Inves­ti­ga­tion into Real Estate Devel­op­ment Tied to East Plano Islam­ic Center Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! We remember the Massacre (murder) of Texans by Santa Anna at Goliad today.  https://youtu.be/phQajh5E7U4?si=ezcWpkNdqOf8Bmii Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The Texas Senate passed SB1, it's version of the Texas budget, unanimously – no wonder Dems went along as some say it is 40% larger than the last two state budgets. And, out of billions in new spending senators only provided $6 billion for more property tax cuts. I'm not really sure how the Lt. Governor comes at the number of only 0.9% growth in spending; it must have something to do with the qualifier “All Funds budget.”Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.The National Medal of Honor museum is now open in Texas.Senator Cornyn makes his re-election bid official. Democrat loser Colin Allred hints that he may run (after having lost to Cruz.) The real question is who will challenge Cornyn in the GOP primary.Jasmine ‘Crocked' Crockett just cannot help herself and her mouth as she is an iconic representation of today's Democrat. Jasmine Crockett hot wheels comment about Abbott draws GOP rebuke Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Handling Political Opponents: ‘I Think You Punch' Lawmaker faces backlash over ‘shameful' comment about Texas Governor Trump rips ‘lowlife' Jasmine Crockett over attack on Governor Greg Abbott Jasmine Crockett Shoves AOC Aside, Declares Trump an ‘Enemy to the United States' and Occupier Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Rep. Carl Tepper's bill to clamp down, somewhat, on the issuance of C.O. Bonds by local governments is the right direction (and should be strengthened not weakened.) Levelland's city manager shows what is wrong with so many in local government when they shout “local control” – they don't actually mean local control by citizen voters but by the government insider crowd.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Also from the legislature, Senator King's bill, SB781, is not the way to have better government and better policing. Police misconduct allegations not being substantiated sometimes mean the people doing the investigating don't want truth to be known.Texas lawmakers consider bill prohibiting the use of SNAP to buy junk food. See: “Influencers” paid to shill for taxpayer funded soda for food stamp users.George W. Bush's gift that keeps on giving, like a bad fungal infection, is Judge Xavier Rodriguez: Federal Judge Blocks Voter ID Requirement for Texas Mail Ballots.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Both Texas U.S. Senators, Cruz and Cornyn, say that Texas lobbying law is a threat to free political speech and encourage the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case from Texas involving a friend and former guest host of Pratt on Texas.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.U.S. Rep. (TX19) Jody Arrington says a fresh Farm Bill should be ready for Congress in September.RIP: Great Christian and Texan George Foreman.Tilman Fertitta resigning from Landry's, other enterprises, to become U.S. ambassador to Italy.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com