Pratt on Texas

By Pratt on TexasNews News Commentary Politics

Pratt on Texas episodes

May 27, 2025Episode 3738: Huge update from the Legislature | Lottery scandal widens | Manufacturing steady in Texas – Pratt on Texas 5/27/2025
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
44 min
May 26, 2025Episode 3737: Memorial Day Edition: Legislature passes key bills, much still to do in final days – Pratt on Texas 5/26/2025
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
45 min
May 23, 2025Episode 3736: Much legislative news including public ed. bills | Alleged UT-RGV discrimination | Starship test coming – Pratt on Texas 5/23/2025
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
44 min
May 22, 2025Episode 3735: House rightly ignores Rep. Ken King, passes Sen. Perry’s THC ban | Key abortion bills move – Pratt on Texas 5/22/2025
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 Legislation

From 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
44 min
May 21, 2025Episode 3734: Report: School funding deal reached | Ken King working to keep get-high THC for sale in Texas – Pratt on Texas 5/21/2025
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
45 min
May 20, 2025Episode 3733: Legislative update including on tax relief, bail reform, gun rights | Double Anti-Wimp update – Pratt on Texas 5/20/2025
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 Ogg

Hackers 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
43 min
May 19, 2025Episode 3732: Lubbock-native named head of Geo. W. Bush Presidential Library | Legislators pass anti-“spying” bill – Pratt on Texas 5/19/2025
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
44 min
May 16, 2025Episode 3731: House leadership runs out clock, finds time for homosexual lobby win | School finance bill winner/losers – Pratt on Texas 5/16/2025
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
44 min
May 15, 2025Episode 3730: Bad bill on free speech (SLAPP) killed; some good bills pass House | Full legislative update – Pratt on Texas 5/15/2025
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 Laws

Mexico 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
44 min
May 14, 2025Episode 3729: Stalled, passed, & still have a chance bills in Austin | Mom aids son’s threat to attack middle-school? – Pratt on Texas 5/14/2025
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
44 min