The Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus was established in 2021 by State Representative Ron Reynolds. This session, the growing 20 member bicameral caucus is shaping legislation by promoting working family policies. In this episode, we sit down with the caucus' first executive director Cody Meador to discuss their platform and legislation that moves Texas forward.

You can find more information on their work and the elected members at https://www.texaslpc.org.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Governor Abbott has called an election to replace Sylvester Turner in Houston's CD-18, but his delay will keep its 800,000 residents voiceless in D.C. for at least seven months: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/07/greg-abbott-special-election-sylvester-turner/

A SCOTUS decision allows the Trump regime to continue deporting migrants under an 18th century law - but the nine justices unanimously say they must be given due process before they can be removed: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-backs-trump-deportations-under-1798-law-2025-04-07/

Houston faith leaders have apparently been trying to kill a bill that would outlaw the use of NDA's to silence child victims of church sex abuse - it's being debated on the House floor today: https://quorumreport.com/quorum_report_daily_buzz_2025/some_texas_house_republicans_privately_concerned_f_buzziid32535.html

...The law was named for Trey Carlock, a Highland Park man who died by suicide in 2019 after suffering a decade of abuse in silence: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/texas-bill-treys-law-ban-ndas-sexual-abuse-cases-advances-house/3796460/

...Meanwhile, new reporting on Texas' Child Protective Services finds that the deaths of children under that agency's supervision are frequently hidden from public view: https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2025-04-07/texas-keeps-child-abuse-and-neglect-deaths-out-of-sight-bringing-light-proves-complex-and-costly

The Texas Department of Public Safety has called all of its remote workers back into the office - but they don't have enough parking, because they limited parking space at their new South Austin campus assuming that people would work remotely: https://www.kut.org/austin/2025-04-07/texas-department-of-transportation-austin-tx-return-to-office-policy-work-parking-spaces-garage

Progress Texas is proud to join several of our esteemed advocacy allies in supporting the Barbara Jordan Voting Rights Act: ⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/release-voting-rights-advocates-cheer-barbara-jordan-texas-voting-rights-act⁠

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Financial markets are bracing for a possible "Black Monday" today as Donald Trump doubles down on the massive tariffs he announced last week: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/04/07/business/trump-tariffs-stock-market

...While Greg Abbott and John Cornyn are mum on Trump's disaster, Ted Cruz warns that the GOP could be in for a "bloodbath" in the 2026 mid-terms: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/05/ted-cruz-midterm-trump-tariffs-recession

...Very directly affecting the Texas economy, oil prices are at four-year lows, which could spell big trouble for the energy sector: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/06/business/energy-environment/oil-prices-trump-tariffs.html

...Those mid-terms appear likely to feature an inter-party brawl between Cornyn and Ken Paxton, which would be very expensive for Republicans and result in a battered and bruised opponent for the eventual Democratic nominee: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/05/ted-cruz-midterm-trump-tariffs-recession

A second young child has died of measles in West Texas, prompting a visit from RFK Jr., who has finally stated publicly that "the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine": https://www.reuters.com/world/us/kennedy-travel-texas-after-second-measles-related-death-axios-reports-2025-04-06/

Harris County chief elections officer Teneshia Hudspeth - herself placed in charge of Houston-area elections by Governor Abbott in 2023 - rejects the Governor's notion that her county is not prepared to hold a special election to replace the late Congressman Sylvester Turner: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/texas-politics/gov-abbott-harris-county-rep-turner-special-election-delay/3809166/

Progress Texas is proud to join several of our esteemed advocacy allies in supporting the Barbara Jordan Voting Rights Act: ⁠https://progresstexas.org/release-voting-rights-advocates-cheer-barbara-jordan-texas-voting-rights-act

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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UPDATE: Governor Greg Abbott has called for an election, however, it will leave the residents of Congressional District 18 without representation in the meantime.

***

A truly alarming and shameful denial of the Constitutional and foundational right of federal representation of hundreds of thousands of Texans is happening as we speak, as Governor Greg Abbott has continued to delay a special election to fill the historically-significant U.S. House seat representing Congressional District 18 in Harris County, vacated due to the untimely passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner. In the last few hours, the Governor has finally broken his silence on the matter, but only to play the common Republican "voter fraud" card as an excuse for his delay - before the election is even called. We reached out to Houston State Representative and Texas House Minority Leader Gene Wu, and freshly-elected Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder to weigh in on this disgraceful and ongoing slight against a section of Texas' largest city, comprised mostly of people of color.

Learn more about Rep. Gene Wu at https://www.genefortexas.com/.

Learn more about Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder at https://www.kendallscudder.com/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Global economic shock is underway this morning as Donald Trump's foolish tariff plan becomes reality - and Texas will most certainly feel the impact: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/03/trump-tariffs-texas-revenue-growth/

The Texas House Committee on Public Education advanced HB-3 yesterday, which would establish a new private school voucher program in Texas, on a 9-6 party line vote: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/texas-voucher-bill-clears-first-test-in-texas-house/287-0b3bdb58-c2f8-4800-b8e0-849cc4e729e3

...A group of House Democrats have complained of yesterday's session's lack of a live stream, falling short of public transparency expectations: https://bsky.app/profile/anamariafortexas.com/post/3llx2xw3gok2o

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick notes that his "Steamroller Senate" is far outdoing the House on passing MAGA priority bills, and is applying pressure to House Speaker Dustin Burrows to pick up the pace: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/04/dan-patrick-urges-texas-house-to-start-passing-senate-priorities/82799939007/

Ken Paxton learns that the Joe Biden Justice Department, in the closing days of the Biden term, decided not to prosecute Paxton for corruption: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/03/ken-paxton-corruption-clear-senate-campaign/

...Paxton has announced an appeal of the court decision to block Texas A&M from banning drag shows on its campuses: https://www.kbtx.com/2025/04/04/texas-attorney-general-files-notice-appeal-federal-judges-decision-block-ams-drag-show-ban/

Governor Abbott, addressing UT Law's Federalist Society yesterday, admitted outright that Elon Musk moved his companies to Texas on Abbott's promise to clear legal barriers out of his way: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/03/greg-abbott-texas-courts-ut-jim-davis/

Governor Abbott has launched "a blitz of state agencies" against an Islamic community development near Dallas, apparently simply for being associated with Muslims: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/epic-city-greg-abbott-islamic-community-20255339.php

Progress Texas is proud to join several of our esteemed advocacy allies in supporting the Barbara Jordan Voting Rights Act: https://progresstexas.org/release-voting-rights-advocates-cheer-barbara-jordan-texas-voting-rights-act

Tomorrow's national Hands Off rally and action day features over 30 events right here in Texas - there's one within a short drive of wherever you are in the state: https://www.mobilize.us/handsoff/?country=US&state=TX

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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This Saturday, hundreds of local rallies, protests and demonstrations coordinated under the national effort known as Hands Off will take place in just about every part of all 50 states, including in at least 31 cities across Texas, ranging from our biggest, bluest metros to our small rural towns. The themes and motivations behind the people who have organized each event are as varied as the lived experiences in each of these communities, but they all have one thing in common: frustration, fear, and now resistance to the ongoing, wanton, kleptocratic dismantling of our country by Donald Trump and his cronies. In this pod, we talk to organizers in Dallas, Austin, and Wichita Falls about what folks in those places can expect on Saturday, and how each of those events came to be part of Hands Off.

Learn more about Hands Off and find an event near you this Saturday at https://handsoff2025.com/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Reaction to Trump's wide-ranging tariff announcement falls largely along party lines, with Democrats warning of a potential national recession: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/04/03/texas-lawmakers-in-washington-split-over-trump-tariffs-expected-to-impact-state/

...San Antonio, in particular, is vulnerable to the impacts of tariffs due to their heavy economic reliance on the aerospace, automotive and energy sectors: https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2025/04/03/texas-leaders-weigh-the-impact-of-us-president-donald-trumps-newly-announced-tariffs/

The Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus is speaking up against House Joint Resolution 4, which would ban taxes on securities market operators and transactions via a state constitutional amendment: https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HJR4/2025

That cancelled review session of the latest revisions to the Republican plans for private school vouchers is set to happen today: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/school-choice-is-back-in-session-in-texas-house-committee-tomorrow

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is threatening a lawsuit against Governor Abbott if he continues delaying a special election to replace the late Houston Congressman Sylvester Turner: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/hakeem-jeffries-threatens-lawsuit-delayed-texas-special-election-rcna199362

This Saturday's Hands Off protest is likely to be the biggest such event since the beginning of Trump's second term: https://www.axios.com/2025/04/03/hands-off-protest-trump-musk-april-5

...The view from Houston: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/houston-protest-hands-off-2025-20254521.php

...The view from Austin: https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/community/civic-events/hands-off-mass-mobilization-3251311/

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Elon Musk's image as a supervillian appears to have contributed to a Democratic win in a Wisconsin Supreme Court race yesterday: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/us/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-crawford-schimel.html

...Musk's expensive failure is a "jolt of momentum for Democrats": https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/02/what-we-learned-from-the-first-big-test-of-the-trump-musk-era-00264812

Ted Cruz considered pulling a fire alarm in the Senate yesterday to stop Cory Booker's record-setting speech: https://www.chron.com/politics/article/cory-booker-filibuster-cruz-20253269.php

...Senator Booker, after "72 days in which Democrats have appeared lame and leaderless...stood up and did something": https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/02/senator-cory-booker-takes-a-stand-speech-donald-trump-25-hours

Concern persists that two bills at the Lege, designed to protect doctors from legal trouble over using abortion when medically necessary, might also expose pregnant Texans seeking abortions to charges of murder: https://www.chron.com/news/article/abortion-ban-texas-bill-20245956.php

The West Texas measles outbreak has spread to Erath and Brown Counties in central Texas and has hit a case count of 422: https://abc13.com/post/texas-measles-outbreak-grows-422-cases-spreading-erath-brown-counties-states-central-region/16116517/

...Meanwhile federal funding cuts have forced the cancellation of over 50 measles vaccination clinics in Dallas County: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/texas-measles-outbreak-dallas-vaccines-hhs-funding-cuts-rcna199144

Our condolences to our friends at the Texas Tribune, who have lost their founder John Thornton at 59: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/01/john-thornton-texas-tribune-founder/

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Acting Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee is threatening to sue Governor Greg Abbott if he continues to delay the replacement of the late Sylvester Turner in the U.S. House seat representing CD-18: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/menefee-special-election-20246324.php

...Abbott's delay is only one part of a broader undermining of Democratic representations being orchestrated by House Republicans: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/us/texas-house-seat.html

The House Public Education Committee is considering a $1 billion cap on any potential voucher program for private schools in Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/31/texas-school-voucher-funding/

A lawyer representing the 2019 El Paso shooter says he felt compelled by comments from Donald Trump to commit that horrible mass murder: https://elpasomatters.org/2025/03/30/patrick-crusius-donald-trump-aug-3-2019-walmart-mass-shooting/

Given the extensive, statewide, AI-driven surveillance apparatus that Texas DPS has assembled under the auspices of Operation Lone Star, it's pretty reasonable to assume that YOU are being watched: https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-dps-surveillance-arsenal-artificial-intelligence-lege/

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The Texas Democratic Party has a new leader, as Kendall Scudder was elected its new Chairman this weekend by the State Democratic Executive Committee: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/03/29/texas-democrats-elect-dallas-kendall-scudder-as-new-state-chair-after-2024-losses/

Governor Greg Abbott is silent - and now missing important deadlines - on calling a special election to replace the late Sylvester Turner in the U.S. House: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/elections/2025/03/28/517153/clock-ticks-down-for-gov-abbott-to-call-special-election-for-late-sylvester-turners-congressional-seat/

...This leaves 800,000 Texans, mostly people of color, without their constitutionally-guaranteed representation in Congress: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/26/greg-abbott-sylverster-turner-democrat-special-election/

A Deer Park pastor has drawn scrutiny for condemning a Deer Park ISD superintendent candidate over her sexuality from his pulpit - video and a link to a resulting petition for a public apology in the link: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/education-news/2025/03/25/516870/deer-park-church-pastor-faces-backlash-after-attacking-sexuality-of-dpisd-superintendent-finalist/

...For your convenience, IRS 13909 is needed to file complaints about churches violating their religious non-profit status by going political: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13909.pdf

The CDC, under the leadership of RFK Jr., has squelched an advisory that measles risk is higher nearby areas of low vaccination, such as the West Texas region where the current outbreak started: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/31/health/cdc-measles-forecast-propublica/index.html

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.