Pratt’s post for 4/9/2019

Items that make the show stack or upon which I wish to comment or simply news of Texas I think it important to know:

• RPT Chair James Dickey swings against responsible budget
• Bonnen Casts Shade on Grassroots Over Criticisms of Texas House, more
• Norquist Calls Texas House Sales Tax “Swap” a “Misguided Tax Hike”
• Plano Lawmaker, Rep. Leach, Touts Misleading Claim on “Robin Hood” Reform
• Texas Senate passes two-year budget with money for property tax cuts — but no plan for how to spend it
• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: Statement on the Passage of the Budget; SB1
• Texas Senate passes bill to restore Open Meetings Act
• Senate backs ‘born alive’ abortion bill
• Senate Passes Born-Alive Infant Protection Act
• “I am not alone:” House member’s wife seeks more time for sexual abuse victims to sue offenders
• Long-Term Effects Of Marijuana On Brain And Body
• Legislature balks on significant pay bump for home health aides – if they can earn higher wages elsewhere, as is claimed, good for them. Those who consider the wage the most important part can go take those other jobs. I don’t think it can be proven that paying more, even much more, will not end the high turnover for this work.
• Texas House Overwhelmingly Endorses Corporate Welfare, House votes to extend tax relief for new industry [Chapters 312 & 313] – bad move. Both the Texas Republican Party and the Texas Democratic Party platforms both oppose the programs and the Texas Public Policy Foundation has long pointed out the bad nature of these handout programs.
• Ramos: Why Gifted & Talented funding is important
• Rep. Middleton files bill to allow student-led prayer in schools
• Texas charter schools are facing more backlash this year, but could also receive more cash
• After high school shooting, Texas campuses could soon have more armed marshals
• Rep. Zwiener Lays Out Bill on Land Restoration After Pipeline Construction
• Rep. Patterson Amends House Bill 1 for Highway 380 Safety Improvements
• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on the passage of CSSB 27 (Stop Gov’t Overreach bill)
• Gun rights activist ruins Constitutional-Carry issue for Texans
• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: Statement on the Passage of Senate Bill 21 – nanny state B.S. Patrick should not be supporting
• Texas reports on state government efficiency were kept secret. We’re publishing them.
• Texas taxpayers get more for their money than most Americans, report says
• TDI tests artificial intelligence to review policies
• Texas Expands Opioid Misuse Prevention and Treatment Efforts
• Abbott Appoints Atkinson And Williams To Texas Public Finance Authority
• U.S. House Democratic campaign arm to open Austin office, boosting focus on Texas in 2020, more
• Beto Pancho hits ground truth in Iowa as enthusiasm flags
• Why two former Beto O’Rourke staffers now say they’re with Bernie Sanders – “…like, ok his voting record actually is horrible.” These Texans are far, far-Left revolutionary radicals.
• Beto Pancho says Bibi’s a `racist,′ and Trump sounds like a fascist
• Father of Castro twins describes their relationship – note that the author is a Leftist and cheerleader for the Castro’s and other radicals.
• Julian Castro to Bill Maher: Biden’s jokes are “bulls**t”
• Texan who served as Secret Service chief is leaving Trump administration, White House says, Secret Service agents say ‘good riddance’ to director Tex Alles
• Leftist groups demand industry blacklist former Trump officials
• Trump’s DHS purge shocks Republicans – shows how gov’t folk think as opposed to results oriented business people. Big failure rarely means a quick exit in politics.
• Employees cheer as Trump dumps head of ICE
• How Would Rick Perry Handle Immigration Differently At Homeland Security? AUDIO
• Rick Perry not interested in Homeland Security post
• Cornyn: We are not sure if providing aid to Central America is working
• San Antonio activists are cringing, wondering who will follow Kirstjen Nielson
• Federal judge blocks Trump administration from sending asylum seekers to Mexico
• Dallas, Houston considered for new migrant shelters as monthly apprehensions expected to reach 100,000
• Border Wall Construction on Rio Grande Levees Begins
• Cartel-Connected Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of Border Patrol Agent
• Texas Border Coalition: Diverting resources from ports of entry is irresponsible
• Attack in Chihuahua leaves a commander and two assassins dead
• Chinese mercantilism is driving the border crisis—but the United States and Mexico could cooperate to help stop it.
• Famed Cellist Yo-Yo Ma to Perform on Laredo’s International Bridge
• Austin startup Frog leaps into crowded e-scooter market
• Man blamed for Lubbock closures could serve prison time in California
• New call center opening on San Antonio’s West Side, creating 400 jobs
• Texas rule limiting worker benefits in gig economy would hurt local businesses, owners say – if you don’t want to be an independent contractor don’t work as such.
• Houston lawyers file wrongful death lawsuit against Boeing for 737 Max 8 crash
• Jefferson Bank plans 12-story office tower on Broadway near downtown San Antonio
• Oxy pushes to make biggest oilfield even bigger
• Millennial-run oil company focuses on Permian Basin
• Woman sues Astros for $1M, claims t-shirt cannon broke finger
• Former Dallas City Council member Larry Duncan Gets Probation in Corruption Case, Former head of Dallas school bus agency taken down by corruption scandal gets probation for tax evasion, more
• 18-year-old pleads guilty to plotting an Islamic State group-inspired mass shooting at North Texas mall
• Evacuation orders lifted for 45 homes, businesses in Georgetown after gas leak
• Air Force: Veteran who killed San Antonio commander was on suicide mission
• A single mother, her millionaire boyfriend and how their storybook romance ended in horror
• DWC Gets Indictments in Two Separate Workers’ Comp Fraud Cases
• SAPD: Relative finds woman slain in West Side home, car missing
• Shots fired at Olney Police Officers, Police officers inside Olney diner when shots fired VIDEO
• Mother, son arrested after over 100 pounds of cocaine found during traffic stop in Fort Bend
• Austin mom hid pregnancy before putting baby in dumpster, prosecutor says – a woman’s choice!
• Abilene Police arrest 5 on ID theft, drug charges
• San Angelo police investigating fiery crash involving suspected drunk driver VIDEO
• Owner of vandalized car in Lubbock riot speaks out, encourages safer celebrations
• Sadly Dallas’ Union Station is now Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station
• Dallas needs to spend another 3 years, $7 million before anyone can hike or bike the McDermott bridge
• Here’s why the Dallas Public Library wants to get rid of overdue fines
• Finally, Bachman Lake will be more than northwest Dallas’ puny version of White Rock
• Iowa Park’s bond proposal, Iowa Park CISD to hold $24.5 million bond in May
• Garner steps down from Lake Wichita Revitalization Committee
• Next Lake Wichita spillway mural unveiled
• New administrators’ appointments approved at Abilene ISD
• Abilene Police Dept. asking City Council for 10 new SUVs
• Comanche VFD short on funding, waiting for contract renewal with City of Comanche
• Former Wayland Baptist Flying Queens Thrilled with HOF Induction
• Lady Bears’ win was ‘set in stone’ well before championship
• Texas Tech Loses To Virginia In Overtime of Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship AUDIO
• Let’s Not Mourn for Texas Tech
• Twitter confused after TX Tech fan throws tortilla at title game – “Twitter” is not confused, users are.
• Social media rips Ted Cruz for jinxing Texas Tech national title from stands – how utterly stupid. The senator went the game and was rooting for TTU & is criticized based on medieval superstition and rude stupidity.
• Texas Tech Health Sciences Center agrees to stop considering race in admissions, ending federal inquiry
• Representative John Frullo With Update On TTU Veterinary School