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Capital Highlights
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has released his top 25 legislative priorities as the legislative session gets underway, The Texas Tribune reported. They include banning all forms of consumable THC, the psychoactive ingredient in CBD products; increasing the school homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000; a Texas version of a government oversight department to improve governmental efficiency; and measures to shore up the state’s electric grid and water supply.
Patrick released a statement saying his priorities guarantee the Texas Senate, over which he presides, “will continue to lead as the preeminent legislative body in America by passing our bold, conservative agenda, helping President Trump deliver on his promise of making America great again.”
He said he plans to release an additional 15 priority bills soon, for a total of 40.
FLU CASES SPIKING ACROSS THE STATE
The number of influenza cases is rising rapidly, the Austin American-Statesman reported, particularly in North Texas where at least two school districts were forced to close because of excessive absences. Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services indicates a 34% positivity rate in the week of Jan. 12-18.
A Fort Worth children’s hospital last week reported nearly 700 patients visiting its emergency rooms within a 24-hour span.
“Which is just an astronomical number,' Dr. Stephanie Felton, attending physician at Cook Children's Medical Center, said. “Every year, we obviously see the flu. This year, I will say, that we're seeing an abundance of it, as far as the numbers.”
Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, and a runny or stuffy nose. Severe symptoms can last up to three days, while less-severe symptoms can hang around for up to two weeks.
ABBOTT SEEKS FED REIMBURSEMENT FOR BORDER SECURITY
Gov. Greg Abbott has asked the federal government to reimburse Texas for the $11.1 billion the state has spent in the past four years in Operation Lone Star.
“Over the past four years, OLS efforts successfully reduced illegal immigration into Texas by 87%, demonstrated the ongoing effectiveness of President Donald Trump’s border measures, and shone a spotlight on a national crisis,” Abbott wrote in a letter to U.S. congressional leadership.
Abbott has long been critical of federal border enforcement efforts under former President Joe Biden, claiming his policies left Texas “defenseless” against infiltration across the border of violent gangs and other criminals.
MEASLES CASES CONFIRMED IN WEST TEXAS, HOUSTON
Two cases of measles have been confirmed in school-aged children in West Texas a few weeks after two cases were reported in a pair of Houston residents, the Houston Chronicle reported. The West Texas cases were children living in Gaines County who had not received the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, according to DSHS. The children were hospitalized for a time in Lubbock but have since been discharged.
The cases in Houston involved two unvaccinated adults who had recently traveled internationally.
DSHS has warned that additional cases may occur, given the highly contagious nature of measles. The virus is transmitted by contact with infectious droplets that travel airborne when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours.
Measles can cause life-threatening illness to unvaccinated persons.
MORE THAN 20 BILLS FILED TO WEAKEN VACCINE REQUIREMENTS
More than 20 bills have been filed for this legislative session that aim to claw back vaccine requirements, The Tribune reported. The proposed legislation would make it easier for parents to opt out of vaccinations for their children; give the Legislature final approval on any new vaccinations required by schools; apply more rules for dispensing the COVID-19 vaccination; and demand more transparency regarding possible adverse effects of vaccines.
The founder of Texans for Vaccine Choice, Rebecca Hardy, said her group is not anti-vaccine.
“We’re not here to restrict anybody’s access to vaccines or to dismantle the vaccine program,” she said. “So, we do not take a stance on if children should get all, some or no vaccines.”
Carrie Williams, a spokesperson for the Texas Hospital Association, said vaccines have become politicized and their importance overlooked because of their efficacy.
“Vaccine decisions impact the availability of care, hospital workforce and wait times, and the people around you,” she said. “We’re always going to be on the side of policies that help prevent epidemics.”
DATA CENTERS ARE BOOMING ACROSS TEXAS
The Lone Star State is “ground zero” for the boom in data centers to meet growing demand, including a new joint venture between OpenAI, Soft-Bank and Oracle announced recently by President Trump.
The Texas Standard reported 10 data centers are already under construction, with 10 more on the way. Each building will occupy half a million square feet.
“The demand for digital services continues to increase and continues to be necessary to build out our capabilities for the 21st century economy,” said Dan Diorio, senior director of state policy at the Data Center Coalition, an industry trade group. “Texas is uniquely poised to benefit from that.”
The expansion, along with population growth and more frequent extreme weather events, could stretch the capacity of the state’s power grid. Officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) predict power demand will nearly double by 2030. A growing number of crypto mining facilities is also contributing to the demand for more power.
The state had 279 data centers as of September, according to the state comptroller’s office.
STATE’S POPULATION NOW SURPASSES 31 MILLION
For the past two years, Texas has gained an average of 1,542 residents each day, according to the Texas Demographic Center. The U.S. Census Bureau now estimates the state surpassed 31 million residents in 2024, driven largely by international migration.
For example, of those 1,542 new daily residents, 876 were from international migration, the report showed.
“These figures highlight the state’s position as a key destination for global migrants, as well as its continued appeal to those relocating from other parts of the United States,” according to the report.
Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: [email protected]
