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[MustReadTexas.com]([link removed]) – [@MustReadTexas]([link removed])
BY: [@MattMackowiak]([link removed])

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**FRIDAY** || 1/31/25

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**Good Friday mid day.**
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_“If something of importance is known in Texas, Matt knows it. With a decline in the number of credible news organizations, the Must Read Texas morning email is indispensable for anyone that wants to continue to be informed.” – Former U.S. Senator __**Phil Gramm**__ (R-TX)_

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* **TOP NEWS**

“**Abbott expected to promote vouchers and other highlights of his 2025 agenda in Sunday speech,**” Texas Tribune's **James Barragán **— “Gov. **Greg Abbott **will lay out his legislative priorities Sunday night during his biennial State of the State address giving lawmakers marching orders on what topics he wants them to fast-track this session.

Two years ago, Abbott was able to push through bills to reduce the property taxes of millions of Texans after promising the “largest property tax cuts in state history” during his 2022 reelection campaign. But he was foiled in perhaps his biggest priority: passing a school voucher-like program that would allow the use of public dollars to go toward private education.

Passing that legislation, which the governor’s office refers to as “school choice” or education savings accounts, will likely be among Abbott’s top priorities this session, following his heavy involvement in last year’s Republican primaries in which he campaigned against House GOP lawmakers who opposed his proposal. Eleven of those Republicans were replaced by new lawmakers who said they support Abbott’s plans for passing a [school voucher]([link removed]) program. The governor said in November that the elections had left him with a net of [79 “hardcore” voucher supporters]([link removed]) in the House — more than the simple majority of 76 needed to pass a bill.

While Abbott has telegraphed his desire to pass school voucher legislation, his address will give insight into his other top issues. The three-term governor who is in his sixth legislative session as the state’s chief executive could lay out his most ambitious agenda yet – ahead of a reelection campaign in 2026 and a potential presidential bid in 2028.

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With President** Donald Trump**, a Republican ally back in the White House, Texas’ relationship with the federal government will be a key thing to watch. During Abbott’s 10-year tenure as governor, Texas has spent billions of state dollars on immigration enforcement – spending that could be freed up if a Trump administration crack down on immigration reduces the amount state leaders think that Texas needs to spend.

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Abbott has gained a national reputation for his efforts to stop people from crossing the Texas border without documents, including a state-funded border wall, a deployment of Texas National Guard to the border and the shuttling of migrants from Texas to Democrat-led cities in other states. Trump recently praised Abbott’s efforts, calling him the “[leader of the pack]([link removed])” in a public speech.

The State of the State is delivered early every legislative session and is traditionally when the governor announces his legislative priorities. By declaring those priorities as “emergency items,” the governor allows lawmakers to circumvent the constitutional ban on passing legislation in the first 60 days of a session. Otherwise, the House and Senate would need at least 80% of the chamber to take up an item before that time.

Two years ago, the governor laid out seven emergency items. The session before that, he set out five.

Abbott’s choices for emergency items could have a major impact on this year’s session.

Speaking at an event for The Texan news outlet this week, Lt. Gov. **Dan Patrick** said the Senate would pass school vouchers next Wednesday if Abbott designates it an emergency item, which is widely expected. The upper chamber repeatedly passed school voucher legislation last session and a senate committee approved this year’s version of the school voucher bill this week.

That would put pressure on the House, which has been resistant to school voucher legislation in recent sessions, to move its own bill forward quickly. But the lower chamber, which has a new leader who is more open to school vouchers in Lubbock Republican **Dustin Burrows**, is still in the process of setting up its committees after a prolonged speaker’s race that was finally settled on the first day of the session earlier this month.

The fight over school vouchers also hints at intraparty feuding among Texas Republicans with some in the GOP pushing for infusing more religion and prayer into schools, restricting the rights of LGBTQ Texans and clamping down on programs in schools and businesses focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. In his speech, Abbott could signal whether he wants to throw his weight behind these types of bills.

Patrick, a hardline conservative who leads the Senate, included among his priorities bills to place the Ten Commandments in schools, allow prayer in schools and ban libraries from organizing story time events hosted by people in drag.

In a nod to these culture war proposals, Abbott on Thursday sent a letter urging state agencies to “reject woke gender ideologies.” Aligning with a federal executive order issued by Trump, Abbott said “the state of Texas recognizes only two sexes - male and female.”

Abbott’s speech could also give insight into how the governor wants the Legislature to spend its $24 billion surplus for this year’s budget. Last session, lawmakers used $13.3 billion of a historic $32.7 billion surplus to [cut property taxes for Texas homeowners]([link removed]).

Still, the cost of property taxes remains a concern for many Texans. In the Senate, Patrick has set an ambitious goal of increasing the property tax exemption for Texans’ primary residences from $100,000 to $140,000. The House has also proposed spending $6.5 billion on property tax relief, but the two chambers must agree on how exactly to achieve that." [Texas Tribune]([link removed])

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**FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS HAVE ENDED**_: As of July 11, 2022, we have moved to a paywall for free subscribers. Free subscribers will only receive the top story in their morning email. Free subscribers will need to become paid subscribers to receive full story summaries._

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* **TOP NEWS**

HOU CHRON: “**Two cases of measles confirmed in West Texas children**” [Houston Chronicle]([link removed]) ($)

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* **#TXLEGE**

HOU CHRON: “**Online bots attacked Dustin Burrows in Texas House speaker's race**” [Houston Chronicle]([link removed]) ($)

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* **STATE GOVERNMENT**

DMN: “**Abbott hopes to whittle down $2.9 billion border security request**” [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

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* **LOCAL GOVERNMENT**

SAEN: “**City Council says yes to bike plan that could cost billions**” [SAEN]([link removed]) ($)

SAEN: “**Longest serving judge in Bexar County retires after 35 years**” [SAEN]([link removed]) ($)

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* **TRUMP ADMINISTRATION**

DMN: “**Poll: 60% of Texans support increased deportation efforts**” [DMN ]([link removed])($)

HOU CHRON: “**Trump administration freezes millions in migrant aid funds to Texas**” [Houston Chronicle]([link removed]) ($)

HOU LANDING: “**Former Ted Cruz staffer named U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of Texas**” [Houston Landing]([link removed])

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* **TEXANS IN DC**

DMN: “**Ted Cruz set to play key role in plane crash investigation**” [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

DMN: “**Sen. John Cornyn's social media account briefly hacked**” [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

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* **BUSINESS NEWS**

TX TRIB: “**CenterPoint Energy settles rate case, will lower power costs for customers**” [Texas Tribune]([link removed])

AP: “**Exxon Mobil's strong fourth quarter fueled by rising production in the Permian, Guyana**” [AP]([link removed])

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* **NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE**

> TX TRIB: "**Trump’s tariffs loom and even his supporters in Texas are nervous**" _[TX TRIB]([link removed])_
_ _> TX TRIB: "**Legal rights groups urge school leaders not to adopt Texas’ Bible-infused curriculum**" _[TX TRIB]([link removed])_
_ _> AP: "**Judge extends court-monitoring agreement for children in Customs and Border Protection custody**" _[AP]([link removed])_
_ _> TX TRIB: "**An East Texas town debates where to place EV charging stations as Trump threatens subsidies**" _[TX TRIB]([link removed])_
_ _> AP: "**Air Force deportation flight skirts Mexican airspace to Guatemala as military’s border role grows**" _[AP]([link removed])_
_ _> TX MONTHLY: "**The World’s Second-Longest Conveyor Belt Will Soon Start Rolling in West Texas**" _[TX MONTHLY]([link removed])_
> DMN: "**Texas officials identify 2 measles cases in unvaccinated school-age children**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
_ _> TX MONTHLY: "**When the Catholic Church Ran a Public School in Small-Town Texas**" _[TX MONTHLY]([link removed])_
_ _> FWST: "**DFW airspace is crowded and busy. What is being done to avoid aircraft collisions?**" _[FWST]([link removed])_
_ _> TX TRIB: "**“How do we protect our poultry flocks?” Texas dairy, poultry producers grapple with bird flu**" _[TX TRIB]([link removed])_
> DMN: "**American Airlines CEO: ‘We don’t know why' Army helicopter crossed plane path**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
_ _> FWST: "**4.5-magnitude quake jolts two major Texas cities, USGS says. ‘Felt my apartment shake’**" _[FWST]([link removed])_
_ _> DMN: "**How Klyde Warren Park brought Dallas together**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
_ _> HOU CHRON: "**Texas sheriffs already assist deportations. Here's how far they can go for Trump**" _[HOU CHRON]([link removed])_
_ _> TX TRIB: "**CenterPoint Energy settles rate case, will lower power costs for customers**" _[TX TRIB]([link removed])_
_ _> DMN: "**Dallas police address fears around immigration, deportation**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
_ _> DMN: "**Universal Kids Resort comes to Frisco: Here’s the latest in its progress**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
> DMN: "**Dallas breakfast spot Crossroads Diner reopened in new suburban location**" _[DMN]([link removed])_
_ _> FWST: "**Baby abandoned on sidewalk with umbilical cord attached, Texas cops say. Mom arrested**" _[FWST]([link removed])_
_ _> FWST: "**Dallas’ Sixth Floor Museum acquires rare footage of JFK assassination aftermath**" _[FWST]([link removed])_
_ _> FWST: "**Dive team pulls man’s body from water after car crashes in pond at River Crest Country Club**" _[FWST]([link removed])_
_ _> FWST: "**Study shows revenue projections for Keller ISD split; audit finds problems with budget**" _[FWST]([link removed])_
_ _> FWST: "**This North Texas suburb is the second-best in the country, according to new study**" _[FWST]([link removed])_
_ _> FWST: "**Man heats knife on stove and tries to ‘brand’ woman on Valentine’s Day, MT officials say**" _[FWST]([link removed])_
_ _> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "**Texas budget writers prioritize border security, education funding in initial drafts**" _[COMMUNITY IMPACT]([link removed])_

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* **EXTRA POINTS**

Last night's Texas sports score:
> NCAAM: Louisiana 70, **Texas State **61
> NCAAM: **UT-Arlington **70, Southern Utah 68
> NCAAM: W. Kentucky 78, **UTEP** 74
> NCAAM: **Tarleton State** 61, Utah Tech 54

This weekend's Texas sports schedule:
Fri
> 6pm: NBA: **Dallas **at Detroit
> 6pm: NBA: Milwaukee at **San Antonio**
> 7pm: NHL: Vancouver at **Dallas **(ESPN+)
Sat
> 2pm: NCAAM: **UTEP **at Middle Tennessee State (ESPN+)
> 2pm: NCAAM: **Lamar **at **Stephen F. Austin** (ESPN+)
> 2pm: NCAAM: Utah Tech at **UT-Arlington** (ESPN+)
> 2pm: NCAAM: **Prairie View A&M **at **Texas Southern** (HBCU)
> 2:15pm: NCAAM: Northwestern State at **East Texas A&M** (ESPN+)
> 3pm: NCAAM: #11 Kansas at **Baylor** (ESPN)
> 3pm: NCAAM: **Sam Houston State **at Louisiana Tech (ESPNU)
> 4pm: NCAAM: Arkansas State at **Texas State** (ESPN+)
> 4:30pm: NCAAM: **Texas A&M-Corpus Christi** at **UT-RGV** (ESPN+)
> 5pm: NCAAM: #22 **Texas Tech **at #6 **Houston** (ESPN+)
> 5pm: NCAAM: **Texas **at LSU (SEC Network)
> 5pm: NCAAM: **UTSA **at **North Texas** (ESPN+)
> 5pm: NCAAM: Stanford at **SMU** (ACC Network)
> 5pm: NCAAM: **Houston Christian **at **Incarnate Word** (ESPN+)
> 7pm: NBA: Brooklyn at **Houston**
> 7pm: NCAAM: Southern Utah at **Tarleton State** (ESPN+)
> 7pm: NCAAM: #13 **Texas A&M **at South Carolina (SEC Network)
> 7:30pm: NBA: Miami at **San Antonio**
Sun
> 2:30pm: NBA: **Dallas **at Cleveland
> 3pm: NCAAM: Colorado at **TCU** (ESPN+)
> 5pm: NHL: Columbus at **Dallas **(ESPN+)

**DALLAS COWBOYS**: Sherrington: "Cowboys have lost their buzz. Here's one way Dallas can bring it back" [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

**HOUSTON TEXANS**: "Texans' OC candidates: Grant Udinski, Brian Johnson among candidates" [Houston Chronicle]([link removed]) ($)

**DALLAS MAVERICKS**: "Mavs' Kyrie Irving misses out on NBA All-Star team" [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

**DALLAS MAVERICKS**: "NBA trade deadline 2025: Which Dallas Mavericks could be on the move?" [DMN]([link removed]) ($)

**HOUSTON ROCKETS**: "Bane scores 24 points, Jackson hits go-ahead free throws as Grizzlies beat Rockets 120-119" [AP]([link removed])

**HOUSTON ROCKETS**: "Houston Rockets: Alperen Şengün named to 2025 NBA All-Star team" [Houston Chronicle]([link removed]) ($)

**SAN ANTONIO SPURS**: "Spurs' Victor Wembanyama named to first NBA All-Star Game" [SAEN]([link removed]) ($)

**TEXAS MEN'S BASKETBALL**: "Four more wins is all Texas basketball needs to go dancing" [AAS]([link removed]) ($)

**TEXAS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL**: "Jones and Booker lead No.5 Texas past Missouri 70-61 for Longhorns' 18th straight home win" [AP]([link removed])

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