Read this in a browser. [link removed]

Good morning,

Federal law currently puts taxpayers on the hook for illegal aliens' medical costs. In today's One Click Survey, we want to know what you think of that.

This is the Texas Minute for Monday, April 28, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

In One Month, Illegal Aliens Cost Taxpayers $121.8 Million in Hospital Fees Last year, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to gather from state hospitals the cost of providing services to illegal aliens. As Brandon Waltens reports [[link removed]], the first month of reporting data is now available: $121.8 million.

Under the executive order, hospitals are required to inform patients that their responses to questions about legal status will not affect their care, as required by federal law.

While this initial release covers just a single month, HHSC plans to release full quarterly data going forward. The first annual report, covering the full year of data, is set to be released on January 1, 2026.

In 2021, Attorney General Ken Paxton estimated that Texans were already paying between $579 million and $717 million per year in uncompensated care for illegal aliens. With the first month’s data already topping $121 million, the new reports could put the annual figure even higher. Jilted Lottery Ticket Reseller Sues the State Over Ban The lottery ticket reseller Lotto.com has sued the Texas Lottery Commission over recently contemplated rule changes that ban the online sale of lottery tickets. Daniel Greer has the background [[link removed]].

While state law has from the start required lottery tickets to be sold in person, the commission has allowed online sales under the dubious theory that because such sales weren't explicitly prohibited they were permitted. After abuses and claims of foreign money laundering schemes have been exposed, the commission is now looking to get their rules in line with legislative intent.

The company is suing over the changes, which would end its business model. The lawsuit makes it clear that state officials enticed these "resellers" to come into Texas. For example, in 2023, Texas was the first state in which Lotto.com offered a "digital scratch product” featuring the nonsensically labeled “digital latex.”

They weren't even pretending to abide by the clear intent of state law!MORE LOTTERY NEWS According to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick [[link removed]], the scandal-plagued Texas Lottery's former executive director still has not turned up despite there being a lot of questions for him. Gary Grief abruptly resigned as the commission's executive director a year ago, as the scandals first came to light. Texas Scorecard reported [[link removed]] earlier this month on Grief being missing, which his lawyer disputed. But, as Patrick noted last week, Grief still hasn't come forward to answer questions. Senate Blocks 'Guaranteed Basic Income' Programs Harris County's guaranteed income program would be blocked under legislation passed last week by the Texas Senate, reports Joseph Trimmer [[link removed]].

The legislation prohibits cities, counties, and other political subdivisions in Texas from using public funds for guaranteed income programs, blocking the payments even if the program is funded by federal dollars.

Harris County's Democrat-pushed program, Uplift Harris, sought to provide $500 monthly, no-strings-attached payments to nearly 1,900 low-income households. Illegal aliens were included in the county's plan. The funding—over $20 million—came from leftover federal COVID-19 relief money, which was originally intended for pandemic recovery, not for launching permanent entitlement schemes.

Attorney General Ken Paxton led the charge against those efforts, with the Texas Supreme Court agreeing to block them. The court noted “serious doubts about the constitutionality” of Harris County's program.

“Harris County’s original uplift program was a random lottery giveaway of public money with no return to taxpayers, little transparency, and a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.” – State Sen. Paul Bettencourt [[link removed]] (R-Houston) South Texas Teacher Allowed to Resign After Arrest for Sex Crimes Against Student A teacher in Donna Independent School District has been allowed to resign following his arrest for sex crimes against a student. Erin Anderson has the details [[link removed]].

Javier Hernandez, a career and technology teacher in Donna ISD for nearly a decade, was recently charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact and improper relationship between educator and student.

A Donna ISD spokeswoman admitted [[link removed]] that Hernandez was allowed to resign, but declined to provide other details. The district claims Hernandez passed “rigorous background checks” before he was hired. Number of the Day

31,012

The number of hospital visits made by illegal aliens in Texas during the month of November 2024.

[Source: Texas Health and Human Services Commission]

Quote-Unquote

"It simply doesn't make any sense for us to have illegal aliens in our custody in our courts and then let them go back to living here illegally. That's wrong and we should stop it."

– President Bill Clinton​

May 6, 1995

One Click Survey

Last year, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order that state hospitals report the treatment costs for illegal aliens. The first report was just issued. It found that in just a single month, illegal aliens cost Texas taxpayers at least $121.8 million in hospital charges.

Should federal law continue to require states to pay for medical treatment services offered to illegal aliens?

YES; we have an obligation to help them. [[link removed]]

... or ...

NO; they are here illegally. [[link removed]]

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!

Directory of Your Current U.S. & Texas Officials [[link removed]]

This information is automatically inserted based on the mailing address you provide to us. If you'd like to update your contact information, please visit our subscriber portal [[link removed]].

​ U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas [[link removed]]

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor [[link removed]]

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

Attorney General [[link removed]]

Ken Paxton – R

(512) 463-2100

Comptroller [[link removed]]

Glenn Hegar – R

(512) 463-4600

Land Commissioner [[link removed]]

Dawn Buckingham – R

(512) 463-5001

Commissioner of Agriculture [[link removed]]

Sid Miller – R

(512) 463-7476

Railroad Commissioners [[link removed]]

Wayne Christian – R

Christi Craddick – R

Jim Wright – R

(512) 463-7158

State Board of Education [[link removed]], District

Update your address ( )

Main (512) 463-9007

U.S. House [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Congressional Switchboard (202) 225-3121

Texas Senate [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Capitol Switchboard (512) 463-4630

Texas House [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Capitol Switchboard (512) 463-4630

Speaker of the Texas House [[link removed]]

Dustin Burrows (R)

(512) 463-1000

Something not right?

Make sure your contact information is correct [[link removed]]!

Update Your Subscription Profile [[link removed]] Request A Speaker [[link removed]] 🔒 Contribute 🔒 [[link removed]]

A product of Texas Scorecard

www.TexasScorecard.com

(888) 410-1836

PO Box 248, Leander, TX 78646

Presented by Texas Scorecard, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the first news of the Lone Star State so citizens can be well informed and effectively engaged. It is available weekday mornings in your inbox!

This message was originally sent to:

John xxxxxx |

Be sure to put “ [[link removed]]” on your safe-senders whitelist.

If you ever stop receiving our emails, it might be because someone to whom you forwarded the email unintentionally removed you from the list. No worries; it is easy enough to reactivate your subscription immediately by visiting:

[link removed]

Before you click the link below... If someone forwarded this email to you, please don’t! Clicking the link will end the subscription of [email protected].
Unsubscribe [link removed]