Recently, our state experienced a tragedy in the Hill Country. We mourn the lives lost during the flooding over the Fourth of July holiday on the Guadalupe River. Texas lost 135 men, women, and children with some still missing. We pray for the recovery of the missing, the Texans we lost, and the communities impact by this tragedy.
Here are five things happening around your state:
- Governor Abbott calls First Special Session
This month, Governor Greg Abbott announced the Legislature would convene for the first called special session of the 89th Legislature. The Governor put 18 items for the Legislature to consider on the call. During a special session, the Legislature may only consider those specific topics that the Governor has called us to consider. Some of the 18 items include flood preparedness, emergency communications infrastructure and flood relief funding, elimination of the STAAR test, reducing property taxes, hemp-derived product regulation, protecting unborn children, prohibiting tax-payer funded lobbying, redistricting, and other more specific bills that were vetoed after the regular session. The Legislature convened for the special session on July 21 and has 30 days to address the items on the call. Committee hearings and floor votes are well underway in Austin.
- House Natural Resources Committee holds hearing on East Texas groundwater issue
On July 15, Chairman Cody Harris convened a hearing at the Capitol of the House Natural Resources Committee to hear testimony regarding the impact of high-capacity and large volume groundwater production in the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District (NTVGCD). Over 11 hours, members of the committee, additional interested House members, Senate Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs Committee Chairman Charles Perry, and myself heard testimony regarding the role of groundwater in our state, the proposed projects, and the possible impact those projects could have on groundwater in the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifier which covers the northern part of Senate District 3. The testimony highlighted the risk East Texas faces of overuse of the aquifer which may cause depletion of the aquifer. This is an issue I care about deeply and will continue to pursue remedies to ensure communities in East Texas maintain access to the groundwater under their land.
- Ban on THC products passes Senate
This week, Senate Bill 5 by Senator Charles Perry passed on a bipartisan vote in the Senate. The bill would prohibit the sale of consumable hemp products that contain THC. Hemp products that contain cannabidiol (CBD) or cannabigerol (CBG) will remain legal. Products that remain legal under the law would have to comply with a strict regulatory framework set up in the bill. The bill also prohibits the sale of consumable hemp products to anyone under the age of 21, prohibits marketing those products to minors, and requires certain packaging and labeling of the products. Intoxicating forms of THC endanger the health and safety of children and families and it’s time to rigorously regulate these substances. The existing Texas Compassionate Use Program or laws related to the farming of hemp will not be impacted by these changes.
- TPWD, Animal Health Commission form task force to address New World Screwworm
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) announced the formation of a joint response team to coordinate effort in combating New World screwworm (NWS), following a directive from Governor Abbott. New World screwworm is a fly that carries NWS disease, which attacks warm-blooded animals through open wounds. The disease can be fatal. The pest was eradicated in US in the 1960s, but has recently reemerged in Central America and Mexico. Due to the size of Texas’ border with Mexico, extensive animal agriculture industry, and wildlife, the risk of the reemergence in Texas is of strong concern, especially in our agriculture industry. This joint effort has provided training and education to agency personnel, members of the public, veterinarians, and stakeholders to identify and respond to the threat NWS poses.
- Lufkin teens place 2nd in national rodeo
Two eighth-graders in Lufkin recently won national reserve champion for ribbon roping at the National Junior High Rodeo in Des Moines, Iowa. Ribbon roping involves a “roper” on a horse who ropes and holds a steer, and a “runner” who grabs a ribbon from the steer’s tail and races to cross the finish line. Bella Bardwell and Colt Sanders have competed together for three years. To make it to the national rodeo, the pair competed regionally and statewide. They won first place at the state rodeo for ribbon roping. Congratulations, Bella and Colt!
