Tag: texas

Texas Democrats Slam GOP Lieutenant Governor For Championing Hemp Product Ban That Has Now Passed The House

Lawmakers in the Texas House of Representatives have passed a measure to establish a statewide ban on consumable hemp products that contain any detectable amount of THC.

The House approved the bill, SB 3, on third reading vote of 87–54 on Thursday.

Under the latest version of the proposal, championed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who presides over the Senate, adults could face a $500 fine for possessing a hemp product containing any THC—a penalty that would climb to up to 180 days in jail for subsequent offenses.

Earlier this week, Patrick wrote on social media that “we cannot in good conscience leave Austin without banning THC.”

“I’ve been here for 17 years at the Texas Capitol—10 years as your lieutenant governor,” he said in a video Monday evening. “I’ve never been more passionate about anything.”

Democrats have attacked the bill as an assault on personal liberty and gone after Patrick for his zeal around the ban.

“Dan Patrick is coming for your THC,” the party posted on social media. “Why doesn’t he bring this kind of energy to fully funding our public schools and raising teacher pay?”

“In the so-called ‘freedom state’,” it added, “adults should have the right to use cannabinoid products. We allow alcohol and tobacco—why not a gummy or oil to relax and ease pain?”

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Texas House Approves Bill To Ban Consumable Hemp-Derived THC Products

The Texas House late Wednesday gave initial approval to a bill that would ban all products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, likely spelling the end for the state’s short-lived hemp industry.

Under the legislation, which is nearing the governor’s desk for approval, adults would face up to a year in jail for possessing hemp products with any amount of THC—a stricter penalty than what is on the books for possessing up to 2 ounces of marijuana.

The bill’s expected passage portends a minor earthquake for the state’s economy, effectively shuttering a field that, by one estimate, accounts for roughly 50,000 jobs and generates $8 billion in tax revenue annually.

THC products, now a ubiquitous presence at gas stations, convenience stores and thousands of other retailers across Texas, are now poised to be taken off the shelves. The about-face comes six years after the Legislature inadvertently touched off a massive boom in hemp-based products when lawmakers, intending to boost Texas agriculture, authorized the sale of consumable hemp.

Though that 2019 law does not allow products to contain more than trace amounts of delta-9 THC, it did not establish that same threshold for other hemp derivatives. Critics say the hemp industry has exploited that loophole to the tune of more than 8,000 retailers now selling THC-laced edibles, drinks, vapes and flower buds.

The vote ended months of suspense over how the House would handle competing calls to ban or regulate THC, the psychoactive element in marijuana.

This session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who oversees the Senate, has led the charge to eradicate the industry, which he accuses of preying on susceptible minors by setting up stores near schools and marketing products to children. The Senate passed legislation in March to ban all THC products, and the Republican leader threatened to force an overtime session of the Legislature if the House did not get on board.

“I’ve been here for 17 years at the Texas Capitol—10 years as your lieutenant governor. I’ve never been more passionate about anything,” Patrick said in a video posted on social media Monday evening. “I’m not gonna leave Austin until we get this done.”

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Texas House OKs Bill To Sue Vaccine Makers for False Ads

In a major victory for accountability and informed consent, the Texas House of Representatives passed HB 3441 yesterday, a bill that would allow Texans to sue vaccine manufacturers whose advertising leads to injury or harm.

The unprecedented move comes as CDC data show there have been an alarming 2,665,796 adverse events linked to vaccines since 1990, the vast majority related to COVID-19 jabs.

But if fewer than 1% of adverse events are reported – as a 2010 HHS-funded Harvard analysis confirms – the real number could exceed 266 million, or roughly 7.6 million per year, or 20,800 per day.

First filed in February, the new bill passed yesterday by a vote of 88–31, moving the legislation one step closer to becoming law.

The pioneering legislation boasts a whopping 79 brave sponsors, 74 Republicans and 5 Democrats.

The bill is spearheaded by Representatives Shelley Luther (R-62), Jeff Leach (R-67), Marc LaHood (R-121), Oscar Longoria (D-35), and Mike Schofield (R-132).

If you want this kind of bill passed in your state or at the federal level, you can find your local, state, and U.S. representatives here and let them know.

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Tom Homan: Biden-Released, Sex-Trafficked 14-Year-Old Migrant Child Rescued in Texas

White House Border Czar Tom Homan told the Republican National Lawyers Association that a 14-year-old unaccompanied alien child was discovered being sex trafficked by two adult males in Texas. During a speech on Friday, Homan says the rescue, conducted two days before, is just one example of what agents are finding in the search for unaccompanied alien children released by the Biden administration.

Homan made his remarks during the 2025 National Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., an annual event hosted by the Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA). During his remarks, Trump’s Border Czar described the difficult search for more than 500,000 unaccompanied children who were released into the United States during the Biden administration. According to Homan, 300,000 remain missing.

Homan told the attendees he firmly believes many of the unaccompanied alien children who were released into the United States are being used for forced labor. Of the several thousand Homan says the administration has located, Homan provided information regarding the 14-year-old child found living with two adult males in Texas, saying she is now receiving physical and mental health care from the Department of Homeland Security.

Homan did not identify the two adult male suspects implicated in the alleged sex trafficking of the 14-year-old unaccompanied alien child, nor did he provide other specifics of the criminal case facing the adult suspects. Homan told the crowd that the victimization of children takes its toll on agents, referring to personal experiences he endured during his career.

“Despite what the media says, we are not heartless, we care about these kids,” Homan told the attendees. “I’m a father, and the reason I’m so emotional and headstrong on this issue is because I dealt with dying children throughout my career.”

“I have held dying children,” Homan added.

The border czar described the task of locating the 300,000 unaccompanied alien children who remain missing, calling it one of the most challenging tasks the administration has embarked upon.

“Everyone in this room has a footprint. We can find you. You own a home, car, and pay bills, and we can find you,” Homan explained. “Children don’t have that footprint.”

Homan said the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) ‘s lack of proper vetting during the Biden administration made locating the children more difficult. Many were not fingerprinted, and much of the identification information recorded during the release process wasn’t verified.

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Fugitive Capital Murder Suspect Released by Judge Spotlights Need for Texas Bond Reform

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a total reward of $30,000 for information leading to the arrest of a fugitive capital murder suspect. The suspect was released by a judge in Kaufman County on bond. Abbott says the case highlights the need for passage of the bond reform bill currently before the Texas Legislature.

“​Trevor McEuen is exactly why Texas must fix its broken and deadly bail system,” said Governor Abbott. “A violent criminal like McEuen charged with capital murder should never be released on our streets.”

Abbott posted the $30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Trevor McEuen, a capital murder suspect who fled after being released on bond by 422nd District Court Judge Shelton TW Gibbs IV (Republican) after he allegedly shot and killed Aaron Martinez, 35, in 2023. On May 5, McEuen failed to show up for court, cut off his ankle monitor, and absoncded from justice.

In addition to the capital murder charge, McEuen also faces four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The governor added $10,000 to the previously offered $20,000 rewards offered by the Kaufman County Crime Stoppers and Sheriff’s Office, Abbott’s office reported. This brings the total reward to $30,000.

Abbott stressed that cases like this hightly the reason why “I made bail reform an emergency item that must pass this legislative session.

In a bipartisan vote, the Texas Senate passed SJR 5 by a tally of 28-2. The bill is spearheaded by State Senator Joan Huffman (R-TX). The bill would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to allow judges to deny bail to defendants charged with serious violent crimes, including murder, aggravated kidnapping, robbery or assault with a weapon.

In a highly partisan political stunt, Texas House Democrats vowed to block the bill’s passage following the passage of school vouchers in April, Fox 26 journalist Greg Groogan reported.

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Federal judge strikes down workplace protections for transgender workers

A federal judge in Texas struck down guidance from a government agency specifying protections against workplace harassment based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on Thursday determined that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission exceeded its statutory authority when the agency issued guidance to employers against deliberately using the wrong pronouns for an employee, refusing them access to bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity, and barring employees from wearing dress code-compliant clothing according to their gender identity because they may constitute forms of workplace harassment.

Kacsmaryk said the guidance is “inconsistent with the text, history, and tradition of Title VII and recent Supreme Court precedent.”

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects employees and job applicants from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

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Gov. Abbott Requests Waiver to Ban Unhealthy SNAP Purchases in Texas

Gov. Greg Abbott has formally requested a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prohibit the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the purchase of unhealthy foods, such as soda and candy. 

The move, announced in a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, marks a significant push to reshape the nutritional standards of SNAP purchases in Texas.

SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is the largest federal nutrition assistance program, helping over 41 million Americans afford groceries each year. While the program’s stated goal is to increase access to nutritious food, critics argue that a substantial portion of SNAP benefits are currently spent on items with little or no nutritional value.

USDA data cited by Texas lawmakers indicates that about 20 percent of SNAP dollars go toward sugary drinks and snack foods, with sweetened beverages alone accounting for 9.3 percent of expenditures.

Abbott’s letter emphasizes that SNAP was created to promote nutrition and health, but instead “many SNAP purchases are for food with little to no nutritious value.” He wrote that the waiver would ensure “taxpayer dollars are used only to purchase healthy, nutritious food.”

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ANOTHER NARRATIVE BUSTED: Texas Band’s Sob Story After ICE “Forcibly Removes” Their Drummer From Plane Backfires When The Truth of Drummer’s Violent Past Emerges

As multiple outlets have reported, Lord Buffalo, an Austin, Texas based rock band released a statement on Facebook announcing that their drummer, Yamal Said, was “forcefully removed” from their flight to Europe on Monday by Customs and Border Patrol officials. The plane was departing from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Due to this, they said their tour has been cancelled.

“We are heartbroken to announce we have to cancel our upcoming European tour,” the band wrote. “Our drummer, Yamal Said, who is a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States (green card holder) was forcibly removed from our flight to Europe by Customs and Border Patrol at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday May 12.”

“He has not been released, and we have been unable to contact him,” they added. “We are currently working with an immigration lawyer to find out more information and to attempt to secure his release.”

“We are hopeful that this is a temporary setback and that it could be safe for us to reschedule this tour in the future.”

The band later posted an update stating that they had secured legal representation for Said but reiterated that they had no clue why he had been taken into custody to begin with.

The liberal media happily went along with the narrative that an overzealous ICE had cruelly detained a hard-working immigrant. For example, here is how the far-left The Austin Chronicle spun the story.

However, it turns out that the Trump Administration had a good reason for taking Said away. The DHS noted on their X page, after the story went viral, that Said was a Mexican national with a sordid record.

Said had a warrant out for his arrest after violating a restraining order twice. He has since been turned over to local law enforcement.

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Texas mother arrested after allegedly aiding in son’s planned school attack

A Texas mother was arrested this week on allegations she purchased ammunition and tactical gear for her son, who authorities said was planning “mass targeted violence” at a San Antonio school, according to an affidavit obtained by CBS News.

Ashley Pardo, 33, was arrested Monday on one count of aiding in the commission of terrorism after tactical gear and ammunition were found at her home, which authorities said she purchased for her son in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings, according to the arrest affidavit issued by Bexar County Magistrate Court. 

Pardo “intentionally and knowingly aided” her son, San Antonio police wrote in the affidavit.

The situation unfolded in January, when school staff at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio found a map of the school which had been allegedly drawn by the Pardo’s son, who was not named in the affidavit. 

The map was labeled “suicide route,” with the name of the school and a rifle drawn above it, according to the affidavit. The boy told officials that he had a “fascination with past mass shooters, including their manifestos.” 

In April, the boy was suspended from school for using a school-issued computer to research the 2019 massacre on two mosques in Christchurch , New Zealand, according to the affidavit.

The boy was “subsequently suspended,” and later in the day attempted suicide, the affidavit states. He attended an alternative school through May 7, and returned to his Jeremiah Rhodes on May 8.  

On Monday, the boy’s grandmother contacted police after the middle schooler told her that Pardo gave him guns and ammunition, according to the affidavit. The grandmother had found her grandson playing with a live bullet and a hammer the day prior, the documents read. 

The grandmother told police that Pardo had taken her son to a surplus store and bought him tactical gear, including magazines, a tactical vest, a tactical helmet and army clothing.

“It has been expressed to the Defendant the concerns of her child’s expression and desire to commit acts of mass violence,” the affidavit stated about Pardo. “The Defendant expressed to the school her support of (her son’s) violent expressions and drawings and does not feel concerned for his behavior.”

The grandmother also found a homemade explosive device made from a mortar-style firework in the boy’s bedroom, the affidavit said. Written on the device were the words “For Brenton Tarrant,” the Australian white supremacist who carried out the Christchurch shootings which killed 51 people. 

Multiple “SS” symbols and “14 words” were also written on the device, according to the affidavit, references to white supremacist ideology.

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Google Reaches $1.375 Billion Settlement with Texas Over Privacy Violations Involving Location Tracking and Biometric Data

Google has reached a $1.375 billion settlement with Texas over allegations the tech giant intruded on user privacy by collecting data without proper consent. The resolution, announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, concludes two lawsuits centered on the company’s handling of sensitive information across several of its products.

The lawsuits focused on practices involving Google’s location tracking, biometric data collection, and its private browsing tool, Incognito mode. According to Paxton, the company engaged in prolonged surveillance of individuals’ movements, online activity, and even biometric identifiers like voiceprints and facial features, activities he claimed were conducted without user knowledge or agreement.

“In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law,” said Paxton. “For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services. I fought back and won.”

Although the total settlement figure has been made public, specific terms remain undisclosed, and the state has not explained how the funds will be distributed.

Google has denied any wrongdoing and emphasized that the agreement resolves claims based on policies that have already been updated. “This settles a raft of old claims, many of which have already been resolved elsewhere, concerning product policies we have long since changed,” said Google spokesperson José Castañeda. He added, “We are pleased to put them behind us, and we will continue to build robust privacy controls into our services.”

The original lawsuits, filed in 2022, accused Google of circumventing user privacy settings, continuing to track locations despite users believing the feature was off. They also charged that the company’s so-called private browsing mode did not actually provide meaningful privacy and that Google had collected biometric data from Texans without obtaining legally required consent.

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