Special Edition:

Texas Fight and Hook Em’ Horns!!

Playing since 1900, the Texas Longhorns will face their arch-rivals, the Oklahoma Sooners, this Saturday at the Red River Shootout in Dallas, Texas. There are bound to be memorable moments, traditions made, and no love lost between the fans at this year’s game at the Cotton Bowl during the Texas State Fair.

More than just a football game is at stake when these two teams play. Sparks fly over which state is better, families become divided, and most importantly… the bragging rights for 364 days. When the Longhorns and Sooners play, anything can happen. So get there early, stay there late, grab your corn dog and HOOK EM’ HORNS!!

Series record between the Longhorns and Sooners:

All-time series record: Texas leads 62-47-5

Largest wins: Texas 40-7 in 1941, Oklahoma 65-13 in 2003

Latest Texas win: Oct. 6, 2018

TEXLEGE:  Rep. Bohac to Retire, Rep. Israel to Chair, Rep. Lang to Run Afterall

On September 25^th, Texas State Representative Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) announced he will retire from the Legislature at the end of his term.  He has been a member of the Texas House since 2003, prioritizing measures to lower taxes, secure the border, reduce crime and improve public education during his tenure.  This past session he authored the “Character Education Bill,” which requires the state to incorporate positive character traits into public school curriculum.  He is also known for passing the “Merry Christmas Bill,” which allows teachers and students to offer holiday greetings without fear of litigation.  He won election to the House in 2018 by a slim margin of 47 votes and without an incumbent on the ballot in the next election, the seat is in peril of flipping.

Also on September 25^th, Rep. Celia Israel (D-Austin) was named Chair of the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee.  She replaces Rep. César Blanco who recently announced his run for the Texas Senate.  Rep. Israel has served in the House since 2014, and also serves as Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.  In her new role, Rep. Israel will work to help Democrats win seats in the Texas House, though she says her vision goes beyond party.  “My goal is to get back to those times when you’re judged by the content of your bill, not by the letter that’s after your name.”

Finally, Rep. Mike Lang (R-Granbury) announced Friday evening that he will run for re-election to the Texas House, after first announcing his retirement two days prior in order to run for Hood County Commissioner.  His change of heart came after hearing from community members and conservative leaders who stressed the importance of his service in the Legislature during a redistricting legislative session.  Rep. Lang serves as Chair of the House Freedom Caucus and is running for a third term.

U.S. Rep. Thornberry is 6^th Texas Republican Member to Announce Retirement

United States Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) announced Monday his decision to retire from Congress, making him the 6^th Texas Republican to do so ahead of the 2020 election.  Rep. Thornberry was first elected to the U.S. House in 1994 and is one of the longest-serving Texans in Washington from either party.

The other five Texas Republicans retiring from Congress include Rep. Pete Olson (R-Sugar Land), Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Midland), Rep. Will Hurd (R-Helotes), Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Coppell) and Rep. Bill Flores (R-Bryan).  Additionally, in the 2018 election cycle, six other Texas Republicans retired from Congress and two more ultimately lost their re-election bids.  Of the 25 Texas Republicans in the U.S. House in 2016 when President Donald Trump was elected, only eleven are slated to be members of Congress after the 2020 election.

Only in Austin…

United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Texas Legend Willie Nelson enjoyed a visit during the Texas Tribune Festival on Saturday in Austin.  Described as “SXSW for political geeks,” TribFest is an annual event drawing politicos from across the country for two days of panels, podcasts and presentations, not to mention political celebrity sightings.  Featured participants this past weekend included opening keynote speaker U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, who announced he is considering a run for President in 2024; Democratic candidates for President Michael Bennet, Pete Buttigieg, Julián Castro, Amy Klobuchar and Beto O’Rourke; many Texas House and Senate members, as well as many Texas city, county, state and federal elected officials; and closing keynote speaker Nancy Pelosi.

You Won’t Go Far Without the Star:  Texans Need a REAL ID-Compliant Driver’s License by October 1, 2020

Does your Texas Driver’s License have a gold star?  The Texas Department of Public Safety is working to ramp up awareness that air travelers need an updated REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card by October 1, 2020, if they plan to use it to go through airport security.  While roughly 16 million Texans are in possession of a current REAL ID, DPS estimates at least 4 million still need to update their documents within the next year, and it recommends that you not wait until the last minute.

If your license is missing the gold star in the upper quadrant, you can visit Texas.gov to see if you’re eligible to renew online.  If not, DPS shared tips to avoid long lines at driver’s license offices:

• Renew early: You don’t have to wait for your driver’s license expiration date.  You can renew up to two years before your license expires.
• Go on slower days: Mondays, Fridays and days after holidays are the busiest days of the week, and summer is the busiest time of year.
• Take proper ID: Before going to a center, make sure you have the proper documents.  Check the Texas.gov website for acceptable proofs of identity.

Apple’s Mac Pro Manufacturing Will Remain in Austin

On Monday Apple announced it will continue manufacturing its Mac Pro computers in Austin, after the company received exemptions from some proposed federal tariffs.  Production will begin soon at the same facility where Mac Pro has been made since 2013.  Austin is a significant hub for Apple – the company has about 7,000 employees in the metropolitan area, including contractors.  In December, a plan was announced to invest $1 billion in a new 133-acre corporate campus in Austin and add 5,000 workers; the new campus could eventually hold up to 15,000 workers.

The State Fair of Texas Opens this Friday

The big day is almost here – the State Fair of Texas opens this Friday in Dallas.  This year’s theme is Celebrating Texas Creativity and kick off events include the Opening Day Parade at noon and the official opening ceremony at 7:00 p.m.  Big Tex will be sporting fancy new duds and boots in honor of the occasion.

But who are we kidding?  For most of us, the main attraction at the State Fair is the food and seeing what fried concoctions the geniuses who think these things up will amaze us with next.  This year we’ll be lining up for Big Red Chicken Bread (a fried chicken wing sitting in a Big Red-infused doughnut), Fla’Mango Tango (fried mango with a side of strawberry-mango sorbet) and Champagne Jell-O Hot Shots (Champagne and Chablis in a watermelon-flavored Jell-O shot topped with jalapeno slices)…not to mention numerous Fletcher’s corny dogs.  Though the Fletchers may be embroiled in a lawsuit within the family, we’ll still happily enjoy this State Fair tradition while contemplating the important things in life…like what the crispy bit at the end is called.

The State Fair runs through October 20^th.  Bring on the stretchy pants!

Only in (outside) Austin…

The legendary Garth Brooks brought his Dive Bar Tour to the oldest dancehall in Texas Monday night for a free show at Gruene Hall for about 800 lucky fans.  Ticketless fans weren’t left out, however, grabbing spots in front of the jumbotron outside the historic dancehall for a memorable street party.

TXLEGE: Sen. Rodríguez to Retire, Rep. Blanco to Run, Rep. Murphy to be Vice Chair

Senator José Rodríguez (D-El Paso) announced on Friday that he will retire from the Texas Senate at the end of his current term in January 2021.  He has served in the Senate since 2010; prior to that, he was the El Paso County Attorney for 17 years.  Sen. Rodríguez’s priorities in the Legislature have included affordable housing, education, health care, social issues and immigrant rights, and he was recently named to the Texas Safety Commission, which was created by Governor Greg Abbott after the recent El Paso mass shooting.

On Monday, Representative César Blanco (D-El Paso) threw his hat into the ring, announcing he will run for Sen. Rodríguez’s seat.  Rep. Blanco has represented House District 76 since 2015; the seat will be up for grabs now that he is running for the Texas Senate.

Representative Jim Murphy (R-Houston) won election as vice chair of the Texas House Republican Caucus Friday night.  The spot was vacated recently after the chair, Rep. Dustin Burrows, resigned and the vice chair, Rep. Stephanie Klick, was elevated to the top position.

Legislative Redistricting Committees Meet:  Texas Could Add 3 Congressional Seats After 2020 Census

According to Texas State Demographer Dr. Lloyd Potter, who testified recently before the House Redistricting Committee, the state has grown 14% over the past decade, putting the population just under 30 million.  This growth will likely mean Texas gains seats in the U.S. Congress, while states such as California and Minnesota, which have been losing population, have the potential to lose congressional seats.  During the 2021 legislative session, Texas lawmakers will face the highly political process of drawing U.S. House and Texas House and Senate districts, using population data from the 2020 census.  The census will also affect Electoral College votes, which are based on each state’s count of House and Senate seats.

The House Committee on Redistricting is scheduled to meet twice in October:  at 4:00 PM Wednesday, October 9^th in Fort Worth, and at 4:00 PM Thursday, October 10^th in Dallas.  The Senate Select Committee on Redistricting will meet at 9:00 AM Tuesday, October 29^th at the Texas Capitol in Austin.

Dr. Harrison Keller Named Texas Higher Education Commissioner

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently voted unanimously to appoint Harrison Keller as commissioner, effective October 1^st.  Dr. Keller will serve as the sixth commissioner since the board’s founding in 1965, succeeding Commissioner Raymund Paredes who served for 15 years before announcing his resignation in January.  Dr. Keller currently serves as deputy of strategy and policy in the president’s office at The University of Texas at Austin and is also a clinical professor at UT’s LBJ School of Public Affairs.  He has a long history in education policy, having previously served as research director and senior education policy adviser under Speaker Tom Craddick in the Texas House.

Only in Austin…

It may still feel like the depths of summer, but Halloween seems to have come early to the Paramount Theater in Austin.  Pianist Chad Lawson was scheduled to perform there Sunday when he snapped a few photos from the stage after soundcheck.  When he got back to his hotel and looked at his shots, he made a chilling discovery – the figure of what appears to be a woman floating in the mezzanine stairway in the otherwise empty theater.  Spooky stories about the theater are not unheard of – one even mentions a woman in a white dress seen roaming the aisles of the mezzanine, thought to be the spirit of a mourning mother or wife from the Civil War era.  Time to book some tickets for a show!

18 Year Anniversary of the September 11 Attacks

It’s hard to fathom it has been 18 years since the horrendous attacks of September 11, 2001.  Today as the country pauses to remember, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum will commemorate the lives lost with a ceremony honoring those killed at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93, as well as in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.  The service will be streamed on various venues starting around 8:25 AM ET from the 9/11 Memorial plaza in lower Manhattan.  In the evening, the Tribute in Light installation will be lit from sunset to sunrise the morning of September 12th.  This moving display is not without controversy, however, as migrating birds are attracted to the towers of light and can become disoriented.  Scientists and volunteers will observe the birds closely and turn the lights off for 20-minute periods when necessary to break the spell of the lights and let the birds disperse.

We remember.

Analysis of November’s Proposed Constitutional Amendments

For those of you eager to study up on the 10 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution that will be on the November 5^th ballot, the Texas Legislative Council’s analysis is now available.  TLC is a nonpartisan legislative agency that serves as a source of impartial research and information, and their 47-page publication provides a thorough and unbiased examination of the amendments.  This year’s crop of proposals ranges from Prop. 5, which would require the Legislature to allocate the money raised from state sales taxes on sporting goods to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to be used for improvement and management of state and local parks and historic sites and the acquisition of new sites, to Prop. 10, which would allow law enforcement animals to retire and their former handlers or other qualified caretakers to adopt them with no fee.  As a reminder, October 7^th is the last day for Texans to register to vote in the November 5^th election.

Only in Austin…

The Texas Capitol Visitors Center is located on the southeast Capitol Grounds in the beautifully restored 1856-57 General Land Office building.  It’s the oldest state office building in Texas and is a great place to begin your visit to the Capitol Complex.  Current exhibits include the LEGO Texas State Capitol (featured in the previous Mignon Memo) and The Texas Governor’s Mansion (runs through February 2020), while permanent exhibits include a model of the Capitol dome, Capitol blueprints and building materials, the 1888 Goddess of Liberty star and a view into the architecture that inspired famed writer O. Henry, who worked in the building as a draftsman for the Texas General Land Office from 1887-1891.  The building also houses an expansive gift shop and the Texas Travel Center, where Texas Department of Transportation staff members like “Travel Ambassador” Mary Jackson offer free maps and literature on destinations throughout the state.  Time for a road trip!

Get Yours Now:  Texas Parks & Wildlife’s Outdoor Annual Guide and Mobile App

The latest version of one of the coolest guides out there is now available from Texas Parks & Wildlife – the Outdoor Annual.  This handy publication is currently available electronically, as a downloadable mobile app, or in old-fashioned booklet form, which can be found locally in sporting goods stores.  The 2019-2020 edition is full of important and useful information for outdoor enthusiasts – hunting season dates; new rules and regulations for hunting, fishing and boating; information on licenses, tags and endorsements; boating and water safety requirements; freshwater and saltwater fishing regulations; hunting regulations and county listings.  The “Official Mobile App of Texas Hunting, Fishing and Boating” offers even more useful information such as location-based hunting and fishing information and the ability to look up your license purchase history, with no internet connection required after downloading.  With the change in season, this is something every outdoor adventure-seeker will want to have on hand.  Now if the heat would just break!

The Texas Capitol…in Lego Form

There’s an impressive new exhibit at the Texas Capitol Visitors Center that might bring out the kid in you.  A Lego-brick replica of the Texas Capitol was recently installed which was privately created by Ben Rollman, an IT specialist with the Texas Medical Association.  It took a year and half to design the model, which is built on a scale of 1 to 72, includes over 65,000 bricks and weighs about 150 pounds.  The State Preservation Board, the agency in charge of the visitors center as well as parts of the Capitol, the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Governor’s Mansion and the Texas State Cemetery, was so thrilled with the replica’s detail and design that it built a custom wood and plexiglass case in order to display it for the next decade.  Where did we hide that old tub of Legos?

Only in Austin…

The 2019 Texas Book Festival Lineup is out!  Scheduled for October 26^th and 27^th, the festival will feature over 300 authors in 250+ events, including book talks and signings, live entertainment, activities and storytimes for kids, cooking demonstrations and more.  Some of the big names appearing at the festival this year include Admiral William McRaven, Scott Pelley, John Grisham, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Benjamin Dreyer, Stephen Harrigan, Samuel Gwynne and Aaron Franklin.  The book festival is always a stellar event and we hope to see you there!

Gov. Greg Abbott Names Jane Bland to the Texas Supreme Court

On Monday, Gov. Abbott announced Jane Bland will fill the vacancy on the Texas Supreme Court left by Justice Jeff Brown, who was recently confirmed to the federal bench.  Bland, a former Republican appeals court judge in Houston, lost her seat in the November 2018 election.  She is Gov. Abbott’s third appointee to the state’s highest civil court, upon which he himself previously served, and she will be the third woman on the current court.

Your Next HEB Run:  Eggs, Milk, Tortillas…Cricket Protein Bars

Who knew bugs would successfully make the jump onto shoppers’ grocery lists?  Turns out test sales were higher than expected and HEB will be stocking “cricket-based crispy snacks and protein bars” come November.  The treats are made by an Austin-based company under the brand name Exo and are offered in flavors such as nutty chocolate chip and Texas barbecue.  We Capitol folk know a good place to harvest the crispy creatures come fall…

Are You Ready for Some Football?!?!

We don’t know about you, but we’re counting down the minutes until this Saturday’s first UT game, not to mention as much college football as we can stand starting this weekend.  To help fill your fall calendar, here are the game schedules for some favorites, including UT, Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, Texas A&M, SMU and the University of Houston.  Go Team!

Only in Austin…

UT’s Minister of Culture, Matthew McConaughey, will be a part-owner of Austin’s future pro soccer team, the Austin F.C. (Austin Football Club).  He joins local businessmen Marius Haas, Bryan Sheffield, and Eddie Margain as co-owners of Austin’s first-ever major pro sports team — up to now, Austin has been the largest city in America without one.  Can’t wait to see what he’ll wear on the sidelines!

Governor Greg Abbott Forms Domestic Terrorism Task Force and Texas Safety Commission in Response to El Paso Mass Shooting

Last week, Gov. Abbott announced the Domestic Terrorism Task Force to combat hateful acts of extremism in Texas following the recent shooting in El Paso. On Monday, he announced the Texas Safety Commission, which will develop an immediate action plan for the state of Texas.

The first Texas Safety Commission meeting will take place at 10:30am Thursday, August 22^nd at the Texas Capitol; a second meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 29^th in El Paso.  The Domestic Terrorism Task Force will hold its first roundtable meeting with Gov. Abbott on Friday, August 30^th.

Ruth Ruggero Hughs Appointed New Texas Secretary of State

On Monday, Gov. Abbott named Ruth Ruggero Hughs Texas’ new Secretary of State.  She previously served on the Texas Workforce Commission as the Chair and as the Commissioner Representing Employers – she was appointed to the three-member Commission in July 2015 and became Chair in August 2018.  Secretary Hughs will be considered for confirmation by the Texas Senate during the 87^th Legislative Session in 2021.  David Whitley, the previous Secretary of State, was not confirmed during the legislative session which ended in May of this year.

As Secretary of State, Hughs will serve as Texas’ Chief Election Officer and as senior advisor and liaison to the Governor for Texas Border and Mexican Affairs, and as Chief International Protocol Officer for Texas.  The Secretary of State’s office provides a repository for official and business and commercial records required to be filed with the state, publishes government rules and regulations, commissions notaries public and serves as keeper of the state seal and attestor to the Governor’s signature on official documents.

Representative Jessica Farrar Resigns House Seat; Representative Dustin Burrows Departs as Caucus Chair

Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) announced she will retire from the Texas House at the end of September in order to give her successor a leg up on the next legislative session.  Rep. Farrar served in the House for 25 years; she was named Vice Chair of the House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee and also chaired the Texas House Women’s Health Caucus during the 2019 legislative session.  In 2011, she served as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.  The special election for her seat will be November 5^th.

Additionally, Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) resigned his post as Chair of the Texas House Republican Caucus.  Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth), Caucus Vice Chair, will take over as Chair until the next election of officers prior to the 2021 legislative session, per caucus bylaws.

Texas Capitol Does Its Part to Conserve Energy During Heat Wave

In an effort to help reduce the demand on the state’s power grid during the current August heat wave, the Texas Capitol has dimmed the lights throughout the original building and the extension.  Sounds like a good time for a road trip to cooler climes…

Only in Austin…

Monday’s El Arroyo sign reflected the feelings of many UT fans and Austinites after the untimely death of Cedric Benson, the former Texas Longhorns and NFL star who died in a motorcycle crash Saturday night in Austin.  In a tribute to their friend and teammate, former Longhorns Brian Orakpo and Michael Griffin’s cupcake shop, Gigi’s Cupcakes in Bee Cave, released a limited edition cupcake featuring an image of Benson on burnt orange buttercream frosting.

New Texas Laws Effective September 1^st

Many new laws passed during the recent Texas Legislative Session take effect September 1, 2019.  A smattering of interesting new measures:

Beer to go and alcohol delivery:  Texans will now be allowed to purchase their favorite craft beers while at the brewery.  Another new measure will allow Texas’ 10,000 beer and wine retailers to deliver goods right to customers’ doors.

Stop telephone scammers:  Two new laws aim to stop telemarketers from using familiar looking Caller ID numbers to call your cell phone.

Pets on the patio:  Dogs and their owners soon will be able to dine together on restaurant patios across the state.

For a list of the 820 measures effective 9-1-19, click here.

Texas Vaccine Exemption Rates

Texas is one of 16 states that allows parents to bypass vaccine requirements for enrolling their kids in school by claiming a conscientious exemption, along with citing medical or religious concerns.  With school starting soon, the Texas Tribune has published a tool to look up your district or private school to see how exemption rates have changed across the state.  Click here to check your district’s rate.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Appointments

Governor Greg Abbott recently announced his appointments to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, which manages and conserves the natural and cultural resources of Texas.  James Abell, Jeff Hildebrand and Bobby Patton were named new commission members with terms expiring February 1, 2025; Anna Benavides Galo was reappointed to the commission through February 1, 2021; and Reed Morian was named chair.  To learn more about these appointees, click here.

Dig out the Uggs, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are Coming!

‘Tis the season…pumpkin spice lattes will return to Starbucks’ menus Tuesday, August 27, the chain’s earliest launch date ever.  Not to be outdone, Dunkin’ Donuts announced its fall menu will launch next Wednesday, August 21.  Clearly, these coffee shop executives have never lived in Texas!  For more PSL fun facts, click here.

Only in Austin…

The LBJ Presidential Library might be a good place to cool off before making your first PSL run of the season.  Motown: The Sound of Young America is a GRAMMY Museum-curated exhibit on site through January 26^th that promises to be worth a visit.  It’s billed as the first major museum exhibition to embrace all facets—music, culture and politics—of the 1960s biggest sounds in soul.  The library is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM and offers free parking nearby.  For more information, click here.

Congressional Retirement Announcements 

Four Texas Congressional members have announced their intentions to retire since our last memo:  Pete Olson (R-Sugar Land), Mike Conaway (R-Midland), Will Hurd (R-Helotes) and Kenny Marchant (R-Carrollton).  With the 2021 Texas Legislative Session’s focus on redistricting, these retirements are significant and they are not expected to be the last.  For more perspective on these changes, click here.

TX Lege Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes 

There have been several announcements from Texas legislators in recent days as well.  State Senator Royce West (D-Dallas) announced his U.S. Senate campaign, adding his name to the growing list of Democrats who want to defeat incumbent Senator John Cornyn; as his state Senate seat is not up until 2022, he will not have to resign to run.  State Representative John Wray (R-Waxahachie) announced he will not run for re-election, the second member of the Texas House to announce retirement after Rep. Jonathan Stickland in June.  Most recently, State Representative and House Appropriations Chairman John Zerwas (R-Richmond) gave notice that he will resign his seat effective September 30th.  On October 1^st, Dr. Zerwas will join the University of Texas System as Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, overseeing four medical schools, two dental schools and three nursing schools.  Click here and here for recent articles about these changes.

Representative Mary González Named a Latina Leader to Watch by National Publication 

Representative Mary González (D-Clint) was recently named one of The Hill’s Latina Leaders to Watch in 2019.  While previous editions focused on federal leaders, this year’s list features state legislators from across the country.  Rep. González is singled out for her leadership as chair of the Texas House’s LGBTQ Caucus and as vice-chair of its Mexican American Legislative Caucus, as well as her work to raise awareness of the immigration issues facing her district.  Rep. González also recently graduated with a Ph.D. from The University of Texas this May.  To see the full list of leaders and read more about Rep. González, click here.

Capitol Blood Drive in Honor of El Paso Shooting Victims

On Monday, a blood drive was held at the Texas Capitol to aid and honor victims of the recent mass shooting in El Paso.  A second trailer had to be brought to the site to accommodate the dozens of people lined up to donate.  For more information, click here.

Only in Austin…or, It’s Matthew McConaughey’s Texas, and We’re “Just Livin’” in it…