Watch Interim Committee Hearings, More Action to Stop Birth Tourism, Designating Mexican Cartels as Terrorist Organizations

Your State Government in Action: Watch Our Upcoming Interim Committee Hearings

This week, I will join the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce, the Senate Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Finance Committee for interim hearings on several critical issues impacting Texas.

The Senate Finance Committee will meet on Monday, July 27th, to evaluate funding for transportation resources, monitor rural fire protection funding, discuss the implications and consequences of data center sales tax exemptions and review crime victims’ compensation and assistance funds. We will meet again on Tuesday, July 28th, to examine reporting and disclosure practices at institutions of higher education and review state agencies’ strategies to detect fraud, waste and abuse.

The Senate Committee on Higher Education will meet on Tuesday, July 28th, and Wednesday, July 29th, to monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 37 and House Bill 127, two significant higher education reforms enacted by the Texas Legislature in 2025.

Senate Bill 37 strengthens the governance of Texas public institutions of higher education by reforming institutional oversight, enhancing curriculum review and better aligning academic programs with the workforce needs of the state’s economy.

House Bill 127 protects Texas colleges and universities from foreign influence, espionage and the theft of sensitive research by restricting certain partnerships and financial relationships with entities connected to countries designated by the federal government as foreign adversaries.

The Senate Committee on Business & Commerce will meet on Wednesday, July 29th, to examine the impact of proposed 765-kV transmission line projects and the impact on the rights of property owners and the cost passed down to retail electric consumers while continuing its oversight of the state’s electric grid. The committee will also receive updates on the implementation of Senate Bill 6, legislation I authored during the 2025 Legislative Session that established a fair and reliable framework for connecting large electric loads to the ERCOT grid. The law is designed to support economic growth while ensuring that the costs associated with large-load interconnections are borne by those creating the demand, not by Texas residential customers.

I look forward to hearing how these reforms are being implemented and discussing additional opportunities to strengthen the reliability of our electric grid while protecting Texans.

Senate committee hearings are publicly broadcast and can be viewed here.

The next Texas legislative session does not begin until January of 2027; however, interim committee hearings are ongoing and help us develop legislative priorities to address critical issues facing Texans. You can watch these hearings here.

Follow-Up from Last Week: Governor Abbott Orders Statewide Crackdown on Birth Tourism

Recently, I shared with you the growing problem of birth tourism. According to reports, foreign nationals purchased “birth packages” to travel to Texas to give birth, resulting in their children being born as United States citizens.

In response, Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order directing state agencies to investigate and eliminate unlawful birth tourism schemes operating in Texas. This action builds on the Governor’s recent directive that led to an investigation into alleged birth tourism packages marketed by two Texas hospitals, which have since been referred to the Texas Attorney General for further review.

The order requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), the Department of State Health Services, the HHSC Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Texas Medical Board, the Texas Board of Nursing and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to investigate individuals or organizations involved in facilitating birth tourism and take enforcement action when violations of state law are found. Potential penalties include suspending or revoking professional licenses, denying state benefits, prohibiting participation in state contracts and working with federal authorities to pursue additional enforcement when appropriate.

Any Texan with information on birth tourism schemes should report it immediately to the HHSC OIG here. Tips may also be submitted to the Department of Justice here or to the appropriate U.S. Attorney’s Office in Texas.

United States Designates Two Additional Mexican Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

The Trump Administration has officially designated the Juárez Cartel and Los Viagras Cartel as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, bringing the total number of Mexican cartels on the list to eight.

The Juárez Cartel operates along the Texas-Mexico border and has long been linked to drug trafficking, violence and organized crime. The Los Viagras Cartel is based in the western Mexican state of Michoacán. The cartel has become known for producing synthetic drugs, which it sells to other cartels that traffic them into the United States.

This designation gives federal authorities additional tools to disrupt cartel operations, prosecute those who provide material support and strengthen efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations that threaten our communities.

As Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Homeland and Border Security, I fully support this designation and look forward to working alongside President Trump and our federal partners to dismantle these violent cartel networks. These criminal organizations prey on the weak and vulnerable through drug trafficking, human smuggling and violence, leaving lasting damage in communities across Texas. We must continue using every available tool to secure our border and protect the safety of all Texans.