Senate Interim Hearings, Assessing Drones, SBOE Adopts Bible Passages in Curriculum, National Religious Liberty Report, and More!

Dear Friends:  

Here is my latest update on matters of interest.  Though the Legislature is not in session until January, important work in interim hearings is fully underway. 

Keeping Texas’ Skies Safe, Assessing the Use of Drones

In March, I was appointed by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to be Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Homeland and Border Security. Among the committee’s interim charges is examining the use of drones and their impact on public safety to help keep Texas’ skies safe. As drone technology continues to evolve, it presents significant opportunities for law enforcement and emergency response, as well as new challenges posed by criminal organizations, hostile actors and other emerging threats.

This week, in preparation for upcoming committee hearings on this issue, I met with Department of Public Safety leadership to discuss current drone operations conducted by state and local law enforcement, as well as their partnership with the United States government to address the growing challenges and public safety risks associated with drone technology. We also discussed how these technologies are being used to support border security, disaster response, criminal investigations and the protection of critical infrastructure, while also identifying areas where Texas can strengthen its capabilities and preparedness. Shockingly, one of the top users of drone technology is the Mexican cartels. They launch drones from the Mexican side of the border to monitor law enforcement activity and fly drones into Texas to smuggle dangerous fentanyl.  

As a former law enforcement officer, I understand the importance of ensuring that Texas law enforcement agencies have the tools and resources necessary to stay ahead of threats from criminals and transnational organizations who may use drone technology to commit atrocities in our state. Our laws and public safety strategies must evolve just as quickly.  As Chairman, I look forward to working with my colleagues and law enforcement personnel to evaluate current policies, identify legislative solutions and ensure Texas remains a national leader in homeland security and public safety. 

Meeting with leadership in the Department of Public Safety to better understand the threats drone technology presents to public safety and how the state can better equip law enforcement to combat these threats. 

Business and Commerce Committee Hearing: Financial Technology Innovation, Insurance Affordability, Broadband Update

This past week I attended the second interim hearing for the Senate Business & Commerce Committee, where I serve as Vice Chair.  We discussed the important topics of fostering financial technology innovation, strengthening regulatory oversight and access to affordable insurance for Texans and examining the Broadband Development Office’s strategic planning. Senators heard testimony from financial experts on emerging trends in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, as well as concerns surrounding the increasing use of virtual currency kiosks for fraud.  

The committee also received an update from the Broadband Development Office on the state’s ongoing efforts to expand high-speed internet access across Texas. Following voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 2023 dedicating $1.5 billion to the Broadband Infrastructure Fund, the office has continued deploying broadband infrastructure and administering programs supported by both state and federal funding sources.  

Rising property and casualty insurance costs are a growing challenge for Texans, making affordability and availability of homeowners, auto and commercial coverage a top priority for the 90th Texas Legislative Session. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) and the Office of Public Insurance Counsel updated lawmakers on efforts to maintain a stable, competitive insurance market while protecting consumers and expanding access to affordable coverage. Between wildfires, hail, severe storms, tornadoes and hurricanes, Texas is one of the most disaster-prone states in the nation. Hail alone accounts for a significant share of homeowners insurance claims in North Texas — last year Texas recorded more than 900 hail events, three times more than Kansas, the next closest state at roughly 300.

Tools to Help Consumers Compare Polices and Find Better Rates.

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has beneficial tools that help consumers find the best coverage. Insurance companies are required to file their home and auto rates with TDI before they use them to set premiums. Consumers can see home and auto rate filings submitted by insurance companies on their website. In collaboration with the Office of Public Insurance Counsel, TDI created the HelpInsure site for Texans to compare policies from Texas insurance companies. Users simply answer a few questions, and the site shows the policies available in their area, their rates and coverage types. Additionally, TDI launched Speak Up, Texas a statewide survey that gives Texans the opportunity to share feedback, identify challenges in the insurance market and help shape potential solutions. If you have ideas about how to make insurance work better for all Texans, please use the portal to share your thoughts.

State Board of Education Adopts New Required Reading List and Updated Social Studies TEKS

On Friday, June 26, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) voted to adopt a new required reading list as well as new social studies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). These updates will significantly change how Texas students will study literature and history.  The vote comes after the SBOE met Monday through Thursday as “the Committee of the Full Board” to engage in hours of debate over literary works and updates to the social studies TEKS. 

The required reading list, the first of its kind in the nation, was mandated by the Texas Legislature in 2023, will eventually affect approximately 5.5 million Texas public school students. In building out the reading list members of the SBOE carefully selected enduring works that have stood the test of time. Students will engage with important literary texts that cross-reference the historical events they are studying in social studies. Implementation will be phased in beginning with elementary grades in 2030-31, with all grade levels using the new standards by 2033-34. 

When mandating a required list by grade level, the legislature was reacting to concern from parents and teachers that students were not reading enough whole works. The SBOE responded by ensuring students have access to books, poetry and articles that will build good background knowledge. Some of these important novels include Charlotte’s Web, Treasure Island, The Diary of Anne Frank, Animal Farm, Great Expectations and Hamlet. Students will read speeches like Douglas MacArthur’s “Duty, Honor, Country,” Teddy Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” and President Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address.” They will also read selections by poets like Rudyard Kipling, Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes and Edgar Allan Poe.

The required reading list also includes carefully selected Bible passages, with at least one biblical text in every grade except kindergarten. Examples include Noah’s Ark in first grade and excerpts from Genesis, Matthew, and Luke in later grades.   We know that studying the Bible is essential to understanding American history, culture and the nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage.  I applaud the SBOE members who supported these changes. 

I will update you with a link to the full list when it becomes available. 

The newly adopted social studies TEKS are organized around a chronological framework, providing students with the historical foundation and context needed to think critically about the past. By studying history in sequence, students can better understand how events, ideas and individuals influenced one another over time, fostering a deeper and more cohesive understanding of the forces that shaped the modern world.

The revised TEKS are designed to promote more meaningful historical understanding and help students gain a stronger appreciation of the history of both the United States and Texas. This is accomplished by placing greater emphasis on understanding the significance of historical people, events and ideas and their lasting impact, rather than relying on lists of names, dates and facts.

Eighth-grade Texas students will particularly benefit from a new component of the TEKS: a Texas history capstone course, which traces the state’s story from its founding to the present. The course highlights the influence of Enlightenment principles on the Texas Constitution and the state’s founding ideals, giving students a deeper understanding of Texas’ unique historical and constitutional heritage.

Together, the required literature reading list and the new social studies TEKS create a cohesive curriculum designed to strengthen literacy while providing students with a comprehensive understanding of history—from the development of Western civilization to the founding of the United States and the continuing American experiment in self-government.

Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty Report 

Also on Friday, the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission released a draft report outlining 12 recommendations to strengthen religious liberty protections nationwide. As the chairman of the newly created Senate Select Committee on Religious Liberty, I am closely monitoring this report and possible applications for Texas. 

Chaired by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Commission examined issues ranging from education and parental rights to healthcare, antisemitism, military service and protections for faith-based organizations.

President Trump emphasized the Commission’s mission at its creation by saying, “We’re bringing back religion in our country, and we’re bringing it back quickly and strongly—because for America to be a great nation, we must always be one nation under God.”

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick similarly reminded commissioners that, “The Founders guaranteed this magnificent inheritance of religious liberty to us all. We must be worthy stewards and fulfill our duty to pass on this gift to the next generation.”

The Commission’s 12 Recommendations at a Glance

• Clarifying the proper understanding of the Establishment Clause and the “separation of church and state;”
• Expanding “Know Your Rights” resources and religious liberty reporting portals;
• Requiring written explanations when government officials restrict religious expression;
• The creation of a federal religious liberty violation reporting hotline;
• Nominate and confirm federal judges with a history of showing courage to decide religious liberty cases on their merits;
• Creating a federal religious liberty task force;
• Strengthening efforts to combat antisemitism;
• Protecting Americans from government-led litigation targeting religious exercise;
• Repealing the Johnson Amendment;
• Improving military religious accommodations;
• Restoring benefits lost by service members denied religious vaccine exemptions; and
• Recognizing individuals who champion religious liberty.

What Does This Mean for Safeguarding Religious Liberty in Texas?

The Commission’s recommendations suggest several areas that Texas lawmakers may wish to review, including:

• Training for educators and administrators regarding student religious rights;
• Additional protections for faith-based charities and service providers;
• Healthcare conscience protections;
• Reporting and response mechanisms for antisemitic incidents;
• Whether existing state agencies consistently apply religious accommodation standards.

As the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Religious Liberty, I will take an in-depth look at the report and assess what statutory changes, oversight initiatives or interim studies may be warranted that are specific to Texas. A more detailed Texas-specific analysis will be forthcoming as the Commission finalizes its recommendations and public comments are received.

Honoring Our Friend – In Memory of Pastor Curtis Jefferson 

Judy Flanagin of my staff recently presented a Memorial Resolution from my office in memory of Pastor Curtis Jefferson, who led the New Hope Baptist Church in Weatherford until his passing.  The resolution honoring Pastor Jefferson was presented to his family and church, where his son is now the pastor.