The Big and Bright Podcast

Episode 74- Lines are drawn in NOLA and in Austin.

In this episode Nick and Justice James talk about the Southern Baptist Convention, Veto power of Abbott, and we revisit some bills that Governor Abbott has signed.

Citations:

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/15/texas-legislature-local-control/

https://lrl.texas.gov/geninfo/faq.cfm

https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/governor-abbotts-deadline-looms-for-signing-or-vetoing-pending-texas-bills

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/14/new-texas-bans-law-diversity-offices-state-higher-education

https://thehill.com/homenews/lgbtq/4059467-abbott-signs-bill-banning-sexually-oriented-performances-in-texas/

https://www.cbs19.tv/article/weather/four-days-after-storm-passes-through-east-texas-thousands-still-without-power/501-85941d42-0e04-43c6-9a46-737d4c80738c

https://www.kltv.com/2023/06/21/city-hawkins-hosts-cooling-center-with-free-services/

 

Episode 73- Texas Legislative Session Results....and Impeachment

In this Triple J episode (Just Justice James), Just James talks about the noteworthy bills that have been sent to Governor Abbott's desk, the first round of Special Legislative Sessions, and the impeachment of Texas's Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Citations:

https://www.ktsm.com/news/texas-88th-legislative-session-which-bills-made-it-to-the-governors-desk/

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/29/abbott-special-legislative-session/

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/gov-abbott-calls-special-session-to-address-property-taxes-and-human-smuggling/

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/ken-paxton-impeached-texas-attorney-general/

https://www.axios.com/2023/05/30/ken-paxton-senate-impeachment-trial-date-set

 

Episode 72 (part 2) It’s the border...again!

In Part 2 of this episode Justice James and Nick talk about some key bills on the Texas Legislative floor which include the 10 commandments in classrooms, and transgender issues.

Citations:

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/02/texas-trans-kids-health-care-ban/

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/education/2023/05/03/texas-legislature-senate-bill-1515-advances-pushes-for-ten-commandments-in-schools-classrooms/70170060007/

 

Episode 72 (part 1) It’s the border...AGAIN!

In this episode, Nick returns and the pair discuss the inevitable consequences of ignoring the crisis at the border, and talk about the fallout of President Biden's Border Crisis.

Citations:

https://www.npr.org/2023/05/03/1173776556/u-s-anticipates-an-increase-in-asylum-seekers-as-title-42-is-set-to-end

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-title-42-policy-immigration-what-happens-ending-expiration/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/02/us/cleveland-texas-neighbor-shooting-fugitive-tuesday/index.html

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/01/greg-abbott-illegal-immigrants-shooting-victims-texas/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/01/lori-lightfoot-greg-abbott-busing-migrants/70170011007/

https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/mayor/Office%20of%20New%20Americans/PDFs/SanctuaryCitiesFAQs.pdf

https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/immigration/2023/04/30/el-paso-border-state-of-emergency-migrants-title-42-end/70167708007/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/02/politics/us-troops-border-migrant-surge/index.html

https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-troops-southern-border-68ec4d25fb87b41265019a0ffd20a784

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/02/1500-more-troops-southern-border-00094850

 

Episode 71- May the Force be with Texas

In this episode, it's Just Justice James again, and he talks about HB2127 which is making its way through the Texas Legislature. This bill would prevent certain blue cities and counties from imposing their purely partisan will on their citizens. James goes through some of the finer parts of the bill and how it will be implemented. He also talks about a recent sexual harassment case in Collin County and gives you an update on that trial.

Citations:

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/18/texas-house-local-control/

https://www.khou.com/article/news/politics/texas-death-star-bill-debate/285-e483c021-b436-4f80-b903-c0508f3f8b0d

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=88R&Bill=HB2127

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/collin-county-settles-lawsuit-district-attorneys-office-sexual-harassment-toxic-workplace-environment/287-d1adbd2d-0974-499c-9bcc-b8e9f1864846

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2023/04/17/175-million-settlement-finalized-in-lawsuit-against-collin-da-top-county-officials/

 

Episode 69- Texas on Tampons

In the aftermath of Dobbs, Nick and James breakdown what Texas is doing to strengthen parenthood, by reforming education, the state tax code, and abortion practice. Also a better late than never analysis of the State of the State address.

Citations:

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/03/10/texas-abortion-lawsuit/

https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/repealing-texas-tampon-tax-gains-momentum-17831794.php

https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/03/10/texas-tampon-tax

https://www.kxan.com/news/education/almost-60-school-districts-in-texas-have-now-made-the-switch-to-four-day-weeks/

 

Episode 68- Stop it, just STOP it!

Nick and James breakdown sportscasting, DEI in government agencies, Harris county fund distribution and current gun policy rulings. Their message is clear. Whatever you are doing, STOP it.

citations:

DEI

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/07/greg-abbott-diversity-equity-inclusion-illegal/

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/texas-legislative-black-caucus-blasts-abbott-offices-memo-on-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/3194800/

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/14/texas-diversity-hiring/

Texas Rangers

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/likely-bally-sports-southwest-bankruptcy-not-likely-to-interrupt-dfw-sports-broadcasts/3193166/

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article272479473.html

US v. Rahimi

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2023/02/04/federal-appeals-court-strikes-down-domestic-violence-gun-law/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/12/politics/domestic-abuse-guns-5th-circuit-supreme-court/index.html

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/02/09/guns-domestic-abuse-second-amendment/

Harris County Defunding Police

https://comptroller.texas.gov/about/media-center/news/20230210-texas-comptroller-glenn-hegars-statement-on-harris-county-budget-deliberations-they-are-defunding-the-police-1675794105464

https://abc13.com/harris-county-law-enforcement-budget-defunding-police-illegal-to-defund-in-texas-glenn-hegar/12825949/

https://247wallst.com/city/houston-tx-is-among-the-most-dangerous-us-metro-areas/

 

Episode 67-Get Rolling Governor Abbott!

In this episode, it's just Justice James, and he talks about the current status of the Texas Legislative Session, a Valentines Day gift that you might want to purchase, our State's weather predictions, and some nefarious acts (Allegedly) taken by a Texas State Senator.

Citations:

Texas Border Czar

https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-new-texas-border-czar

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/30/texas-border-czar-greg-abbott-mike-banks/

https://www.kxan.com/state-of-texas/state-of-texas-a-full-time-job-border-czar-to-lead-tx-border-wall-security-efforts/

https://nypost.com/2023/01/07/el-paso-cleans-up-migrant-camps-before-joe-biden-border-visit/

Texas Armadillo

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/bee-cave-bob-2022/269-776ba783-917e-49a8-9c5b-a9c10aeb24e6

Valentines Day

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/san-antonio-zoo-goes-viral-cockroach-valentine-offering-rcna69055

Texas Senator

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/sen-charles-j-schwertner-arrested-charged-with-dwi/269-37dfda00-9b72-493b-8adc-77c49fa9f9ce

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austin-police-arrest-texas-senator-on-dwi-charge-records-show/

Texas Session

https://texasscorecard.com/state/gov-greg-abbott-to-hold-latest-state-of-the-state-address-in-over-30-years/

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/texas/state-bureau/2023/02/07/gov-abbott-to-lay-out-2023-priorities-at-state-of-the-state-address/69881024007/

 

episode 66- Mo Money, Mo Problems

In this episode, Nick and Justice James talk about the Casino discussion with the Texas Legislature, the Texas Teacher pay raise Bill, and a small skirmish on the Texas border. 

Cites: 

Teacher Pay 

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-states-pay-teachers-the-most-and-least/ 

https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/lawmaker-proposing-biggest-teacher-pay-raise-in-texas-history/ 

https://www.teacher.org/blog/state-by-state-ranking-of-where-teacher-salaries-go-the-furthest-in-buying-a-home/ 

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=88R&Bill=HB1548 

https://www.governing.com/now/2-years-and-4b-later-what-we-know-about-operation-lone-star 

https://schools.texastribune.org/states/tx/ 

Shots fired at the Border

https://apnews.com/article/politics-texas-mexico-6f97a21533a0e4c85474a12c31fab97c 

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/19/national-guard-migrant-shot-border/ 

Casino Talk 

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/27/texas-casinos-sports-betting-legislature/ 

https://fortworthreport.org/2023/01/21/betting-on-legalized-gambling-in-texas-look-for-big-push-this-legislative-session/ 

 

Fish talk

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article271691982.html 

 

Prostitution Sting

https://www.friscotexas.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1856 

Episode 65- Let’s Taco bout it

In this episode, it's Just Justice James. He talks about a bill that has been filed in the Texas Legislature that bans foreign entities from buying Texas Land, Texas Senators cast lots to get a 4 year term, and what Texas should do with its $33 Billion surplus. 

 

Citations: 

 

https://www.thecentersquare.com/texas/new-bill-would-ban-certain-foreign-entities-from-purchasing-land-in-texas/article_d1604e42-94eb-11ed-a16d-57b52d89086c.html

 

https://www.costar.com/article/374919011/texas-bill-would-ban-investors-in-four-countries-from-purchasing-property-in-state

 

https://texasscorecard.com/state/communist-china-in-texas-buying-our-land/

 

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/01/11/texas-senate-2023-terms/

 

https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/texas-surplus-budget-17712982.php