6.1.2026: Dallas Court Unmasked

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:04]Is it still 2020? [music] I only ask because a Dallas judge was ordered on Friday to end the mask mandate in her courtroom.

[00:00:14]Now, this is Monday, June 1st, 2026.

[00:00:19]>> Texas Scorecard presents the day's first news for the Lone Star State, the Texas Minute with your host Michael Quinn Sullivan.

[00:00:30]>> [music] >> All right, thanks for starting your week with the Texas Minute. As we kick off the month of June, please consider supporting the work of Texas Scorecard by making a tax-deductible contribution at texasscorecard.com.

[00:00:45]That's texasscorecard.com.

[00:00:49]Now, to the news.

[00:00:53]Regents overseeing the Texas State University System voted last week to wind down tenure at their two-year institutions.

[00:01:01]The action is designed to provide greater flexibility in staffing and program design.

[00:01:07]The system change will impact Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar State College Orange, and Lamar State College Port Arthur.

[00:01:15]>> [snorts] >> Two-year institutions are generally considered to specialize in workforce development fields, while four-year institutions generally pursue academic fields. A system spokesperson told Texas Scorecard that because those programs must, quote, evolve quickly based on local and regional workforce needs, the policy change ensures that the faculty mix will keep pace.

[00:01:42]Houston City Controller Chris Hollins launched an interactive online tool last week taking aim at one of the more contentious pieces of Mayor John Whitmire's proposed $7.5 billion fiscal year 2027 budget. That is a new $5 monthly fee tied to residential garbage collection. Holland's tool is called, quote, "This fee is garbage."

[00:02:07]When using it, Houstonians can enter their taxable home value and compare what they would pay under the proposed monthly fee versus a property tax increase designed to generate an equivalent amount of revenue.

[00:02:20]According to Holland's, the tool is less about pushing a particular funding solution than ensuring residents have access to the numbers before a decision is made. Now, Mayor Whitmire has framed the fee as a statutory requirement accompanying the city's move to reclassify solid waste services as a municipal utility. The fee would remain fixed for at least 2 years with any future increases requiring city council approval. The Whitmire-Holland's conflict over the city's finances is not new. Last year, Holland's withheld budget certification related to a lawsuit accusing the city of misallocating voter-mandated drainage funds. The city controller has said he does expect to certify this year's budget, saying certification is a legal determination about the numbers and not a moral endorsement of the plan.

[00:03:16]As Republicans seek to highlight Democrat James Talarico's record on transgender issues, immigration, and other progressive causes ahead of the November general election, the lawmaker's campaign is embracing one of the nicknames those positions have earned him. The Democrat's campaign recently began selling merchandise bearing the phrase, quote, "I'm a Talarico."

[00:03:40]This is a reference to a nickname used by Republican nominee Ken Paxton during his runoff victory speech last week.

[00:03:48]Paxton pointed to Talarico's radical positions on topics ranging from immigration to transgender issues.

[00:03:55]Talarico has opposed legislation barring biological males from competing in women's sports and criticized Republican efforts related to protecting minors from sex rejecting medical interventions. The Talarico campaign decision echoes a similar episode from 2018 when the Texas Democrat Party briefly sold merchandise celebrating itself as {quote} the pot-smoking lesbian coalition after the phrase was used by an advisor to Governor Greg Abbott to describe the Democrats.

[00:04:27]That merchandise was quickly removed from circulation.

[00:04:32]The Texas Minute will be right back.

[00:04:36]>> Hey folks, Chris Salcedo here. I've got something special for you, the Salcedo Storm Podcast. As your friendly liberty-loving Latino, I bring you a mix of engaging discussions to help us fight for our state and our conservative values. It's the perfect way to stay informed and engaged in what's happening around you. So, what are you waiting for? Don't miss out on a storm of information and entertainment coming your way. The Salcedo Storm Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.

[00:05:05]>> On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court unanimously ordered a Dallas judge to immediately withdraw a courtroom mask mandate.

[00:05:14]The justices ruled that Democrat Demetria Bivins' policy improperly burdens attorneys, jurors, witnesses, court staff, and members of the public.

[00:05:23]Now, the dispute began after a Dallas attorney filed a complaint alleging Bivins continued enforcing COVID-era masking requirements years after statewide emergency orders had expired.

[00:05:36]Bivins told the high court that she maintained the requirement on the advice of her physician because her health is compromised. The justices emphasized the importance of public access to court proceedings and rejected the notion that everyone in a publicly accessible courtroom could be required to wear masks to accommodate one individual's health concerns.

[00:05:57]Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock noted that the Texas Constitution guarantees that quote all courts shall be open.

[00:06:06]Benson was defeated in the Democrat primary and will leave office in January.

[00:06:13]Hey, Judge Benson. 2020 called and they want their stupid policies [music] back.

[00:06:19]You can keep up with the latest news impacting the Lone [music] Star State by visiting texasscorecard.com.

[00:06:26]This edition of the Texas Minute [music] was produced by Nick Sheppard and based on the original reporting of Adam Khan, Michael Wilson and Brandon Waltens. I look forward to seeing you out around the Lone Star State. Now, go make it a great day.