Daily Dispatch 12/4/24: Democrats Hold Key To State House Speaker Race, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Both the Texas House Democratic Caucus and their Republican counterparts meet late this week to discuss who the 2025 Speaker will be - the Democrats hold the key, as neither Republican candidate has a clear majority: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/texas-house-speaker-race-19953807.php Expect the continued and escalating assault on the rights of transgender Texans to be the central social issue of the session for Republicans, emboldened by the Trump win: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/04/texas-transgender-restrictions-legislative-session/ The Texas Maternal Morbidity Committee's decision to ignore data regarding maternal deaths in the first two years of Texas' abortion ban - alongside a similar move in Georgia - is drawing national attention: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/texas-georgia-women-deaths-abortion-ban-rcna182540 ...The Dallas Morning News Editorial Board is calling on Governor Abbott and the '25 Legislature, if they really believe our abortion laws are sufficient to protect pregnant people, to order a study of those first two years: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2024/12/04/texas-needs-a-study-on-how-abortion-ban-has-affected-pregnancy-care/ ERCOT's lead meteorologist says conditions this winter look favorable for a repeat of Winter Storm Uri, but energy experts don't agree with ERCOT's claim that they're ready to keep the heat on: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/ercot-extreme-cold-event-winter-outlook/269-4fb29d16-01cd-4479-a830-7ee329d2c142 Great to see everyone at our first holiday gathering in Austin! The second is in Dallas on December 16 - there are sponsorship opportunities available, and individual tickets are now on sale here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2024⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at ⁠⁠⁠@progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠. Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.