United Way Of The Brazos Valley Update

Could Competition Be On The Way For BTU and College Station Utilities?

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been touring Texas promoting his “Keep Texas Affordable” plan. Most stops have discussed affordable housing prices, but today he discussed electricity services. Specifically, municipalities that don’t allow for choice when it comes to electric providers. Abbott says more than five million Texans reside in areas with a single municipal power provider, eliminating the possibility of shopping for cheaper electricity rates. 60% of those 5-million are in Austin (Austin Energy) and San Antonio (City Public Service/CPS Energy). Those are the two largest municipally-owned utility districts in the state, but Governor Abbott is suggesting that all Texans should be able to choose their plan and open up city monopolies to retail electric competition. He says residential customers in Austin and San Antonio would save an average of 10% to 13% on their electric bill. Commercial customers could save on nearly 22% — or up to $3,000 per year. Governor Abbott would also ban city utilities from imposing charges upon customer unrelated to electric delivery. The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) “only has jurisdiction over the rates charged by transmission and distribution utilities and investor-owned utilities that operate in Texas’ competitive marketplace,” according to puc.texas.gov. For example, Retail Electric Providers (REPs) can charge a maximum late fee of 5% of an unpaid electric bill while city-owned providers can set their own rates. For comparison sake, CPS Energy in San Antonio charges a 2% late fee. Austin Energy assesses a 5% late fee. BTU charges a 5% late fee. College Station Utilities charges a whopping 10%.

Governor Abbott Activates State Wildfire Response Resources Ahead Of Fire Danger in Panhandle

PRESS RELEASE (AUSTIN, TX) – Governor Greg Abbott today announced that he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to activate additional state wildfire response resources in anticipation of increased fire weather conditions in areas of the Texas Panhandle beginning today. “I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate additional state wildfire response resources ahead of increased fire danger in the Panhandle,” said Governor Abbott. “Local responders will continue to have full access to state personnel, equipment, and aircraft to protect lives and property.” According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, August is typically the peak month for wildfires due to hot, dry conditions. Across large regions of Texas, wildfire potential is expected to increase due to dry vegetation, with a heightened concern over the next several days in the Panhandle and North Texas areas. At the direction of Governor Abbott, the following state wildfire response resources remain available to support local wildfire response operations: Texas A&M Forest Service (Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System): State, local, and out-of-state firefighters and support personnel; heavy equipment such as bulldozers and motor graders; and more than 10 federally contracted firefighting aircraft including single-engine air tankers for retardant drops, and an air attack platform for surveillance and spotting Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Wildland Fire Support Packages consisting of medics, ambulances, and all-terrain vehicles Texas National Guard: Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters with firefighting capability Texas Department of Transportation: Personnel monitoring road conditions Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers to patrol roadways and assist stranded motorists Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens, State Park Police Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas Animal Health Commission: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents as well as AgriLife Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs Public Utility Commission of Texas: Power outage monitoring and coordination with utility providers Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring of the state’s natural gas supply and communication with the oil and gas industry Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring These resources are mobilized in addition to state resources previously deployed by the Governor to support local wildfire response efforts. Last week, the Texas A&M Forest Service raised the Wildland Fire Preparedness Level to Level 2, indicating that elevated fire danger is observed in some regions of the state. Texans are urged to implement wildfire prevention measures, including avoiding activities that may cause sparks or flames, making an emergency plan, following instructions from local officials, and keeping emergency supplies easily available. Texans can access wildfire tips and safety information at tfsweb.tamu.edu and TexasReady.gov. All-hazards disaster preparedness information is located at tdem.texas.gov/prepare.

ACLU Sues Texas A&M Board of Regents Over Censorship

The ACLU has filed a lawsuit against the Texas A&M Board of Regents on behalf of the America Association of University Professors and four Texas A&M professors. Leonard Bright teaches ethics at the Bush School of Government and Public Service. Vanita Reddy is Associate Professor of English and Core Faculty in Women’s and Gender Studies. Landon Sadler is a lecturer in the College of Arts & Sciences. Aaron George is an assistant professor at Tarleton State. The complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief was filed Monday in United States District Court – Southern District of Texas – Houston Division, argues that the censorship policy is unconstitutionally vague and violates the First Amendment by discriminating against certain viewpoints. They say they are prohibited from discussing certain topics and viewpoints related to race, sexual orientation, and gender. The following sections from the complaint describe each plaintiff’s background and their particular basis for the lawsuit: “Plaintiff Dr. Leonard Bright is a tenured full Professor at Texas A&M University, College Station’s Bush School of Government and Public Service. Dr. Bright also serves as the President of the AAUP Chapter at College Station. In implementing the Censorship Policy, the University canceled a graduate seminar Dr. Bright usually teaches titled Ethics in Public Policy, which covers topics concerning ethical decision-making in public service. His class was flagged as potentially violating the Policy during Texas A&M’s syllabus review, and, in this discussion format course in which these topics were expected to arise organically, he was asked to identify exactly which days the concept of sexual orientation may come up. Because Dr. Bright could not identify discrete times when “sexual orientation” might come up in the course or in student discussions, his class was canceled three days after the Spring semester began.” “Plaintiff Professor Vanita Reddy is a tenured Associate Professor in English and a core Women’s and Gender Studies faculty member at Texas A&M University, College Station, in the College of Arts and Sciences. Following implementation of the Censorship Policy, Professor Reddy’s section of English/Women’s and Gender Studies 333 course on LGBTQ literature was canceled for the Fall 2026 semester without allowing her an opportunity to submit a syllabus for review.” “Plaintiff Professor Landon Sadler is a full-time Lecturer in English and Associate faculty member of the Women’s and Gender Studies department at the Texas A&M University, College Station, in the College of Arts and Sciences. Following implementation of the Censorship Policy, Professor Sadler’s cross-listed English and Women’s and Gender Studies 333 course LGBTQ Literatures was canceled without explanation for Fall 2026, despite Professor Sadler’s request for an exemption. In addition, Professor Sadler was required to remove Academy Award winning Best Picture Moonlight from his Writing About Literature English 203 syllabus, again without explanation.” “Plaintiff Professor Aaron George is a tenured Assistant Professor of History at Tarleton State University, which is within the Texas A&M University System. Following implementation of the Censorship Policy, Professor George’s course, History of Sexuality in America, was removed from the course catalogue. He is also no longer permitted to teach Contemporary American History, which he had been planning to teach in the Fall 2026 semester. In two of his other classes, Professor George has been forced to censor viewpoints that are disfavored by the Board of Regents. For example, Professor George teaches History of the United States Since 1877 (HIST 1302), a core course that covers the Fourteenth Amendment. Following a student complaint on the first day of the Spring 2026 semester, he received an email informing him that he had violated the Censorship Policy, with no explanation as to how, but directing him “to make the necessary changes to the course immediately” or risk having his course canceled. Guessing as to what was deemed problematic on his syllabus, Professor George removed a reference to “LGBT Americans” from his description of the groups affected by the Fourteenth Amendment, which then prompted approval of his class.” Plantiffs seek to: Declare the Censorship Policy unconstitutional on its face and as applied to Plaintiffs because it restricts Plaintiffs’ speech in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; Declare the Censorship Policy unconstitutional on its face and as applied to Plaintiffs because it is void for vagueness in violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution; Issue a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting Defendants from implementing or enforcing the Censorship Policy or substantially similar policies or practices; Issue a preliminary and permanent injunction re-instating classes canceled or demoted from status as “Core” classes pursuant to the Censorship Policy; Issue a preliminary and permanent injunction rescinding directives prohibiting inclusion of specific readings or other materials as part of courses pursuant to the Censorship Policy; Issue a preliminary and permanent injunction rescinding directives prohibiting teaching or discussion of subject matter pursuant to the Censorship Policy; Award Plaintiffs’ legal costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees, and other litigation expenses under 42 U.S.C. § 1988; and Grant any additional relief this Court deems just and proper.