State of Texas - September 20, 2026

Paxton Talarico Polling – There's a lot to unpack from this poll - Matt Taglia, senior director of Emerson College Polling, joins us for a deeper dive into the numbers. Gaming Safeguards – Child advocates, pediatricians and mental health experts urged Texas lawmakers on Monday to expand online safety protections for children, arguing that today’s gaming platforms pose many of the same risks as social media and are increasingly affecting children’s mental health, sleep, academic performance and overall development.  Prediction Markets Debate – On Tuesday, the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee and the Texas House State Affairs Committee both met with experts on prediction markets. The rapidly growing industry has become a de facto replacement for sports gambling for many Texans — as traditional sports betting violates the Texas Constitution. Lottery operations - More than 18 months after his first appearance in the Capitol to describe an alleged scheme to rig a $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot, Manfred Sternberg was back under the dome to call on lawmakers to take action against individuals and companies that allegedly profited from the drawing.