Week of Jan. 25-31, 2016

Governor meets with Prime Minister Netanyahu
AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Jan. 18 met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a business development tour in Israel.
Abbott said in a news release that the meeting was “to discuss Texas and Israel’s historic bond” and how he can further solidify their relationship. 
Abbott informed Netanyahu that Texas would “maintain its Iran divestiture policy” and that he would “seek new laws to strengthen Texas' prohibitions on the investment of public funds in Iran.”
Abbott said the legislation he plans to promote would:
- Require local governmental entities to divest investments in Iran;
- Require all Texas state entities that invest money to divest Iran investments, not just Texas' various retirement funds; and
- Close loopholes in Texas’ Iran divestment law after examining them to determine where and how any exceptions can be minimized or eliminated altogether.
Abbott reminded readers that in September 2015, he sent a letter to the Texas congressional delegation stating his opposition President Obama’s Iran nuclear deal.  On July 14, 2015, the president signed what the White House called “a comprehensive, long-term deal that will verifiably prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
Court to review Texas case
The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 19 announced it would review an immigration case that originated in Brownsville.
Styled now as United States v. Texas, the case challenges the Obama administration’s November 2014 executive order affecting the deportation policy for undocumented immigrants. The case is scheduled be argued before the court in April, with a decision expected in June.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton reacted to the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case, saying that the court “recognizes the importance of the separation of powers.” 
Texas leads a 26-state coalition against the president’s immigration plan. Federal courts have ruled in the states’ favor three times, most recently in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Paxton noted.
AG opines on online gaming
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Jan. 19 issued an opinion in response to a legislative inquiry regarding the legality of online gaming.
State Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Denton, chair of the House Committee on Public Health, asked Paxton whether “daily fantasy sports leagues” are permissible under Texas law, and if it is legal to participate in fantasy sports leagues where the house does not take a “rake” and the participants only wager among themselves. 
Paxton said, “Paid daily ‘fantasy sports’ operators claim they can legally operate as an unregulated house, but none of their arguments square with existing Texas law. Simply put, it is prohibited gambling in Texas if you bet on the performance of a participant in a sporting event and the house takes a cut.”
Paxton said that unlike some other states, Texas law only requires “partial chance” for something to be gambling; it does not require that chance predominate. 
The opinion makes clear, Paxton added, that “traditional fantasy sports leagues are, as a general rule, legal under Texas law. In those leagues, participants generally split any pot amongst themselves, so there is no house that takes a cut.”
Job statistics are posted
The Texas Workforce Commission on Jan. 22 announced the state ended calendar year 2015 with another month of growth in employment, adding 24,900 jobs.
“Texas finished 2015 on a strong note in December with employers adding 166,900 jobs over the year across a diverse range of industries,” said Texas Workforce Commission Chair Andres Alcantar. 
Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.7 percent in December, up from 4.6 percent in November. It remained below the national average of 5.0 percent. The Workforce Commission, citing figures compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, pointed out these statistics:
- Professional and business services employment surged in December with the addition of 12,500 positions, the industry’s largest over-the-month gain since November 2014; and
- The education and health services industry recorded the second-largest employment gain over the month in Texas with 7,400 jobs added, marking 21 consecutive months of growth and a total of 66,700 jobs added since January 2015.
Furthermore, said Ruth R. Hughs, TWC’s commissioner representing employers, “Private-sector employment was strong over the year with the overall job growth of 141,300 jobs in December.”