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May 1, 2026      3:01 PM

People on the Move

Staffer moves, big appointments, a significant departure, and more

It was an emotionally taxing week, to be understated about it. The outpouring of concern from all of you amid everything else that’s going on is an incredible reminder that the Texas Capitol really is a community and that not everyone understands that.

But y’all do.

Tonight, on the Quorum Report Radio podcast you’ll hear a tribute to the late Chad Hasty along with a deep dive into what may happen next after this week’s landmark ruling on redistricting. And a tip of the hat to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for his work in the saga of the families still grieving after the tragedy last year at Camp Mystic. You can find links to listen to the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify on the Quorum Report homepage. Of course, the show’s available on all other podcast apps as well.

There are a few significant career moves to pass along to you this week. That’s what People on the Move is all about. The career news usually tends to slow down a bit as we move toward the summer months so feel free to send anything you think I might have missed to ksbraddock@gmail.com. If you use “POTM” in the subject line, it’s a huge help.

Thank you and here’s the latest edition.

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By Scott Braddock

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April 30, 2026      1:09 PM

Camp Mystic withdraws application to host campers this summer

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April 30, 2026      12:27 PM

Chad Hasty passed away

Longtime conservative radio host on KFYO and other stations was a Texas Capitol favorite. He will be dearly missed – SB

This statement was just released by News/Talk 95.1 & 970 KFYO and Townsquare Media:

We are deeply saddened to share the news that longtime host, beloved personality and Lubbock institution Chad Hasty passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday morning. He was 43 years old.

Chad joined Lubbock radio in 2003 and soon became the voice of KFYO's morning show. In 2021, The Chad Hasty Show moved to late afternoons, where he continued informing and entertaining audiences across the region. Whether cutting through the news of the day or interviewing some of the most prominent political figures in the state and country, Chad always delivered an engaging and thought-provoking show for his loyal listeners.

In 2011, Chad married his wife, Jennifer, and the two shared a love of travel and exploring new places together. He and Jennifer had recently become foster parents — a meaningful milestone he embraced with characteristic warmth and dedication.

Townsquare Media Lubbock's Market President Dan Endom shares: "We are stunned and heartbroken by the sudden passing of our beloved KFYO family member, Chad Hasty. Chad was not only a brilliant on-air host, but an even better friend. Our deepest condolences go out to Jennifer and his baby girl, Ava. It's hard to imagine not seeing his welcoming presence roaming the halls of Townsquare Media Lubbock."

Chad was a native of Grand Prairie, Texas, and a proud graduate of Texas Tech University.

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April 29, 2026      11:24 AM

Multiple sources say long time transportation boss Michael Morris was fired from the North Central Texas Council of Governments

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April 29, 2026      9:38 AM

In Louisiana case, US Supreme Court deals major blow to Voting Rights Act just as Florida takes up redistricting

A huge victory for the GOP while Democrats and voting rights advocates call the decision "intellectually dishonest and wrong"

Via the NPR News Desk in DC:

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision along partisan lines, ruled that Louisiana's 2024 election map, which created a second majority-Black congressional district, was "an unconstitutional racial gerrymander."

Although the court kept Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact, Wednesday's decision all but guts the landmark law that came out of the Civil Rights Movement and protected the collective voting power of racial minorities when political maps are redrawn.

It isn't yet clear how the decision will affect November's midterms. Primaries are well underway in most states.

Once considered the jewel in the crown of the civil rights movement, the Voting Rights Act has been largely dismembered since 2013 by the increasingly conservative Supreme Court. The major exception was a decision just two years ago that upheld the section of the law aimed at ensuring that minority voters are not shut out of the process of drawing new congressional district lines.

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April 28, 2026      4:00 PM

Owners of Camp Mystic apologize to families of flooding victims but Texas lawmakers argue it is too little too late

Senators Perry and Kolkhorst were particularly hard on the Eastlands, who said to the families: “We tried our hardest that night and it wasn’t enough to save your daughters…We were devastated alongside you.”

While arguing they did their best, family members in charge of Camp Mystic apologized to the families of the 27 girls who died at the camp as a result of the July 4, 2025, floods during the second day of a hearing examining what exactly went wrong that fateful weekend.

But the apologies were not enough for lawmakers gathered for a joint Texas House and Texas Senate committee hearing, who asked pointed questions about gaps in communication, training and ability to run the camp going forward.

While the historic Guadalupe River floods took the lives of an estimated 140 people across Central Texas, the all-girls Christian summer camp has been the focus of the hearing, including a detailed report presented by investigator Casey Garrett the previous day.

“I think about the night of the flood every moment of every day,” said a tearful Edward Eastland, whose father Dick also died in the floodwaters.

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By James Russell

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April 28, 2026      10:44 AM

Kronberg says Iran War could cause headaches for Texas budget writers in 2027

On Texas Capital Tonight, QR Publisher Harvey Kronberg covered that plus the immigration fight Gov. Abbott picked with Houston, Dallas, and Austin

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April 28, 2026      10:35 AM

New digital ad from Cornyn slams Paxton on a Taxpayer-Funded Albanian Scandal

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April 27, 2026      3:50 PM

Texas lawmakers receive disturbing findings from investigators of the Hill Country flooding tragedy

Testimony included descriptions of cruel prank calls to parents who lost their daughters in the flood; Lt. Gov. Patrick has called for Camp Mystic to lose its license but conspicuously quiet about most of it is Gov. Abbott while some of his former appointees represent the camp

Camp Mystic had no evacuation plan, college-age counselors were untrained for emergencies, and staff failed to take opportunities to evacuate during last year’s tragedy on site. That’s according to a report presented to the Texas House and Senate committees investigating the camp and other problems that occurred in response to the July 2025 floods.

While the historic Guadalupe River floods took the lives of an estimated 140 people across Central Texas, the all-girls Christian summer camp, where 27 girls died and founder Dick Eastland died, has come under intense scrutiny. The Texas Rangers recently visited the site, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has called for its license not to be renewed.

Conspicuously silent about most of this, though, has been Gov. Greg Abbott, whose former appointees David Whitley and John Scott now represent the camp.

As the General Investigating Senate Committee on July 2025 Flooding Events Chair Pete Flores said plainly: “This tragedy could have been prevented.”

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By James Russell

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April 27, 2026      8:55 AM

US Supreme Court reverses El Paso federal court, leaving new Texas Congressional map in place

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