Texas Briefing

Texas’ New Hemp Rules and the Future of Cannabis Policy

Texas has rolled out new hemp regulations that are reshaping the state’s cannabis landscape — restricting smokable products, tightening oversight, and raising new questions about public health, enforcement, and market impacts. Host Edward M. Emmett [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/edward-m-emmett] sits down with Katharine Neill Harris [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/katharine-neill-harris] to examine what has changed, why it matters, and how the new rules fit into broader state and federal policy trends. This conversation was recorded on April 1, 2026. Learn more about the “Texas Briefing” podcast by subscribing to our “Events Digest” newsletter at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter]. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X [https://twitter.com/BakerInstitute], Instagram [http://instagram.com/bakerinstitute], LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/company/james-a--baker-iii-institute-for-public-policy---rice-university], and YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/user/bakerinstitute]. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org [http://bakerinstitute.org].

Student Voices on Faith, Politics, and University Life in Texas

How do students experience faith on campus, and how does religion shape their views on public policy? In this student panel moderated by Baker Institute fellow Michael O. Emerson [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson], Rice University students David Lee, Zaina Waheed, and Jacob Alemeshet discuss how faith influences their daily lives, identities, and civic perspectives. Representing Christian and Muslim student organizations, the panel explores religious pluralism, freedom of belief, and the challenges of balancing faith and inclusion in a diverse campus environment. The conversation also examines the relationship between religion and voting behavior, the role of faith-based organizations in policymaking, and current debates in Texas, including legislation involving religion in public schools. This discussion offers insight into how younger generations are approaching faith, civic engagement, and leadership in an increasingly diverse society. This bonus episode is part of the “Between Pulpit and Policy” series, which examines the role of religion in Texas politics. Produced in partnership with the Baker Institute Student Forum, the series explores how faith intersects with public life and policymaking. Featured: * Michael O. Emerson [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson], Ph.D. Student Panelists: * David Lee, Rice University Class of 2026, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) * Zaina Waheed, Rice University Class of 2026, Muslim Student Association (MSA) * Jacob Alemeshet, Rice University Class of 2028, Christian student organization This conversation was recorded on Dec. 4, 2025, in front of a live audience. Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/baker-briefing/id1668671313], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1HLgLgaZDq5zmssZv2BVXk?si=a24d2a633b694dbc&nd=1&dlsi=73ce928119c34155], https://afripods.africa/podcast/781425b6-9ead-455e-a70d-dc1d5ec4f48bor your preferred podcast platform. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X [https://twitter.com/BakerInstitute], Instagram [http://instagram.com/bakerinstitute], LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/company/james-a--baker-iii-institute-for-public-policy---rice-university], and YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/user/bakerinstitute]. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org [http://bakerinstitute.org].

Religion at Work in Texas

As religion becomes more visible in Texas politics, how is it reshaping the modern workplace? From expanded religious accommodations to the rollback of DEI initiatives, Texas employers are increasingly caught between federal protections, state legislation, and a workforce that is more religiously diverse than ever. In this episode, Dr. Elaine Howard Ecklund [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/elaine-howard-ecklund], faculty scholar at the Baker Institute and director of Rice University’s Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance, joins Dr. Michael O. Emerson [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson] on the “Texas Briefing” podcast to unpack how religion is lived and practiced across industries and regions. Featured: * Michael O. Emerson, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson]  * Elaine Howard Ecklund, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/elaine-howard-ecklund [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/elaine-howard-ecklund]  Mentioned in this episode: * Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels, Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work, https://www.elainehowardecklund.com/books/working-for-better [https://www.elainehowardecklund.com/books/working-for-better]. * Elaine Howard Ecklund, Denise Daniels, and Christopher Scheidel, Religion in a Changing Workplace, https://www.elainehowardecklund.com/books/religion-in-a-changing-workplace [https://www.elainehowardecklund.com/books/religion-in-a-changing-workplace]. * U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Religious Discrimination, https://www.eeoc.gov/religious-discrimination [https://www.eeoc.gov/religious-discrimination]. This is the fourth episode in a four-part series, “Between Pulpit and Policy,” exploring the rising influence of faith, particularly Christian nationalism, in Texas politics — and how it’s transforming public policy and governance. The series was produced in partnership with the Baker Institute Student Forum. This conversation was recorded in front of a live studio audience on Nov. 20, 2025. Learn about future live recordings of the “Texas Briefing” podcast by subscribing to our “Events Digest” newsletter at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter]. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X [https://twitter.com/BakerInstitute], Instagram [http://instagram.com/bakerinstitute], LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/company/james-a--baker-iii-institute-for-public-policy---rice-university], and YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/user/bakerinstitute]. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org [http://bakerinstitute.org/].

The Politics of Faith and Science in Texas

How can scientists interact with religious beliefs that increasingly shape public policy? Must there instead exist a separation between faith and science? Michael O. Emerson [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson] sits with Neal F. Lane [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/neal-f-lane], the Baker Institute’s senior fellow in science and technology, and Heidi Russell [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/heidi-russell], the director of the Center for Health Policy, to dive into the complex, often misunderstood relationship among faith, science, and public policy. They explore how religious values and scientific evidence collide, and sometimes coexist, from the courtroom to the hospital bedside.   Featured guests: * Neal F. Lane, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/neal-f-lane [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/neal-f-lane]  * Heidi Russell, M.D., Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/heidi-russell [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/heidi-russell]    Mentioned in this episode: * Francis S. Collins, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. Free Press. * Texas House Joint Resolution 90, 89th Leg., R.S., 2025, https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HJR90/id/3027398 [https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HJR90/id/3027398]. * Texas Senate Joint Resolution 59, 89th Leg., R.S., 2025, https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SJR59/id/3221489 [https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SJR59/id/3221489]. * Texas Senate Bill 17, 88th Leg., R.S., 2023, https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/SB00017F.htm [https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/SB00017F.htm]. * Texas House Bill 229, 89th Leg., R.S., 2025, https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB229/2025 [https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB229/2025]. This conversation was recorded in front of a live studio audience on Nov. 7, 2025. Learn about future live recordings of the “Texas Briefing” podcast by subscribing to our “Events Digest” newsletter at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter]. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X [https://twitter.com/BakerInstitute], Instagram [http://instagram.com/bakerinstitute], LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/company/james-a--baker-iii-institute-for-public-policy---rice-university], and YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/user/bakerinstitute]. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org [http://bakerinstitute.org/].

Religion and the Battle for Texas Public Schools

Why has the role of religion in Texas public education become one of the most consequential policy battles in the state? What is at stake for religious liberty, church-state separation, and the future of education across the nation? Baker Institute fellow and guest host Michael O. Emerson [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson] is joined by nonresident scholar David R. Brockman [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/david-r-brockman] to unpack how faith-based politics, Christian nationalism, and recent legislative actions are reshaping classrooms across Texas. Featured: * Michael O. Emerson, Ph.D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michael-o-emerson]. * David R. Brockman, Ph. D., https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/david-r-brockman [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/david-r-brockman]. Mentioned in this episode: * U.S. Supreme Court, “Kennedy v. Bremerton School District,” 2022, https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/supreme-court-case-library/kennedy-v-bremerton-school-district [https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/supreme-court-case-library/kennedy-v-bremerton-school-district]. * Texas Senate Bill 10. 89th Leg., R.S., 2025, https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB00010I.pdf [https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB00010I.pdf].  * David Barton, “In Defense of the Ten Commandments,” AFA Journal, The American Family Association (2003), https://afajournal.org/past-issues/2003/november-december/in-defense-of-the-ten-commandments/ [https://afajournal.org/past-issues/2003/november-december/in-defense-of-the-ten-commandments/]. * Texas Senate Bill 763. 88th Leg., R.S., 2023, https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB763/id/2817871 [https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB763/id/2817871]. * Texas Senate Bill 11, 89th Leg., R.S., 2025, https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB00011I.pdf [https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB00011I.pdf]. This is the second episode in a four-part series, “Between Pulpit and Policy,” exploring the rising influence of faith, particularly Christian nationalism, in Texas politics — and how it’s transforming public policy and governance. The series was produced in partnership with the Baker Institute Student Forum. This conversation was recorded in front of a live studio audience on Oct. 10, 2025. Learn about future live recordings of the “Texas Briefing” podcast by subscribing to our “Events Digest” newsletter at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter [https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter]. You can follow @BakerInstitute on X [https://twitter.com/BakerInstitute], Instagram [http://instagram.com/bakerinstitute], LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/company/james-a--baker-iii-institute-for-public-policy---rice-university], and YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/user/bakerinstitute]. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org [http://bakerinstitute.org].