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Retiring state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, has been named the next secretary of state by Gov. Greg Abbott. She replaces John Scott, who announced his resignation effective at year’s end.
Scott was the third nominee for the post not confirmed by the Senate. He was appointed in October 2021, and the Legislature has not met since then. Nelson, who is completing 30 years in the Senate, should be a strong candidate for approval because of her lengthy tenure there. A new legislative session convenes in January.
The secretary of state’s office, among other duties, oversees the state’s election process.
“I look forward to this new chapter of public service and appreciate the confidence Governor Abbott has placed in me to serve as Secretary of State,” Nelson said in a statement. “Voters expect fair elections with accurate, timely results, and I am committed to making that happen. Texans with all political views should have faith in our election system.”
TikTok banned on all state-issued phones Abbott last week ordered all Texas state agencies to ban use of the social media app TikTok on any govern- ment-issued device, saying it risks allowing China to gain access to “critical U.S. information.”
The popular video- sharing application is owned by a Chinese company and is used by an estimated 85 million people in the United States.
TikTok maintains the Chinese government has never tried to access the data of its users, the Austin American- Statesman reported.
Abbott said he is prepared to work with state lawmakers to make the ban permanent during the next session, and to extend the ban to devices issued by local governments, such as cities and counties.
“We must work together to stop the Chinese government’s efforts to collect, store, and distribute Texans’ data and personal information,” Abbott wrote in a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan.
COVID-19 cases continue to rise
The number of new COVID-19 cases in the past week in Texas rose once again, this time to 30,096 with 91 deaths, according to the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported a slight increase, with 1,977 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients across the state.
